Emissions: Rumford fireplaces are among the cleanest-burning wood-burning appliances. The EPA does not regulate fireplace emissions partly becasue firpleces are inherrently clean-burning but also because fireplaces are only occasionally used - not fired all the time to har a house. Nevertheless Rumford fireplaces have been tested by an EPA certified laboratory and found to meet EPA standards for certified Phase II woodstoves by an equivalency appropriate for fireplaces. Rumford fireplaces are approved in the State of Washington and many areas in California, Arizona and Colorado that regulate fireplace emissions. For more information about emissions, see the "emissions" page.

Heating efficiency: Rumford fireplaces are the best wood-burning high intensity radiant heaters ever developed. They heat people and surfaces like sunshine and like the infrared heaters you see in outdoor restaurants, aircraft hangers or UPS garages where it's difficult and inefficient to try to heat air. Rumfords work best in open areas, big rooms with vaulted ceilings or even outdoors. Radiant heat raises the mean radiant temperature of surfaces and makes people feel comfortable at cooler air temperatures, just like the sun, so Rumford fireplaces are a good way to heat even with the windows open in moderate climates like those of England, the west coast or the midwest in the spring and fall. More about radiant heat and efficiency in a tech note.