Installing a Wood Stove

"There are a number of factors that must be taken into account when installing a wood stove. It is important to make sure that the stove is set on a proper type of flooring. Wood stoves must have a stovepipe or chimney that channels smoke or exhaust outside. Finally, wood stoves must be a safe distance from all walls made of combustible material. Wood stove installation is a complicated process. It is usually a good idea to hire a professional for wood stove installation.

The first step of wood stove installation is to find a proper place for the stove. It is vital that the stove is not placed on flammable or combustible material like carpet or hardwood. Materials like ceramic tile and concrete are much better options since they do not catch fire easily. The law states that the stove must be placed in an area with at least 12 inches of acceptable material surrounding all sides of the stove except for the side used to load the wood, which must extend for 18 inches. This insures that it will not be possible for any sparks to land on wood or carpet and start a fire.

Not only should the wood stove be placed on appropriate flooring, it should not be closer than twelve inches from any combustible wall. The stove can be placed closer, if the wall is covered with a flame-resistant shield.

The stovepipe is one of the most important parts of a wood stove. The stovepipe should be made of double wall steel. This means that there is a larger stovepipe at least two inches larger around the pipe carrying the smoke. The stovepipe should not be closer than nine inches to an unprotected wall, and it should not pass through any combustible materials through the roof.

Wood stove installation is a complicated, time-consuming process. There are a number of trained installation experts who can save stove owners the trouble of installing it themselves."