How much clearance around a wood stove?


Mick S

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Probably not the thing most of you want to think about in the dog days of summer. I've never lived anywhere a wood burning stove would be practical, until we moved here. The shop had an existing wood stove installed, but also had electric baseboard heating. So, I promptly removed the stove to free up space. Fast forward through a couple of months of $480 electric bills before I realized what was going on. I shut off the baseboard heaters and the bill dropped to $110.

Point - I will be re-installing the wood stove soon, but I need to know how much room to allow around it, being that it's in a wood shop with lots of combustibles.  Any insight would be appreciated!

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I have no idea what a pellet stove.. I'm pretty sure California regulations would force the stove to be 75 feet from a wall,  10 feet off the ground and have CARB approved filters on the pipe

And then you have to find a Cal. approved fuel and it has to be sourced from out of state

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Kev, anytime you put burn and ca together, it can not use the term friendly.  The California Air Resources Board are the EPA on steroids. They control Everything that emits post combusted air. For crap sake, my lawn mower has to have a catalytic converter on it.. ( not really but I'm sure that's coming down soon enough)

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Had an insurance adjustment issue this year and the insurance company wanted it 36" away from a combustable, which ours is not.  Worth some research.

My insurnace went up 600 dallars this year because I installed a wood furnace in my wood shop and we could only find one carrer that wanted to cover us..That isnt working out good...I have 8 cord to burn this winter and will be doing something elce after that.....I do have a comercal busness so that dont help but its only 5000.00 a year now....Thay are killing me...LOL..:D

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My stove specifies 8" for sides and back.  My insurance agent did not bat an eye, but we have been friends for years.  Because I took the stove out of the trailer I demolished to build the shop and my wood, for now, is free except for having to split it, I will heat with wood.  Starting new, a pellet would have been my choice.

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I had  high efficiency wood stove (cast iron) installed in my previous home.  Insurance companies are very concerned about the install (WETT certified).  If its a pro job with the proper certification, then insurance should not be too difficult.  My insurance went up a very small amount.

Clearances for stoves will differ depending upon type.  Ours was on a tiled ceramic pad, with only drywall behind it.  We were pretty close to the wall.  Check out Napoleon woodstoves site - lots of good info. 

Edited by franklin pug
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Kev, anytime you put burn and ca together, it can not use the term friendly.  The California Air Resources Board are the EPA on steroids. They control Everything that emits post combusted air. For crap sake, my lawn mower has to have a catalytic converter on it.. ( not really but I'm sure that's coming down soon enough)

you won't have to worry about the lawnmower brendon, one of the very few benefits of living in a desert...

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Heck yeah,  I have mowed once in 7 months. And that was because the weeds were  getting too tall.  Thanks to this draught,  the beautiful sod I put in two years ago is now dirt.    Party on Wayne.   

hmm... Here's, my idea, you'll need several gallons of green paint, and a push broom. No more dirt, no more mowing, win win:D I've got my little 1/2 acre to mow and my moms 2 acres, with all the rain we had last month I can't stay on top of it!

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I installed a Lopi Leyden woodstove a few years back (best thing I ever did with the house).  We heat the entire house (minus the basement) for $500 / season which is close to 7 months in N Wisconsin..  When it's -20 outside and blowing like a New Orleans (I digress :-/), it's a toastly 80+ in the house!!

I don't recall any issue with insurance..  Maybe because of location?  Most people here heat with wood as it's everywhere!  

Stoves are different in construction..  As long as it's installed according to their spec's as far as clearances there shouldn't be many issues...

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I think problem for with my insurance  is the wood furnace in the wood shop..I do love wood heat and its nice to be able to burn up your scraps and also when I'm spraying lacquer I can crank up the furnace and be able to open the windows and turn on the fan..

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having just built a house with a new wood stove you need to look at several different aspects of the area the stove will be in.

The best way to start is with the chimney as it can be the most restrictive part. Distance to combustibles is a moving target based on codes, type of stove and as previously stated chimney placement.

As stated  previous poster advising putting up some tile, this makes no difference if the distance to the combustibles behind the tile is not within code or installation procedures for the stove installed.

Our stove is in a partial alcove and to eliminate the overhang restriction over the stove of 36 inches we put a slot at the top of the wall that allows the air in the alcove to escape.

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I've had a barrel stove in the shop since I was a kid (my dad's shop then, we share it now).  Ours is a barn with an addition, so we keep all the woodworking in the far side and use forced air and a heat exchange to heat the woodshop.  We've got about 10" clearance on all sides, with the walls lined with soft-brick (low density firebrick)

Be aware that using a home-made stove may void your insurance!

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Thanks for all the advice, guys! I've pretty much made up my mind to find a different solution. The wood stove is going to take up too much floor space and the existing roof vent is right in front where I plan to put a door to a soon-to-be-added dust collection and storage room.

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As stated  previous poster advising putting up some tile, this makes no difference if the distance to the combustibles behind the tile is not within code or installation procedures for the stove installed. 

I was that guy. I recommend checking code as tile can keep the temp down at the combustible level. I never intended to suggest tiling without research. Non combustible barriers are a staple of the wood fire universe. This is why wood mantles can be used in the right setting. There is certification testing specifically for this type of occurance. 

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