Wood Stove Installation

A wood stove (or wood-burning stove) is made up of steel or cast iron and uses wood as its fuel. At times, it can be attached to a blower that would help to keep the surroundings smoke-free. Wood heating is becoming increasingly popular since it provides sufficient heat and technology has helped to eliminate its drawbacks, thus making it more efficient.

It is advisable to get a good and highly efficient stove accompanied by a chimney, which is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For efficiency, one should also get a venting system that matches with the stove. This ensures the safety of children and pets playing around the stove by eliminating the need of keeping tab on their movements.

Before installation, one must be aware that a wood stove requires regular maintenance because of the creosote depositions. Therefore there should be timely inspection and cleaning of the ashes. There are a few precautions that have to be taken.

Avoid placing flammable items near the stove. Stoves these days usually come with clearance certificates and specify the recommended distance between the stove and the combustible surfaces like the sidewalls, floor, and the ceiling. The clearance standards would be different for every stove and it is suggested to read the user manual.

Find out your requirement as that would determine the size of the stove to be installed and its location.

The chimney of your stove should have sufficient capacity, appropriate height, and should also be away from anything combustible/inflammable.

Do not use waxed wood as the type of wood you use also determines the way your stove functions.

Use a solid pack or insulated chimney is recommended. It increases stove's efficiency. The stove should not be kept in the basement since the ventilation is poor which leads to overheating of the space. Consequently, that leads to wastage of fuel. The absence of optimum functioning conditions leads to over-strain the stove's internal parts.

When connecting the stove to the chimney, use a heavy 24 gauge pipe. The pipe should be as short as possible and all the joints should be secured with metal screws.

The chimney lining should be made up of stainless steel so that it can take high temperatures since the average temperature in case of a wood stove is not less than 400 degrees F.