DIY Stoveboards - Meet Fire / Insurance Codes ??

that brings up a interesting point, UL LISTING, i have heard insurance companys wont cover a claim if the wood burning device has non UL parts, or even altered UL parts. like a pipe cut short, because it is only ul listed at full length.

It would seem they would deny a claim if your using a NON UL listed hearth pad. ive built my own, it might have to be something you battle in court to get your claim filled convincing the jury of how well you built your hearth to UL code?

scary stuff for sure, insurance and ul listed, you and i both know if a insurance company has a way out of paying they will take it.

Built using components that meet the manufacturer's requirements they meet code and therefor qualify for insurance.

SmokeyTheBear said:

Built using components that meet the manufacturer's requirements they meet code and therefor qualify for insurance.

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That makes sense to you and I BUT.....

The insurance company has the final say.

mepellet said:

SmokeyTheBear said:

Built using components that meet the manufacturer's requirements they meet code and therefor qualify for insurance.

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That makes sense to you and I BUT.....

The insurance company has the final say.

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That is why the manufacturer specifies components that have passed UL recognized tests.

Different stoves have different requirements. I have two Harman's a P38 and a P68. That board you are looking at is good for the 68 but not the 38. The person I bought the 38 from showed me his wood floor where he had the 38. Under where he had the board (like the one that you are looking at), the floor turned orange as compaired to the yellowish color of the rest of the floor. Before I would buy anything, I would check with the stove dealer.

Tom C.

silverfox103 said:

Different stoves have different requirements. I have two Harman's a P38 and a P68. That board you are looking at is good for the 68 but not the 38. The person I bought the 38 from showed me his wood floor where he had the 38. Under where he had the board (like the one that you are looking at), the floor turned orange as compaired to the yellowish color of the rest of the floor. Before I would buy anything, I would check with the stove dealer.

Tom C.

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My P61 requires a thermal board. My dealer knew nothing about the difference between an ember protection board and a thermal board. The UL guidelines changed Feb of last year and I bought the stove in August. They sold me an ember protection board. I figured this all out after the fact so I called them up and told them that the board they sold me does not meet the manufacturers requirements. After some back and forth they realized they had in fact provided the wrong type of board. They said that they would mail me the bill for the difference but I never received it....

It is all fine and great about some of those those P series stoves needing thermal instead of just ember protection, that however is not the topic.

Homemade hearths can meet all of the requirements. You have to get the correct requirements first.

The very last person I'd talk to would be the dealer.

The boards you are looking at come in two types (I & II). Both are UL listed. One type is ember protection only, the other is ember protection + thermal protection. The thermal protection boards will have an R factor on the spec sheet but most of the amazon listings do not have this information. The highest "R" factor I have seen is .51 for these boards. Does your stove need a specific "R" factor or just ember protection?

Some listings don't even tell you if it is Type I or II. Before you order check with the seller...

Ace Hardware online has the Type II thermal protection boards:
http://www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=stove+board&origkw=stove+board&sr=1

KaptJaq

SmokeyTheBear said:

It is all fine and great about some of those those P series stoves needing thermal instead of just ember protection, that however is not the topic.

Homemade hearths can meet all of the requirements. You have to get the correct requirements first..

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Key word is "CAN." The OP is asking about requirements and I just was making sure that he knew that for some stoves just having a non combustible surface (ember protection pad) is not adequate.

The very last person I'd talk to would be the dealer.

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x2

I have used the "factory produced" stove pads as well as built my own.

My concerns were first directed at the temperature under the stove when it is operating.

My whitfields direct virtually no heat down towards the floor, therefore I use a 3/8" thick tile over the cement/morter that was placed over OSB.

Not only is the 3/8 tile capable of protecting the floor from embers, it will also insulate from heat too.

This said, I would certainly make sure that any pad you use under a stove that allows major heat to direct downward to meet any and all factory requirements..

Battling in court after a fire is not something you want to be doing.
Make sure that your setup is safe and if anything "MORE" than required, and not in any way marginal.

Many of the pads are constructed using cement board with a mud set that fastens tile onto the top s a finish.

Ceramic tile is an excellent top cover for any hearth pad.

I have seen home made pads made using 3 inch thick concrete patio blocks that were set over a substrate with an air gap of an inch or so between .

Again, if your stove can or does allow a lot of heat to go down, make sure you follow tha manufactures recomendations to the letter, OR MORE.

Also, in a case of a stove like this, make sure you get the install signed off and give the insurance Co a photo copy of the signed off permit. Then keep the original in a very safe place.


Far better to error to the side of excess than not.

Of all the Pellet stoves I have owned, I have never seen one that even gets warm under it, but I know that some do.

Be safe

Snowy