Pellet Stove through roof install, pipe touching rafter

k9keith said:

I have recently had a Harman Advance pellet stove installed where it is vented through the inside ceiling and roof. My concern is that the pipe in the attic literally runs right up against the roof rafter and I have found no information saying that it is safe to do so. The pipe used in the attic looks to be about 1 inch in diameter wider than the pipe inside. Is it safe to have any type of pipe touching wood? I have searched the forum and the web and I have found no mention of this situation.

I have not had the inspection yet nor have I been able to talk with the installer directly. The situation is worrying because if it is not ok I am not sure how it can be fixed since there is already a hole in the roof.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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I dont know how hot it will get but a heat shield should work

k9keith said:

Thanks for the reply.

Since the pipe is already touching the rafter there really is no room to put anything in between the pipe and the rafter, so I am not sure I could use a heat shield.... I was hoping someone could say whether or not there was a situation where a certain type of stove pipe could butt up against wood legally. I do not know why they would put the pipe so close to the rafter when there was plenty of room to move it.

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I dont know of any that would pass code even insulated ss flue need 1 inch

is the flashing on the roof all ready installed

The pipe itself has to have 1" clearance-to-combustibles (and it is debatable how well you should sleep at night with that, even though it passed the UL tests) it should be on the label attached to the pipe (SD uses a clear label, so it might be difficult to spot).

you can cut away about 24 inchs of rafter, remove it then nail and glue a 36 inch splice rafter ( metal) will work i believe ok

k9keith said:

I do not feel comfortable at all with the pipe touching the rafter.... The installers are busy and I will not hear back from them for at least a day. I want to know what I should say, if it passes minimum clearances somehow I would want a buffer anyway and I am not sure what my options will be (even if they agree to fix it what could they do that would not require roof repair to move a hole a couple inches)...

I thought about cutting a piece of the rafter out also... that would put in some space, just not sure how well the roof is nailed to it and whether or not I could remove it cleanly enough without causing a possible leak (i.e. pulling nails from below etc)... I suppose I could luck out and that section could be nail free.

I read some more about the PelletVent Pro w/ Attic shield and some sites say it needs a 3" air space (probably Canada spec), which would also lead me to believe that I should have a 1" space regardless and it should not be touching wood.

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if there isnt at least one inch then you can cut rafter out and fram in a box around it

If you do cut that rafter be sure it is properly supported. Personally if I paid for an install I'd call the installer and have them remedy the situation.

As Shane said, it is in fact the installers responsibility to do it correctly, to code and yours is not. Your vent pipe requires a minimum of 1" to combustibles. Even though the likelyhood of the pipe exiting the roof is going to be hot is low, it is still possible and the 1" clearance requirement is all the way to the top.

tnroadkill came up with a simple suggestion which I think is a very good one. You can "sister" a rafter the same dimensions to the opposite side of the rafter and extending at least 4' in each direction beyond where you intend to cut. Use construction adhesive and plenty of nails, carriage bolts will work too. Then using a sawsall, you can cut out a short section (perhaps 6") of the original rafter next to the vent pipe. Of course removal of an inch of the roof sheathing would also have to be done.

I'm not a structural engineer so I can't confirm that this fix would be up to code, but even adding a second rafter couldn't hurt either. As someone else mentioned, you want to be able to sleep good at night knowing that everything was right, but I would contact the installer and tell them they need to correct it. If they really give you a problem and you and perhaps a good friend feel like doing it yourself, you'd be all set.

Only trying to help.

Steve

Your Installer should have installed a heat shield into the ceiling . could it be that you are seeing the shield?? IF not I would call the installer and ask that question


I have installed for yrs, and have installed by specs. You have too in NY

Shane said:

If you do cut that rafter be sure it is properly supported. Personally if I paid for an install I'd call the installer and have them remedy the situation.

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What Shane said +1. It's their problem, that's why you hired a "pro" and I use the term loosely. Just my two cents for what it's worth.

k9keith said:

I talked with the installer and it is not the vent pipe but the radiation shield that is touching the rafter (the part is called a Ceiling Support/Radiation Shield which is part of the ICC ExcelPellet line). The installers did a good job explaining and were very helpful, even offering to send someone out to take apart the pipe to show the chimney does have the necessary clearance. They stand by there work and handled my mini-panic well so I feel much better about the install now... Thanks everyone for your input.

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That's great news! With questions like this it's also a good idea to contact the customer service department of the mfg of the pellet stove. There are times when the flue temps are low enough that the mfg can certify pipe clearances that are closer than the general ones specified by the pipe mfg.