"Clearance" question

[The Dali Lima]

Hello all... I'm a little confused on the concept of combustable clearance. I've read a number of specifications booklets for different stoves and they all discuss combustable clearances... my understanding is that means to wood, drywall, etc...

So, if I put stone or brick on the wall behind the stove, the clearance issue is gone, right? I can place that sucker right against the wall if I wanted (in theory)...right?

I am thinking about a corner installation. I keep seeing 9" from each wall for a corner installation, but if both my corner walls are covered in stone then the 9" doesn't apply...? Correct?

I'm going to be fashioning my own stone facade and base and want to make sure I have this correct in my head before I start designing. Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Nope, the clearance is still measured to the combustible material behind the brick or stone. Stone is not necessarily an insulator. It can be a pretty good conductor of heat. There may be some variances granted by the inspector for say a brick wall over durock for a non-EPA stoves. But for a new stove the manufacturer's tested data trumps all. Some mfgs do allow for clearance reductions using an NFPA approved wall shield which puts a ventilated non-combustible wall between the stove and the combustible surface.

What's the stove?

 

[The Dali Lima]

Interesting... the stove was a Hampton 300, but I probably won't be going with tha one ($2500) and will be looking at other options this week.

 

[ScottF]

You could put several layers of masonry with air spaces between them if you want to put it right against the wall. Code for a fireplace requires like 8 inches of solid masonry behind the 4 inches of brick veneer in the firebox with an airspace to combustibles .When I did mine I put 4 inch block then an air space another layer of 4" block with another air space and then the 4 inches of brick facade. The design allowed this because it was built like a corner fireplace. Its the air space that insulates. Stone or brick conducts heat. You still have to maintain the required distance the manufacturer requires if you put an air space behind one layer of masonry but the distance to the wall will be reduced. See the NFPA rules. You can find them on line.

 

[begreen]

Maybe check out the Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 for closer corner clearances or the Napoleon 1400 series.

 

[Highbeam]

You will need to be able to demonstrate to the inspector that the first combustible surface is at or greater than the minium clearance. If you put a bunch of stone up there then how will he measure?

If you remove the wood in the wall and replace with steel studs.....

 

[fossil]

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/wood_stove_clearances_installing_it_safely

 

[The Dali Lima]

Thanks for the great links - they were very insightful. I appreciate everyone's feedback. In terms of "top" or "ceiling" clearance, I've seen 3 feet in most publications directly over the stove. What about things like a shelf that might be "above" the stove, but not difrectly on top of it (ie, above the stove, but actually 9 - 10 inches closer to the wall than the stove). Does that make any sense?

 

[ScottF]

It doesnt matter if it is a shelf , you still must be 3 ft from the nearest point on the stove. That is how I interpreted the NFPA codes. Its 3ft from any combustible for a non UL stove anyhow.

 

[The Dali Lima]

I assume this means the actual stove, and not the pipe, since with a double-wall pipe I believe you can get to 6 inches.

 

[begreen]

Again it depends on the stove. We've seen mfg manuals that call out 54" above the stove. Others don't mention this at all.

Also, pipe clearances are different for horiz and vert runs. Double wall is 6" to adjacent vertical combustible surfaces, but 8" to adjacent ceilings (and I assume shelves, mantels or other combustibles) in a horiz. run.