DIY installation of insert "qualified installer"

[bholler]

I'm curious if anyone knows if a self installer has ever been successful in getting paid for a claim.

Yes I can think of 2 off the top of my head

 

[rwhite]

Yes I can think of 2 off the top of my head

That's more promising than i figured. Neither of the counties I lived in Idaho have had any type of code enforcement. In fact I had one of them tell me they had no codes. What about the default state code? Oh yeah, that. So needless to say neither could provide any insight into permitting or inspection.

 

[Eaglecraft]

I'm handy, and I've researched inserts and liners quite a bit in the past couple months.
I can also read and follow instructions well.
I've been planning to install an insert and get it permitted for insurance reasons.
I messaged my local permits office (Seattle) and got this response:

"...Manufacturer's require their products be installed by "qualified" installers. "Qualified" usually means the personnel who sell the product and/or a licensed contractor. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, unless you can somehow prove you are "qualified", and back it up if something goes wrong, again, you will have no recourse."

So basically they're saying they'd likely permit my DIY work, but that I might have insurance snafus if a problem ever occurs.

I'm a bit confused. If the inspector comes and permits the work I've done, isn't that supposed to be the proof that the work is OK for insurance reasons? (From complaints I've read concerning problems with some professional installs, I'd say I'd very likely do a better-than-average job myself, probably even a superior one).

Some retailers (ex: northlineexpress) even openly acknowledge/encourage DIYers for their inserts, but still in their manuals it stipulates "qualified installer".

Any perspective on how insurance really works with inserts? Will insurance companies refuse coverage for DIY work, even if it's permitted?

Since your question is fairly recent, I will throw in my 2 cents. I did my own insert install. First, I checked in with my homeowners insurance agent - no problems there. Then I got a permit (required) to do the install. Then I studied the code requirements for the install - all available from the permitting office, the library, and the internet. Then I consulted with contributors on Hearth.com and got a few questions answered that were not clear to me like the use of an appliance connector - a good idea, but not suggested by the manufacturers' instructions

What I got from Hearth.com was most valuable - the type and kind of unit that I eventually purchased, the use of a block-off plate and insulating the SS flex liner. These are issues that many local installers will balk at. I was told, and they may tell you: "It is not necessary to insulate the liner." And, "I never install a block-off plate." Concerning those professional installers who place doing a good job first and the money second, you have my utmost respect. Unfortunately, some local installers are not of the same mind-set as Tommy Silva, of This Old House. Just researching the comments on Hearth.com will lead you to some terrible installations done by "professionals."

So with the help of my wife, I installed an insulated SS flex liner and connected it to a Hearthstone Clydesdale. Of course that is the short story. I also had to extend the hearth to meet code. And my friends at Sand Creek Welding helped install the block off plate.

If your insurance agent is satisfied, and the building inspector signs off on your install, then you are good to go. Moreover - and here is the important thing in my mind - you know how the job was done, and that the job was done right. That gives you peace of mind when you fire up your insert. In my view, safety first and meeting and exceeding the code requirements are the primary objectives when installing any wood-buring device.

 

[rwhite]

I've done 3 installs DIY. Each of them I thoroughly documented the entire process with photos of the install, labels, spec sheets, codes, and measurements. All this was sent to the insurance companies and I never had an issue.