Imperial Stove Board on Ceilings

[Abunker11]

I ran into a snag in getting my wood stove permitted. I needed to shield my basement ceiling so I used the imperial stove board and 1 1/4" ceramic spacers which on their site says it can be used to shield the ceiling as well as walls and floors. But the instructions that came with the board did not say anything about ceilings so the inspector was skeptical. I did send him a link to the site which does state it is for floors, walls and ceilings but I haven't heard back from him yet. He also claimed that the stove board could not be closer than 12" to the stove pipe but I believe he misinterpreted the instructions which say the clearance to combustibles cannot be reduced to less than 12". I think he read that it was for ember protection and thought therefore it's not a heat shield...I don't know.

The inspector wanted to help and suggested I just go over the whole stove board installation with sheet rock. I'd rather not as it will look pretty ugly and not improve anything, will it? This would bring the paper covered sheetrock even closer to the stove pipe. I would expect that sheet metal is better than sheet rock.

I did note that the only place it mentions ceilings is on the page advertising their spacer kit. http://www.imperialgroup.ca/stove_stoveboardsheatshields.cfm?c=349

Is anyone familiar with Imperial Stove Board and do you know of any literature which shows it is rated for ceilings. I've contacted Imperial by phone and e-mail but haven't heard back from them either.

 

[Abunker11]

So I talked with 2 inspectors separately and the concern is that they can't be sure the stove board can be used on ceilings. If I can provide documentation showing that I have installed it in accordance with manufacturers recommendations then they will permit it. All I can provide is this web page which is basically an ad for the wall spacer kit. http://www.imperialgroup.ca/stove_stoveboardsheatshields.cfm?c=349
You see the word "ceiling" there clear as day. But no where in their documentation. No one at Imperial answers a phone or e-mail or returns a call. So I feel stuck.

From talking to the inspectors and a few others it sounds like 5/8th sheetrock is the gold standard. If I box in my pvc drain pipes and joists with 5/8 sheetrock and then use sheetrock and spacers to create a heatshield covering that, does that make sense?

Incidentally the stoveboard does have an R value. I know there has been questions on this. r=1.5 see attached pic

 

[begreen]

Should be fine. It is non-combustible. The shielding effect is mostly due to the ventilated air space behind the board. If you had put up a sheet of metal it would do the same thing essentially. Same thing if you had used a sheet of Durock cement board.

Point out to them the specific language of NFPA 211 12.6.2.1, line f:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/nfpa-wall-clearance-reductions/

 

[Abunker11]

Sounds good. I thought of that chart as I was meeting with them but couldn't think of the name of it. I am taking it all down, boxing in the pvc and joists, covering with 5/8 sheetrock, then putting the heat shields back up with the air space of course. Thanks for the feedback.