Why installations must be appropriate and safe

[struggle]

This happened today and is a town to our south. The owner was on TV tonight saying it was a wood stove that caused it. A wood stove low to the ground in a service station full of volatile fumes. Of course this is a small town and no codes for stove installations.
http://www.kmeg.com/global/story.asp?s=9534170

 

[mayhem]

Small town or not, there must be codes for wood stoves...in MA, the towns don't have their own building codes, they use the state code. Likely its the same in Iowa.

This is very sad, but it seems pretty stupid to run a wood burning stove at a gas station in the first place...I wonder if the owner will get a dime from the insurance company.

 

[struggle]

Every shop I have been in the heaters are always up above you so it was my understanding it was much safer that have a wood stove on the floor at level with fumes that can ignite into a mini bomb.

There are lots of people that have no problems but I am guessing code goes against having a wood burning appliance in an area where fuel vapors could be heavy.

Many of the small towns around here do have any codes as far as construction goes or appliances/wiring etc. Our small town is going to start adopting a state codes. It is my understanding if you have the codes then you have to have an inspector which many towns are to small around here to support them.

 

[RPK1]

Just for general knowledge. Connecticut has a "State Building Code" that all 169 towns had to adopt in 1971. This state code is exactly the same for all CT towns. except for wind speeds and snow loads. A given town cannot make any changes to the State Building Code. Each town has to have a Building Official. A certified Building Official can cover more than one town. Usaually based on the towns' population and budget. CT, MA, NY and California have the stictest building codes. Some states don't have any building code at all. This is probably why we hear of different inspection procedures mentioned throughout forum topics. I always check out the state someone lives in when the discussion involves "inspections"

RPK1

 

[struggle]

The thing you have to realize is this is NW iowa. They do not enforce anything here except for in Sioux City. All the outside lying areas have no enforcement at all. When I went to get a supposed permit to add onto our garage I was told right down what I was going to do and how far out the addition was going to be and hand over $10 for the permit. All they wanted to know (town) was that I did not build over the 7 rule from the edge of the property or on an easement.

Many of the small towns around here are like that. But the last city council meeting I went to there was mentioned that the city is adopting new rules to allow for inspection of buildings in order to be able to condemn run down property. Also they would have to assemble some type of board to over see this. It looks like in the near future that it will be that state code will be enforced only to the extent of what the city council wants to do.

I think a little more needs to be done in our area for that. A friend of mine installed his wood stove by himself and while the chimney is to code his hearth certainly is not since he just has the stove sitting on one of those hearth pad things from tractor supply. His clearance to wall is good but the stove clearly should be on a proper hearth which it is not. He had to do nothing for inspection on the install.

 

[RPK1]

Hopefully you can introduce your friend to this site. There is a wealth of good information on installing and using all types of heating equipment. You can't always convince people to read and learn but it's worth a try.

RPK1