Bangor Daily News-Insurance companies

[EatenByLimestone]

Down East lawmaker hears more complaints of insurers dropping homes with wood stoves

At least 13 percent of homes in Maine are heated exclusively using wood stoves or pellet stoves, second only to Vermont.

www.bangordailynews.com

 

[peakbagger]

I saw that article. My speculation if that the far bigger issue is improper installations and operation. My guess is lot of those homes that are heating exclusively with wood are not doing it by choice and as we all know liners and double wall pipe are expensive, so why not go to the local hardware store and buy some heating pipe (because its the thinner and cheaper than stove pipe and do a bootleg hookup? Many have gotten away with it for years so why not?. If the insurance company forced a homeowner to have a third party inspection, it would cost money and my guess is the home owner would just go shopping for another company.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

A 3rd party inspection seems reasonable from the insurance agency’s view and the public safety point of view.

It seems like the accountants might even find it profitable at the insurance company to pay for such an inspection vs paying a claim. When I installed my last wood stove I pulled a permit and had it inspected after. It wasn’t expensive.

 

[EbS-P]

A 3rd party inspection seems reasonable from the insurance agency’s view and the public safety point of view.

It seems like the accountants might even find it profitable at the insurance company to pay for such an inspection vs paying a claim. When I installed my last wood stove I pulled a permit and had it inspected after. It wasn’t expensive.

What did the permit cost?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It was at least 10 years ago, but I think it was around $60?

The county inspector came and measured clearances and then said, you need screws in your pipe. I took a blister pack of self tappers off the nearby shelf and handed them to him saying I didn’t know if he’d want me to pull pipe.

He approved and left.

Probably didn’t take more than 1/2 hour.

Different house, I was stupid and decided to put a masonry chimney up. This was in 04, when I joined here. The city inspector wanted to see each step. Chimney foundation, chimney up with thimble installed, and hearth details.



When I finished off my attic I pulled an electrical permit. The county sent a contracted out inspector to approve it. The numbers must add up to where all sides are happy.