Ceiling clearance dilemma - Vogelzang Defender

[Propane_Poor]

Good day,

Thanks to the forum for letting me lurk on your posts for a while and learn some things!

I could use some input from the forum on what to do about my new Vogelzang Defender wood stove, and a particular clearance dilemma. I picked up the Defender on sale in March for about 60% the normal price and didn't review the spec measurements closely enough before buying it and getting the chimney put in.

I have 58 inches of clearance from the top of the stove, and a 7 ft 6 inch room height. The stovepipe/chimney is run vertically through the ceiling, so I don’t know that I can use a heat shield.

On the back of the stove, on the tag, it calls for 55 inches from the top of the stove to the ceiling, with no mention of room height, so I thought I would be good. However, in the manual it says AND (not OR) an 8 foot minimum ceiling height. The vast majority of other stoves I’ve looked up since then call for 7 feet room height or, more commonly, net distance only. Even some Vogelzang stoves; so this is somewhat disappointing.

Attached is their diagram for the U.S. install which shows 8'. The Canada one shows 55" from the top, with no room height requirement. However, on the page before, the written instructions say "the room in which the stove is installed must have a minimum floor to ceiling height of 8 ft./2.4m & a minimum stove top to ceiling height of 55"/140cm."

The manual also says "Installation of this stove must comply with the latest edition of NFPA 211(US) for reduced clearances and/or your local building code rulings. Use whichever minimum dimensions are the LARGEST. Clearances listed and shown MUST be adhered to for safe operation of this appliance. CLEARANCES MAY NOT BE REDUCED BY ANY MEANS IN USA OR CANADA."

So, in your opinion, since it mentions reduced clearances via NFPA 211, but then says clearances cannot be reduced... does it sound like it's simply prohibiting ignoring of clearances apart from those appropriately reduced via NFPA 211?

And if so, is there any suggestion on how to do ceiling shielding with a vertical chimney?

Thanks all,

 

[Propane_Poor]

As a side note, since the original post was kind of long...

I am more concerned about insurance purposes in the event of a claim than a fire at the ceiling... since it does exceed Canada's specs. My Allstate Insurance agent has told me that self-installs are acceptable, and no certification/inspection is required for policy coverage, but if I ever had a claim, I fear they might go digging through the owner's manuals to find any reason for an exclusion.

Option #2 is I keep the Defender for the garage, and buy one of the dozens of other stoves that don't have such a room height requirement for the house.

I would just like to make this one work, however.

 

[begreen]

That is unusual. I can't think of another stove with the 96" ceiling height requirement. Seems like your choice is to either get Volgelzang to admit this is overkill or sell the stove now while the market is good, and get one that doesn't have this stringent spec.