Hi Everyone, I have been reading this board for weeks and have just registered. I live in a small ranch house, about 1100 square feet in size, and I want to install a woodstove. I am willing to devote a large corner of my living room to a hearth and woodstove. I see that wood stoves come in different sizes to heat different square footages. I basically want to provide some heat, but mostly I want to enjoy the flames. What steps do I have to go through ? Is a self-install possible ? What about permits ? I have not been able to find building code rules regarding this. At what point would I have to notify my insurance company ? I would appreciate any advice. I have thought that perhaps my husband and I could build the hearth, buy a stove, and have a contractor do the installation but I have no idea where to start looking for one. So many questions ! :question: As you can see I have limited knowledge - but I know that I would love a woodstove and am willing to learn about them. I am in northern DE if anyone is familiar with this state's rules or codes. Thanks, Angela
New here, lots of Questions...
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Okay, where to start? Start out here (broken link removed to http://www.woodheat.org/technology/woodstoves.htm) reading up on today's EPA Certified wood burning stoves and the differences between a catalytic vs. a non-catalytic wood stove. Then read up here (broken link removed to http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/chimneys.htm) to familiarize yourself with the requirements for a good chimney system. Check this (broken link removed to http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/buyingfirewod.htm) to learn about firewood (seasoning, stacking, etc.)
Regarding installation, this (broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/pages/wood_stove_Install.html) is a helpful article that should get you started off nicely.
As far as individual stove brands, you'll find reliable brands from companies such as:
Travis Industries: http://lopistoves.com/ and (broken link removed)
Englander: http://www.englandsstoveworks.com/
Hearthstone: http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/
Woodstock: (broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/pages/wood_stoves.html)
Quadrafire: http://www.quadrafire.com/
Just to name a few! That should help get you started.
Regarding installation, this (broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/pages/wood_stove_Install.html) is a helpful article that should get you started off nicely.
As far as individual stove brands, you'll find reliable brands from companies such as:
Travis Industries: http://lopistoves.com/ and (broken link removed)
Englander: http://www.englandsstoveworks.com/
Hearthstone: http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/
Woodstock: (broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/pages/wood_stoves.html)
Quadrafire: http://www.quadrafire.com/
Just to name a few! That should help get you started.
May as well run the notion past your insurance company before you get too far down the road, to hear what they have to say about it. Might affect some aspects of your decision. As far as permit requirements go, that's all within the purview of your local Authority Having Jurisdiction...could be the city, the county, the Fire Marshall...depends on your locality and how that part of the local government is organized. More research for you. Welcome. Rick
Pagey said:
That is a great reading list for a newcomer Pagey. Cudos.
Mods - a reading list like this seems worthy of a sticky, at least as valuable as the Woodchopping Game, and cheaper than buying the entire company.
Let me add my favorite - Guide to Residential Wood Heating. It's a great reference for new and "seasoned" woodburners alike.
oconnor said:
I agree it's a good list, and I think it's a good idea. Mods can't do stickies, oconner, you gotta go straight to The Man for that. What you might do is post in The Suggestion Box, and include a link to this thread for illustration. Craig is very good about reading and responding to posts there. Rick
fossil said:
Yeah, mods don't really have as much power as we think. Hey, what the heck is going on here... ~poof~
Definitely get an EPA stove. I really wish I would have done my homework before buying the wood furnace that I did.
I would also recommend reading the articles on this subject posted here on Hearth.com:
first an announcement:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewannounce/13750_2/
articles:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/wood_stove_intro
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choosing_a_wood_stove
a bit more technical:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Wood_Stove_buying_Primer/
As far as stoves, you'll need to come back after reading the articles and looking around. I suspect you will want a smaller stove, maybe around 1.5 cu ft. For a corner install. Pay attention to clearances from combustibles. Some stoves require a lot of space behind them. Others are well shielded on the back and can be placed closer to the walls. Some of the excellent companies I would also look at are:
(broken link removed to http://www.morsoe.com/us/Products/Stoves/)
(broken link removed to http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-stoves/)
http://www.pacificenergy.net/
(broken link removed to http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Stoves/stoves_wood/stoves_wood.html)
first an announcement:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewannounce/13750_2/
articles:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/wood_stove_intro
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choosing_a_wood_stove
a bit more technical:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Wood_Stove_buying_Primer/
As far as stoves, you'll need to come back after reading the articles and looking around. I suspect you will want a smaller stove, maybe around 1.5 cu ft. For a corner install. Pay attention to clearances from combustibles. Some stoves require a lot of space behind them. Others are well shielded on the back and can be placed closer to the walls. Some of the excellent companies I would also look at are:
(broken link removed to http://www.morsoe.com/us/Products/Stoves/)
(broken link removed to http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-stoves/)
http://www.pacificenergy.net/
(broken link removed to http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Stoves/stoves_wood/stoves_wood.html)
Good. Good. Think about at least a 2 cubic foot firebox if you want to heat the entire space. Less, if you want to enjoy flames or heat part of the space.
Are you willing to devote a lot of time to cleaning it and the area around it?
Oh yes. Do you like tiling? It is, of course much easier if you have an existing clay-lined flue.
Rural areas are much easier, of course. I called my town building inspector and she told me to call the fire department. A nice man came from the fire department and said everything looked good. Just make a few calls.
I notified after the install. I was sent a questionaire, I filled it out, and haven't heard from them since. They are primarily concerned with a good flue devoted to one appliance, 18" clearance in front of the stove from combustibles, and that someone has inspected the work.
Best of luck Angela. In your somewhat small space you may appreciate the relatively gentle and long lasting heat of a soapstone stove. Hearthstone and Woodstock are great soapsone brands. Of course they are somewhat pricey.
if you live in NC county DE the main issue with a self install is pulling the permit. They require NFI certification or an HVAC lic. to even apply for the permit. If you are within a town or city limit check w/them to see if their requirements are different from NC county. Kent county only requires a permit if you are cutting a hole in the wall or ceiling of the home. NC county requires a permit for anything installed. Would highly recommend checking with your ins. co to see what they will require. Good luck!
Welcome to the forum.
I don't have a lot to add to the above but will kick in two things:
1. I do think it is a good idea to call your insurance agent BEFORE you go any further. Chances there will be no problem, but they might require something in the install. Better to find out first.
2. Before purchasing a stove, find a fuel supply! This is a very important step that most folks ignore...until it is too late. We see it over and over where someone installs a beautiful stove and has spent a few thousand dollars, then they try to buy wood.
The wood supplier tells them the wood is seasoned, so they buy. Then they can't get any heat from the stove, it is messy, causes lots of creosote, which stinks, etc., etc. Better to get the wood supply first as you very well may have to let that wood sit for a year so it will do the job you want it to do.
Also remember there are many types of wood, but all do not burn the same.
Good luck.
I don't have a lot to add to the above but will kick in two things:
1. I do think it is a good idea to call your insurance agent BEFORE you go any further. Chances there will be no problem, but they might require something in the install. Better to find out first.
2. Before purchasing a stove, find a fuel supply! This is a very important step that most folks ignore...until it is too late. We see it over and over where someone installs a beautiful stove and has spent a few thousand dollars, then they try to buy wood.
The wood supplier tells them the wood is seasoned, so they buy. Then they can't get any heat from the stove, it is messy, causes lots of creosote, which stinks, etc., etc. Better to get the wood supply first as you very well may have to let that wood sit for a year so it will do the job you want it to do.
Also remember there are many types of wood, but all do not burn the same.
Good luck.
So many questions . . . and here is some of my advice . . . some of which has already been repeated, but it bears repeating.
First and foremost . . . take the time to read the articles mentioned . . . and take the time to look back through the various posts here. There is a wealth of information here at hearth.com . . . information to guide you in how to pick your stove, how to build a hearth and well just about any questions you might have about anything . . . even a how to article on the use of ferrets to clean your chimney.
As you mentioned you have a small ranch and are looking for a stove partly for the heat and partly for the ambiance . . . and trust me . . . there is nothing quite like a woodstove for heat and ambiance. But there are some drawbacks . . . namely the mess (messes seem to go hand in hand with heating with woodstoves), need to plan ahead to get a fuel supply (i.e. you can't just call your local propane or oil company and then turn a knob to get instant heat when you want to use the woodstove) and you will need to learn some basic skills (i.e. how to light a fire, how to clean a chimney, how to maintain the stove.)
With your size house you can either get a small woodstove to just heat your immediate area (and for the ambiance) or you could even go bigger and get a stove to heat your home house (and still have the ambiance.)
There are many different makes and models . . . and sizing them correctly for what you want and expect is crucial. You also need to pick out what features you want in a stove -- is simplicity more important than the look of the stove or is the expense less important than its finish for example. In general you have three choices in stoves: steel, cast iron or soapstone. There is a good article that lists out the pros- and cons- of each type . . . basically all of them will meet your needs and all are good . . . some folks are just a little more partial to one type over the others. I would strongly encourage you to get an EPA-compliant stove -- you will be able to get more heat with less wood than a non-EPA stove . . . plus you'll get that warm and fuzzy feeling for being environmentally responsible with a less polluting stove . . . and your neighbors will think that you never, ever use your stove based on the lack of visible smoke coming from your chimney. You will also have to decide whether to go with a catalytic converter woodstove or a woodstove that uses a baffle system with secondary burning . . . for some folks this is a major issue and for other folks it's not a big deal as to which type they get.
Take a look at the various manufacturer websites and peruse through their models . . . and take the time to look at the sizing and length of burn . . . but also be aware that there is no one agency that certifies these times and sizes. Some good advice I was given was to go a little bit bigger when choosing a stove . . . and to be aware that the burn time is typically the most optimistic and may in fact be from when the match is lit until the fire burns out vs. use-able heat.
Insurance: My opinion. Call first. Your insurance rates may or may not go up. Your insurance company may also require you to meet specific requirements . . . such as having the stove and chimney professionally installed or they may require an agent to check the final install. In any cases, my opinion is that it's better to check first than to find yourself hit with a steep increase in a premium after the install is done.
Local agency: Some places require permits and some places do not. Check with your local town, county or state. Here where I work in Bangor you need a permit to put in a woodstove. In Unity where I live (small town) no permit is necessary.
Self Install: Again, a lot depends on the local authority having jurisdiction and the insurance company policy. If you can do a self install a lot of it is simple enough for anyone who has done some basic DIY stuff.
Good luck . . . and welcome to hearth.com.
First and foremost . . . take the time to read the articles mentioned . . . and take the time to look back through the various posts here. There is a wealth of information here at hearth.com . . . information to guide you in how to pick your stove, how to build a hearth and well just about any questions you might have about anything . . . even a how to article on the use of ferrets to clean your chimney.
As you mentioned you have a small ranch and are looking for a stove partly for the heat and partly for the ambiance . . . and trust me . . . there is nothing quite like a woodstove for heat and ambiance. But there are some drawbacks . . . namely the mess (messes seem to go hand in hand with heating with woodstoves), need to plan ahead to get a fuel supply (i.e. you can't just call your local propane or oil company and then turn a knob to get instant heat when you want to use the woodstove) and you will need to learn some basic skills (i.e. how to light a fire, how to clean a chimney, how to maintain the stove.)
With your size house you can either get a small woodstove to just heat your immediate area (and for the ambiance) or you could even go bigger and get a stove to heat your home house (and still have the ambiance.)
There are many different makes and models . . . and sizing them correctly for what you want and expect is crucial. You also need to pick out what features you want in a stove -- is simplicity more important than the look of the stove or is the expense less important than its finish for example. In general you have three choices in stoves: steel, cast iron or soapstone. There is a good article that lists out the pros- and cons- of each type . . . basically all of them will meet your needs and all are good . . . some folks are just a little more partial to one type over the others. I would strongly encourage you to get an EPA-compliant stove -- you will be able to get more heat with less wood than a non-EPA stove . . . plus you'll get that warm and fuzzy feeling for being environmentally responsible with a less polluting stove . . . and your neighbors will think that you never, ever use your stove based on the lack of visible smoke coming from your chimney. You will also have to decide whether to go with a catalytic converter woodstove or a woodstove that uses a baffle system with secondary burning . . . for some folks this is a major issue and for other folks it's not a big deal as to which type they get.
Take a look at the various manufacturer websites and peruse through their models . . . and take the time to look at the sizing and length of burn . . . but also be aware that there is no one agency that certifies these times and sizes. Some good advice I was given was to go a little bit bigger when choosing a stove . . . and to be aware that the burn time is typically the most optimistic and may in fact be from when the match is lit until the fire burns out vs. use-able heat.
Insurance: My opinion. Call first. Your insurance rates may or may not go up. Your insurance company may also require you to meet specific requirements . . . such as having the stove and chimney professionally installed or they may require an agent to check the final install. In any cases, my opinion is that it's better to check first than to find yourself hit with a steep increase in a premium after the install is done.
Local agency: Some places require permits and some places do not. Check with your local town, county or state. Here where I work in Bangor you need a permit to put in a woodstove. In Unity where I live (small town) no permit is necessary.
Self Install: Again, a lot depends on the local authority having jurisdiction and the insurance company policy. If you can do a self install a lot of it is simple enough for anyone who has done some basic DIY stuff.
Good luck . . . and welcome to hearth.com.
Thank you very much for your replies, I have read each and every one carefully and appreciate all the good advice.
I have been to a stove shop and discussed the various options available to me, and have I am leaning towards a smaller soapstone stove. I have decided that the install will be professionally done, my local codes are rather strict so that is the way to go.
I will follow the advice to call my insurance company before I do anything.
It will be expensive and a huge change to the house, but it is something I have wanted for years. I have to think about what type pf hearth to have also. Most likely, by the time I have done all my "homework", it will be Springtime and maybe I will get lucky and find something at an end of season sale
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to read and respond to my post, I look forward to continuing to visit this forum, thanks , Angela
I have been to a stove shop and discussed the various options available to me, and have I am leaning towards a smaller soapstone stove. I have decided that the install will be professionally done, my local codes are rather strict so that is the way to go.
I will follow the advice to call my insurance company before I do anything.
It will be expensive and a huge change to the house, but it is something I have wanted for years. I have to think about what type pf hearth to have also. Most likely, by the time I have done all my "homework", it will be Springtime and maybe I will get lucky and find something at an end of season sale
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to read and respond to my post, I look forward to continuing to visit this forum, thanks , Angela
Don't be intimidated by the hearth build - you can shave some of that huge cost down that way, still come out with an impressive hearth, plus feel good about having done a major project yourself. If you have any experience with tile or brick work, all the better! good luck with your project.
IwantaWOODSTOVE said:
Installing a woodstove is not difficult if you've got the tools and a little know how. Lacking one or the other I'd leave it to a professional.
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