Wood stove clearance to furniture

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JeffersonKey

New Member
Oct 23, 2022
4
New Jersey
Alright everyone I’m not as crazy as I sound. I have an Enviro Boston 1700 insert. The chase section of the couch sits 37.5 inches away from the front of the stove. The recomended clearance to combustibles is 36 inches. I use an IR thermometer to regularly check the couch when the stove is on and it typically reads 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit it. I have a fan tilted down blowing toward the face of the couch which sits nearest the stove. With the fan on it generally reads 85 degrees. Is this dangerous? Been burning 24/7 for 2 years now with the stove and haven’t had an issue but it does weigh on me at times. Any ideas on a decent heat shield?
 
If your couch is further away then the clearance required it should be fine. And 100-110 doesn’t seem that hot to me. The couch is not going to combust at those temps.
 
The sun coming through the window would probably get your couch that hot.
 
As much as I love to sit near a warm glowing appliance, furniture does not.
The expansion and contraction that will occur will eventually damage the furniture if it hasn't already. I installed a wood stove above clearance in a corner that has tongue and groove paneling in a cabin. I wanted the clean look of having a stove near the wood and no brick or faux stone etc. The wood has cupped and has massive joint gaps now in comparison to the other area. And the impact goes further out than just the immediate stove.
Stoves surely bake out moisture in wood then in the summer the moisture returns. This persistent drastic change in moisture content will cause the wood to have problems. It might not impact you depending on how the furniture is constructed.
Safety is another issue and I think everyone here has said that it sounds safe based on your clearances.
The only thing I would add is, and I see this in people's pictures, while combustibles may be far enough away could they fall within the danger zone due to vibrations in the house, a cat kid or dog? My wife likes to decorate our mantel with these branches. I told her they needed to be secured. One eventually vibrated down and was dangling in front of the fireplace behind the movable screen we have. If we had a strong fire going that would have surely caught.
Stay safe. Heat well. Have fun.