Interested in burning wood safely in your wood burning stove? Are wood burning stoves dependable? This article is general information on wood stove safety, such as tips on venting, chimneys, maintenance, installation, and operation. By adhering to these recommended procedures and methods, you will know about burning wood in your stove.

If your local code or stove manufacturer’s guidelines vary from those detailed here, you should adhere to the stricter of the two sets of instructions. If in doubt, check with your local tree contractor.

Wood burning stove safety installationOrchard Park Tree Burning Wood Safely In Your Stove

All working furnaces and wood stoves require specific minimum clearance or distances between the sides, front, back, top and bottom of the stove and all flammable materials. Inadequate clearance might cause heat created by the stove to get into nearby combustibles, producing a dangerous fire.

Installation clearances may be lessened to the lower dimensions by putting in a heat shield beside the combustible wall.

Wood burning stove chimney

A wood-burning stove’s chimney has to be UL-listed, masonry, and factory built. Not ever should an unlined brick chimney be used for a wood stove. Brick chimneys are susceptible to corrosion, creating a possibly hazardous situation. If you are unsure about your chimney, call a professional for an inspection.

Plenty of older houses have unlined chimneys made of double brick. These could be used for a wood stove after checking for broken mortar or missing/loose brick. Metal sleeves that are listed with the Underwriters Laboratory might be used as chimney lines if they were crafted for such use.

Ventilation for your wood burning stove

Safety of your wood burning stove is critical. Venting the stove is the most vital part of the wood-burning system. 90% of all stove-related fires begin within the venting system. A venting unit isn’t a chimney. It includes more massive lengths over 24-gauge, insulated stovepipe which links the stove to an appropriate chimney.

The vent must be a small dimension, less than two right angle elbows. The sections of stovepipe must be pulled together with the crimped ends of the sections going down towards the stove. Stovepipe parts must be fastened with fasteners or sheet-metal screws. Seams have to overlap and point up on inclined runs. Insure that the firewood you are burning is properly seasoned, or you will also have an excess of smoke!