Wood Stove Installation Methods

Distance From Combustible Materials

• Wood stoves are built from metal, which radiates a lot of heat into the air on all sides of the stove. If the appliance is installed too close to a combustible wall or furniture, damage from the heat will occur and a fire could start. The experts at My Great Home say that wood stoves must be installed with at least 36 inches of empty space between each side of the stove and any combustible materials. Installing a wood stove according to this method doesn't require you to change the materials or layout of the walls, but it may place the wood stove in the center of a small room.

Stove Boards

• Special heat absorbing materials such as fiberglass board and metal thermal barriers can be installed on the floor or walls of a room to protect combustible drywall and other materials. Mother Earth News says that these stove boards can allow homeowners to install a wood stove much closer to a wall or over normal hardwood flooring without major renovations to the room. Fiberglass board that is lined with foil is mounted to the walls around the stove and painted with heat resistant paint, allowing to stove to sit within 18 inches of the walls. Metal thermal barriers are simple sheets of steel attached to the walls with a 1 inch gap to allow heat to escape, preventing damage to the walls.

Horizontal Venting

• Horizontal venting involves running the stove pipe for your wood stove out through a horizontal wall of your home instead of the ceiling. This method of installation is often easier than vertical venting because cutting the hole in the side wall of your home does not disrupt the moisture barrier that keeps water from entering your roof, according to PelletStoveFires.com. Horizontally aligned venting is most commonly used for pellet stoves, but it also works for wood stoves because they burn at lower temperatures than pellet models. Vent pipe that is run horizontally must have a small incline to encourage the hot air to travel through it, and a wall-protecting heat collar must be installed around the pipe.

Vertical Venting

• Installing a vertical vent pipe is the most common venting method for wood stoves. The vent pipe runs from the top of the wood stove and out through the ceiling and roof of the home. The My Great Home website says that this vent pipe must be installed at least nine inches from any walls or combustible materials in the home, and a heat resistant collar should be used to protect the ceiling and roof materials from the heat coming from the pipe. The main downside to using this method of installation are leaks occurring if the roof around the pipe is not sealed properly.

Using an Existing Chimney

• One of the easiest ways to install a new wood stove in a home that was not built to use one is to take advantage of a pre-existing fireplace. Fireplaces provide a hearth to protect the walls and floor from the heat of the wood stove, and the vent pipe can be run up the chimney without cutting holes in the walls or roof of your home. The chimney will require the installation of a special liner, according to BobVila.com, and wooden mantel places may need additional production from the direct heat.