Installation of Buck Wood Stove Inserts

Remove everything from the inside of the fireplace including all wood grates and loose bricks that are not part of the masonry. Lay a tarp over the area surrounding the fireplace. Vacuum out the inside of the fireplace with a shop vacuum to remove any ashes in the cracks or corners.

Remove the damper from just inside the chimney. Look for a cotter pin using a flashlight to see into the chimney opening. Remove the pin and lift the damper out.

Attach the pipe to the back of the wood stove insert. The length of the pipe depends on the condition of your chimney as well as the size of the flue. Fireplaces with large flues are not suitable for installing an insert since the opening is too large to create a draw of air, lifting the smoke from the fire. At minimum, the pipe needs to be long enough to extend past the opening of the flue liner. Hire a chimney professional to install pipe the entire length of the chimney.

Surround the stove with glass wool insulation. Often the fireproof insulation comes with an adhesive on one side, which you would adhere to the body of the insert.

Slide the Buck wood stove insert into the fireplace, centering it within the space horizontally. Line up the damper opening at the top of the stove just under the center of the chimney opening so you get the proper draft. Position the stove so the front stays outside the vertical plane of the fireplace front.

Attach any facing plates or trim panels according to the manufacturer’s directions to cover any gaps between the masonry of the fireplace and the insert.

Light a candle and hold it around the edges of the insert to check for air leaks. If the candle flame blows toward or away from the insert, stuff more insulation into the area.

Open the damper on the insert and light a few sheets of newspaper to make sure the smoke pulls up and out through the chimney. Plug in the circulation fan if included.