Wood Stove Installation Tips for Home Owners 

The Barrie WETT Inspector shares information and knowledge so that home owners can save money and have safer installations.

Choosing your Wood Stove

Wood stoves typically come in three sizes, small, medium and large.  A small sized wood stove will heat from 600 to 1000 square feet, a medium sized woodstove will heat from 800 to 2000 square feet, and a large sized wood burning stove will heat from 800 to 3000 square feet.  Small wood stoves are typically used for garages, cabins or areas under 1500 sq ft.  Medium Wood Stoves are generally used to heat homes from 1500 to 2000 sq feet.  A large wood stove is used for homes with poor insulation or a lot of windows where longer burn times and larger wood sizes can be used.

The area of country and climate can affect listed BTU ratings and Other heat output factors stated by manufacturers brochures.  The type and quality of wood can also affect this items.  We always recommend you talk to a local wood burning expert to fully understand the capabilities of the wood stove you are purchasing.

Location of Wood Stove

Ideally the wood stove should be located centrally to the area you want to heat. Basements are typically a poor location for your wood stove unless that is where your family spends most of its time.  Your wood stoves position relative to openings in rooms and hallways is also an important consideration.  The use of fans can greatly increase the amount of heat distribution if your wood stove is placed correctly.  The installation of your chimney will also dictate the location of your appliance.  Ensuring your chimney will exit home between floor joists and rafters with out added elbows etc will make your installation that more efficient.

Wood Stove Features

Wood stoves with an air wash system – An air wash system on a wood burning stove in combination with high firebox temperatures will keep the large, ceramic glass window clean so you always get an unobstructed view of the fire when you heat with wood. An air wash system will also reduce cleaning maintenance on the wood stove.

Wood stoves with a blower – Adding a blower to a wood stove will drastically increase heat output during wood burning fires. The variable speeds on a wood stove blower help keep your home at just the right temperature, even on the coldest winter days.

Wood stoves with a refractory lined firebox – When you heat with wood, a refractory lined firebox on a wood stove plays an important role in the advanced burning process by holding the heat in and maintaining the interior temperature necessary for low emissions.

Wood stoves with a primary bottom air feed – A primary bottom air feed on a wood burning stove assists in cold start ups and reviving a dying fire sets the foundation for the perfect wood burning environment while you heat with wood.

Wood Heat Value

Knowing the Wood Heat Value of the wood you intend to burn can greatly help you choose the right wood stove for your home.

 

Species	Density (lb./cu.ft.)	Weight per cord (lb.)	BTUs per cord (millions)	Recoverable BTUs per cord (millions)	Units needed to produce 1 million BTUs
black locust	52.5	4462	28.5	19.95	0.051
hickory	50.9	4327	27.7	19.39	0.052
east hophornbeam	50.2	4267	27.3	19.11	0.052
apple	48.7	4100	26.5	18.55	0.054
white oak	47.2	4012	25.7	17.99	0.056
sugar maple	44.2	3757	24	16.8	0.060
red oak	44.2	3757	24	16.8	0.060
beech	44.2	3757	24	16.8	0.060
yellow birch	43.4	3689	23.6	16.52	0.061
white ash	43.4	3689	23.6	16.52	0.061
hackberry	38.2	3247	20.8	14.56	0.069
tamarack	38.2	3247	20.8	14.56	0.069
paper birch	37.4	3179	20.3	14.21	0.070
cherry	36.7	3121	20	14	0.071
elm	35.9	3052	19.5	13.65	0.073
black ash	35.2	2992	19.1	13.37	0.075
red maple	34.4	2924	18.7	13.09	0.076
box elder	32.9	2797	17.9	12.53	0.080
jack pine	31.4	2669	17.1	11.97	0.084
norway pine	31.4	2669	17.1	11.97	0.084
hemlock	29.2	2482	15.9	11.13	0.090
black spruce	29.2	2482	15.9	11.13	0.090
ponderosa pine	28	2380	15.2	10.64	0.094
aspen	27	2290	14.7	10.29	0.097
white pine	26.3	2236	14.3	10.01	0.100
balsam fir	26.3	2236	14.3	10.01	0.100
cottonwood	24.8	2108	13.5	9.45	0.106
basswood	24.8	2108	13.5	9.45	0.106

 

Types of Chimney Required for Wood Stove Installation

Every Wood Stove requires a Class A type chimney for venting.  The two types of Class A chimney are:

• Solid-packed chimney: These pipes have smaller inner diameters (usually ranging from 5 inches to 8 inches) that have some insulation, either double-wall (like SuperPro Stainless Steel, DuraTech pipe) or triple-wall (like Simpson Dura-Vent DuraPlus pipe). These pipes use fiberglass or ceramic insulation to stay cooler on the outside and have a 2 inch clearance to combustibles.
• Air-cooled chimney: These pipes have larger inner diameters (usually ranging from 8 inches to 24 inches) that have no insulation. An example of this kind of class A pipe is the FMI chimney pipe that is required for use with FMI and Vantage Hearth manufactured fireplaces. As the name implies, these pipes rely on the air circulating within them to keep the outer wall cooler and also have a 2 inch clearance to combustibles.

Manufacturer Chimney Installation Instructions

Selkirk SuperPro Factory Built Chimney 
Selkirk SuperPro is a premium grade, stainless steel factory-built chimney system that offers the latest technology in factory-built chimney design. SuperProprovides superior performance, durability and safety when used with today’s appliances which are engineered to produce low emissions and high heat.

DuraPlus HTC Chimney
DuraPlus HTC is a double-wall, all-fuel chimney system for use in Canada. DuraPlus HTC is for use with wood stoves, fireplaces and other appliances that use wood, oil, coal or gas. DuraPlus chimney systems feature a light weight ceramic refractory material that will not shrink or cause gaps like competing chimney pipe brands that are made of mineral wool and other loose-fill insulation. DuraPlus HTC chimney venting systems have a twist-lock feature that allows you to assemble it quickly and precisely without the use of screws or rivets. DuraPlus HTC requires a 2″ clearance to combustible materials.

SecureTemp FB Chimney
The Secure Temp ASHT+ is one of the most extensively used factory-built venting systems in North America. It has been specially developed for use with oil- and gas-burning heating appliances and certified wood-burning fireplaces. The Secure Temp ASHT+ high-temperature chimney is certified by Intertek Testing (Warnock Hersey) to ULC-S604 standards and ULC-S610 (on wood-burning fireplaces) for all diameters of 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 inches.

Note:  When constructing a chimney you may only use parts and material from one manufacturer.   You are not permitted to mix and match components.

Chimney Height Above Roof and Chimney Installation Reference.

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