Pre Purchase Inspection for Wood Stove and Chimney Pipe Install

Video Highlights
0:12 Look for obstructions
1:03 Complete a Submit-A-Sketch
1:34 Taking Measurements and Filling out the form
2:03 Measuring from floor to ceiling
2:43 Attic Measurements
2:56 Obstructions to look for in the Attic
4:49 Outside of the House
5:41 On the Roof
6:17 Example of finished Submit-A-Sketch

Hi, I am Joe Cochran with NorthlineExpress.com and today I just want to go over the main keys to look for in your room before you purchase and install your wood stove. You will want to determine which room in the home will be the best option for your needs.

Our Submit-A-Sketch form will help you to make sure that you are choosing the best location for your wood stove and venting system. We have several different variations: single story, multi-story, and cathedral ceiling. We will be using the single story Submit-A-Sketch form today. A few minutes of fore thought can save you from getting half way into an installation and realizing that you cannot install it because of some sort of obstruction. This will also help you determine all of the extra components and how much pipe you are going to need as well.

While checking for barriers you can take some general measurements, such as from the floor to the ceiling to help in determining the amount of stove pipe and chimney pipe will be needed. We recommend that you keep track of them on the Submit-A-Sketch form so when you are ready to purchase your stove or the chimney pipe you will have everything right with you.

The first place to start is in the room that you are planning to install your wood stove in. The number one thing to look for is any obstructions in the room that are going to hinder the installation of your wood stove. Some of those obstructions would be windows that are too close to the wood stove, door ways that are going to open and maybe hit or bump the wood stove or that would infringe on the clearance to the loading door, anything on the wall, any lighting above the wood stove itself, or furniture that might be too close to the wood stove to meet the clearances. It is important to get out the tape measure and print off the owner’s manual to the stove that you are looking to purchase prior to purchasing it and just look to see what the clearances and measurements of the stove are and get real comfortable with the area in your room that you will be installing the wood stove.

The next area that you will look is going to depend on the type of installation that you are going to be doing. If you are going to be doing a through the roof installation you will need to next look at your attic space. When inspecting your attic space make sure that you are keeping your eye out for obstructions such as electric cords, fan vents, rafters, plumbing, duct work, etc. You will want to make sure that you lift the insulation and make sure that there is no obstruction hidden underneath of it. One other thing to check is that your trusses and rafters are running in the same direction so that you can determine if the vent pipe can come straight through or if there will need to be an offset figured in to the installation.

If you are doing a through the wall installation the next place to inspect will be the exterior of the wall that you are planning on venting through. In order to make sure that your installation will be compliant with local codes and clearances make sure that you are paying attention to obstructions such as air conditioners, electrical or gas meters, plumbing, vents, sidewalks, etc. You will want to make sure you that you have checked the codes for the area where you live because every area has different requirements.

In a through the roof installation you the final place that you will need to inspect will be the roof. When you are on the roof you will need to make sure that the area that you are planning on running you chimney pipe through is compliant with clearances and free of any obstructions like valleys and peaks, plumbing vents, other chimney stacks, electrical lines running into the roof, etc. We always recommend that you get on the roof and take a look around and make sure that you are clear.

Installing a wood stove in your home is a great step towards energy savings, but installing your chimney system can get tricky. Follow the pre-installation tips that we have given here and you should avoid any unexpected problems with your chimney and wood stove placement. If you are still looking to learn more on class a chimney systems and how to install them, make sure that you view our helpful Chimney Pipe Learning Center.