How to Install a Wood Stove on an Interior Wall

Interior placement optimizes your stove's efficiency.

A wood stove can achieve maximize heating efficiency if placed along an interior wall on the lower level of a home. Exterior placement, on the other hand, can lead to loss of heat through windows and walls. Wherever you install your stove, it is essential to adhere to safety codes and get expert advice if you have any questions. You need to place the stove where it can access an existing chimney pipe, which can require running the piping through the ceiling to the roof of your home.

Things You'll Need

• Heat shield (optional)
• Stove pipe sections
• Metal screws
• Stove pipe adapter
• Class A chimney pipe

Instructions

1. Establish a safe clearance around the stove. Contact your insurance company or local fire department for information about specific regulations for your area or stove. Radiant stoves generally require 36 inches of space from combustible walls, unless a heat shield is installed. There should also be 18 inches of protected floor space in all directions, either with noncombustible flooring, like tile or brick, or a heat mat. Depending on the age, height and type of stove, additional protective flooring layers may be required.

2. Install a heat shield on the wall if you want the stove close to it, following manufacturer instructions. With a heat shield you can bring wood stoves as close as 12 inches to the wall. Stove pipes generally require 18 inches of clearance from combustible materials, but with a pipe heat shield you can bring it as close as 9 inches.

3. Connect stove pipe sections to the stove and screw securely into place. Make sure the crimped sections face toward the stove, so creosote drips backward instead of building up. Keep the piping as straight as possible and avoid using more than two 90-degree bends.

4. Cut a hole through the ceiling with a circular saw. Install a stove pipe adapter and ceiling support box on the end of the stove pipe where it meets the ceiling, following manufacturer instructions.

5. Connect the stove pipe to a Class A chimney pipe and run the pipe through the roof of your home.

6. Make sure the chimney is clean and has the proper fire shields in place, especially if it passes through multiple stories of your home. If it passes through an attic, make sure an attic insulation shield is installed. The top of the chimney should reach 3 feet above the surrounding roof level and should be capped off.

Tips & Warnings

• Always follow the specific manufacturer guidelines for your wood stove, chimney, heat shields and other materials.

• Contact a professional if you have any questions during the installation of your stove. Small mistakes can lead to deadly results when you are working with chimneys and stove pipes.

• Make sure the stove pipe sections are secure, as they can rattle apart during stove fires and lead to a house fire.

• Avoid placing any combustible items near the vicinity of the stove. This includes paper, wood and fabric, or anything that is not resistant to heat.

References

• Northline Express: Planning Your Chimney Installation