WOOD HEATING & INSURANCE ISSUES:

Nothing's worse than having an accident or fire and finding out that your insurance doesn't cover what you thought it did. Comprehensive insurance is part of wood heat safety, and making your wood heat system safer ensures you the best possible premium for your insurance.

Is your home insurance policy up to date? What exactly does it cover? To answer these questions, call your insurance agent or broker. Get a review of your policy and coverage to make sure it's up to date.

Inform your insurance agent or broker whenever you make any change to your wood heat system. This includes adding or changing a wood stove, modifying a chimney -- anything that may influence the safety of your wood heat system. Such changes may affect your policy's coverage.

There are four points the insurance company will be concerned with:

1.Is it an approved unit? It should be certified by Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC), Canadian Standard Association (CSA) or Warnock Hersey. There are many uncertified stoves produced that are perfectly safe, but there is no way the insurer can tell if it is up to par so the company will usually refuse to insure your home if the stove is not certified. 
2.Was it installed by a professional? Again, many "do-it-yourself" installations may be OK, but there are many where short-cuts have been taken and the unit may not be safe. If a chimney is installed it requires a building permit. 
3.Are the clearances up to the latest Building Code and Fire Code?  There is no "grandfathering" of this requirement. You can obtain a copy of the Canadian Standards Code CSA-B365 "Installation Code for Solid Fuel Burning Appliances and Equipment" from the Canadian Standards Association; however, it is expensive and includes detail you probably do not need. CMHC publishes an excellent booklet, A Guide to Residential Wood Heating. Unless there is special shielding the required clearance is 1200 mm (48") from a combustible material to the sides and rear. There must also be 1500 mm (60") clearance above the unit. For a stove with a sheet metal jacket or casing, the clearance is 900 mm (36"). The clearances are large because they apply to all shapes, sizes and designs of stoves. The floor pad protects flooring from hot embers that might fall from the appliance during fuel loading or servicing. The pad must extend at least 200 mm (8") beyond the sides and rear and 450 mm (18") in front of the loading door. The floor pad must be a continuous, non-combustible surface and must not rest on the carpet unless it is strong enough to resist bending or cracking. 
4.Is the venting system proper?  Ideally there should be no elbows in the stovepipe and it should be as short as possible. If you ever have a fire either in the stovepipe or in the chimney, have the system inspected by a professional before you use it again. Serious damage may have been done to the pipes or chimney.

Tools / Safety:

Make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms. Add an extra alarm near the exit to the room where your wood heat appliance is located. It can give early warning of smoke from chimney blockage or from something smouldering close to your appliance. Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach of your wood heat appliance -- but not too close! Use an
all-purpose and approved (ABC) fire extinguisher. Fire departments recommend a 4 or 5 lb - 2A-10BC system. To be sure that it will work when you need it, check it every month for any loss in pressure or noticeable damage and follow the manufacturer's maintenance
instructions. Be sure to read the label carefully before using it. 

A flue gas thermometer can tell you if the temperature of your appliance's flue is within the safe range specified by the manufacturer. Ask a certified professional to explain how these work. Keep heat proof gloves near your appliance. If a log rolls out of the firebox, the fastest way to get it off the floor and back into the appliance is to pick it up -- as long as you've got the gloves on! Child guards are designed to keep small children away from hot stoves. A certified professional can give you suggestions. Make sure any guard you use is made from non-combustible material. 

Keep it safe!

A safe installation will only stay safe if you operate and maintain it properly. Check the chimney and flue pipe often for creosote. Clean them regularly -- or have them cleaned by a certified professional annually. 

Use properly seasoned wood and follow proper burning techniques to minimize creosote production. Check flue pipes for corrosion at least once a year -- late spring, at the end of the heating season, is a good time. Replace any pipes that are beginnin to corrode. Don't wait until there are holes -- it may be too late! 

Use a covered metal bucket for ashes. Store it carefully -- either outside, or on a concrete floor well away from walls or anything that could burn. Check the door latches, hinges and gaskets of your appliance regularly to be sure they are tight. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for your appliance. 
 
 

 

COPYRIGHT / EASTERN HOME INSPECTIONS / 2001