Installing your wood stove is a complicated process that must be done with care and experience, and I would recommend hiring a professional to install your wood stove. Safety is key and a wood stove is very safe with the correct installation and care. However, if you think you are capable of installing the wood stove yourself, there are several vital factors to consider.
Location is important, not only to optimize satisfaction, but also for safety. It is not recommended to place the wood stove on any floor that is flammable such as wood. However, there are suitable surfaces for the wood stove, such as concrete, ceramic tiles, marble and slate, these are more suitable as they do not catch fire easily and leave your home safer. There are not only safety restrictions on the floor, but also on the area covered by the base. The base of the wood stove should cover 8 inches around the wood stove with 18 inches in front of the doors to reduce the possibility of the surrounding floor catching fire. Better safe than sorry. Around the wood stove there are safety precautions that can also be taken with the walls. Again, they should leave spaces of at least 12 inches around the wood stove. For added protection, a non-combustible wall protection can be used, as well as a rear heat shield. The protection of the walls is essential, since any flammable material that is near the wood stove is a danger.
The connection (installation) of the chimney and the stove pipe is again another task in the installation of the wood stove that must be done with care and with some experience. The chimney is the one that expels harmful and unwanted smoke from the house. There are several things to remember. When installing stove piping, keep a minimum distance of 18 inches from any combustible elements. To be safe, you can protect your stovepipe with a heat shield to greatly reduce the chance of a fire. As for the chimney, it should be at least 3 feet above the ceiling surface, however the higher the better. However, there is one thing to remember with wood stove pipes and fireplace, there are several types with various protections, so understand what you are dealing with before installation.
Installing a wood stove is a demanding, complicated, highly responsible and time-consuming job and unless you really know what you are doing, it is advisable that you hire a professional to install it.
