Wood Stove Requires Added Protection

Whether you should or can installing a wood burning stove in a garage is a very confusing.   There are a number of  reasons that installers will take different stands on the acceptability of garage installations, and most of them are due to differences in how to interpret CSA Standards B365-10 Installation Code for Solid-Fuel-Burning Appliances and Equipment.  As with all code books, B365-10 is written in a legal manner to protect from lawsuits and liabilities.  This manner of rule enforcement sometimes even confuses the professionals and the home owner is just left shaking his head in bewilderment.

Call the Barrie WETT Inspection service for answers to most questions regarding installations of wood burning appliances.

 The section that deals with solid-fuel appliances in residential garages can be found under section 4.3 Hazardous Locations.

The wording reads as follows:

 An appliance shall not be installed in a location where a corrosive atmosphere, flammable gas or vapour, combustible dust, or combustible fibres may be present. An appliance may be installed in a

(a) storage or residential garage, provided that the appliance is mounted at least 450 mm (18 in) above floor level and protected against physical damage; . . .

 The first point that ought to be considered prior to installation is to determine how a garage is being utilized.  After all, the primary purpose of a garage is for motor vehicle storage. Aside from cars and trucks, homeowners often store motorcycles, all-terrain-vehicles, lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws and other assorted equipment that all burn fuel.

The garage is also where a lot of  do-it-yourself  mechanical repairs are completed. Oil, grease, jerry cans, propane, solvents and other flammables are commonly found in most residential garages. So the question that needs to be asked is: Is the typical garage any place for errant sparks or open flames?

One of the WETT past presidents has come out against installation in garages, saying, “No. It’s about common sense. The presence of  gasoline alone should be reason enough for concern. This stuff  is really quite dangerous. Any fuel that leaks or gets spilled quickly evaporates, and these vapors are heavier than air, so they spread out at the floor level or pool in confined spaces.  Then, all it takes is a single spark to ignite a flash fire.  If  oily rags or solvents are present, things can turn nasty in a hurry.” this is based on the belief that there really should be no confusion in the interpretation of  B365. To him, the wording clearly prohibits a solid-fuel-burning appliance within a garage that is being used for what would be traditional vehicle storage purposes.  It is for this same reason that some insurance companies will not provide coverage if  a solid-fuel-burning stove is installed within a garage. This view is also held by the National Fireplace Protection Agency  in the United States. The NFPA specifically prohibits solid-fuel-burning appliances within a residential garage

Garages that are converted into woodworking or crafting workshops may be no better. Aside from highly flammable oils and solvents that are commonly used, wood fines that get kicked up into the air by cutting, planing, or sanding could be potentially explosive. These airborne particles are highly flammable. Again, the prescriptive wording of  B365 could prohibit installation of  a solid-fuel burning appliance in these applications.

As for measuring the height required from floor to bottom of the stove,  there was a change in wording in 2011 that addressed this issue.  Language dealing with the installation height of appliances has been clarified. The wording now reads, “Any component representing a source of ignition, such as a blower or the bottom of the firebox, is at least 450 mm (18 inches) above floor level.” The old wording was open to much interpretation. It stipulated that the “appliance” must be mounted 18 inches above floor level. To be sure, the height of the appliance’s pedestal or legs was being factored in as part of the appliance. This resulted in platforms that were taller than they needed to be to satisfy the intent. Even with the revision, installers will still need to check with their local-authority-having jurisdiction as to what they want to see to satisfy the requirement for protection against physical damage.

You will notice that no matter what agency makes a comment on a particular installation requirement,  they typically will always distance themselves from any hint of responsibility by stating that installers still have to check with the “Authority having Jurisdiction” prior to installing anything.  What makes this kind of comical is that some municipalities will ask home owners to supply the building department or fire department with a Wett Inspection report.   Everyone wants a piece of paper in their file absolving them of any responsibility,  but it is all done the expense of the home owner.