CAN RADIATING-TYPE WOOD STOVES EVER BE INSTALLED LESS THAN 36 INCHES FROM COMBUSTIBLES?
Yes. If a UL-listed stove has a heat shield attached, the clearance can be reduced as specified. Or build a heat shield to be mounted 1 inch off the wall on non-combustible spacers. To reduce the standard clearance to 12 inches, the heat shield should be of 28-gauge sheet metal, mounted off the floor to provide unrestricted circulation of air between shield and wall (see Figure 1). WHAT SIZE HEAT SHIELD DO I NEED? Any area within 36 inches of the wood stove should be covered as shown in Figure 2. DOES A STOVEPIPE NEED SPECIAL CLEARANCE TO COMBUSTIBLES? Yes. Clearance should be three times the diameter of the pipe, e.g., a 6-inch pipe needs 18 inches of clearance. Heat shields may be used to reduce the clearance by the same ratio as for the stove. For example, with sheet metal you can reduce the clearance by two-thirds, from 18 inches to 6 inches. HOW DO YOU RUN A STOVEPIPE THROUGH A COMBUSTIBLE WALL OR CEILING? You don’t. But if absolutely necessary, the following are approved methods:
