If you’re attracted to the allure of an old-fashioned wood stove, you might be thinking of using it to keep your home warm in the winter. Living in New England, many old and historic homes contain one of these gems. However, you want to consider wood stove safety before you light a match. Similarly, if you own a fireplace, you will want to go through our fireplace safety checklist to ensure that your fireplace is ready to be used.

These are the 4 wood stove safety tips to keep in mind when it comes to using a wood stove.

Safety Tip #1: Proper Installation

Whether your wood stove is from another era or it’s relatively new, you’ll want to ensure that it’s properly installed. This is key to making sure the stove is working properly and doesn’t pose any safety threats.

For example, if there are more than six inches of ventilation space between the stove and the base, the stove must be installed on a non-combustible floor surface such as brick. The floor must also be at least 2 inches thick.

Safety Tip #2: Keep a Safe Distance

Where you place your wood stove matters. Many safety codes require that the wood stove stays at least three feet away from surrounding furniture and rugs. You don’t want to chance any surrounding objects catching fire.

Safety Tip #3: Chimney Safety

Overall chimney safety is another area of concern for a wood-burning stove. You don’t want to connect the stove to more than one flue. This is because gases from the flue can pass from one opening to another. This may result in unsatisfactory performance with your wood stove.

Furthermore, you’ll also want to make sure that there are no missing flue tiles or cracked masonry. These issues go beyond cosmetics. A crack in the masonry is a sign of a structural issue that can lead to larger problems down the road.

Safety Tip #4: Sweep Your Chimney

If you haven’t had an annual chimney sweep and inspection, take this step before you begin using your wood stove. An inspection and sweep will help with:

• Finding creosote buildup inside the chimney, which can be dangerous and flammable
• Making sure smoke can properly exit your home
• Ensuring the chimney is lined and capable of exhausting flue gases
• Looking for signs of animals living inside the chimney
• Check functionality of the stove components

If you have any doubts about using your wood-burning stove or wood stove safety concerns, please contact us at Best Chimney. We can help you determine if the wood stove is correctly installed along with sweeping and inspecting the chimney. Contact us today to learn more by calling (781) 893-6611.