But, you needn’t worry.Ī huge amount of work, research and study goes into stove safety each year. Stove safety and installationĪt this point, you may be wondering about stove safety in general. So, what are the clearances that can be achieved with a heat shield?Īccording to the relevant British Standard, BS 8303:2018, the ‘distance from the appliance rear to the outer surface of the shield’ must be ‘at least 95mm and at least 90mm from the side of the appliance to the outer surface of the shield (if near to an adjacent wall)’. Situated between the stove and the exposed surface, a heat shield will reduce the required distance for safety. If you are unable to place your stove with at least a 900mm clearance between it and other surfaces, then you’ll need to install a heat shield. The Fire Protection Association recommends that common radiant-style stoves should be placed at least 900mm (36 inches) away from any combustible surfaces. The primary instance in which you’ll need to use a heat shield, is if you’re installing a stove in a confined space. When there is insufficient clearance between the stove and combustible surfaces/materials Brick and stone are examples of A1 fire-rated materials. An A1 fire-rated material will absolutely not catch fire under any circumstances, and won’t fall apart if placed directly into a fire. So, it’s vital that you protect any combustible materials or surfaces near your stove.Ĭombustible materials are defined as any material that isn’t A1 fire-rated. But, for example, pyrolysis can occur on the inside of a wall, catching fire from the inside without warning. Sometimes you’ll see materials near your stove discolouring or charring – in which case you know they need to be protected from the heat. Pyrolysis is dangerous as it isn’t always visible. So, a material that you previously thought was okay (because it had been near your stove for months or years), can suddenly burst into flames.Īs such, pyrolysis is a real concern for stove safety especially if you have combustible materials situated near your stove. When combustible materials are sat too close to a heat source such as a stove, they will deteriorate on a molecular level as they repeatedly heat up and cool down over time.Īs this process, pyrolysis, continues over time it can cause the autoignition temperature of the material to drop. The reason stove fitters (and building regulators in general) are so concerned about combustion is because of something called pyrolysis. Which brings us on to our next point… Pyrolysis It’s this risk of combustion which is the main reason why you’ll potentially need to install a heat shield. But, they have been known to get much hotter – particularly if the stove’s fire is burning fiercely.īecause of these high temperatures, it’s vital that your stove and its flue pipe are situated far enough away from combustible materials. Under standard conditions a stove flue pipe can reach between 150 and 200 degrees centigrade. This may seem like a rather obvious point, but if you’ve not used a stove before, you may not realise quite how hot both the stove and its flue pipe can get. But, why do you need to use a heat shield with a wood burning stove? There are several reasons which we’ve detailed below. Okay, so now you know what a heat shield is. Why do you need to use heat shields with wood burning stoves? Heat shields which are manufactured from conductive materials such as vitreous enamel also serve the purpose of reflecting and directing heat back into the room. Well, as their name suggests, heat shields are panels made from heat-resistant materials such as vitreous enamel, which are designed to protect (and enhance) the wall behind a stove. What is a wood burning stove heat shield?įirst off, let’s define exactly what we mean when we talk about stove heat shields. But do you actually need one? And, if so, what types of heat shield are available? Keep reading and Direct Stoves will provide you with the answers to these questions and more in our guide to wood burning stove heat shields. If you’re looking to install a wood burning stove in your home, then you may have heard that you also need to install a heat shield.
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