Looking to ward off the chill with a Pellet Stove this year?!
What to know when buying a Pellet Stove:
All heating units are certified by a laboratory inspection such as (CSA, ULC) where they have been tested and approved. There are labels located on the units of which you should get familiar with. These labels indicate certifications and all the minimum clearing installation distances from walls for which the unit was tested. You should also get familiar with labels located on the stove pipes, as there are different wall clearing distances for different products that you buy.
Installation of the heating unit:
It is very important to advise your broker before you install a pellet stove in your house as your insurance company will want to be advised of any heating system changes.
The pellet stove should be installed by a WETT certified technician. WETT stands for Wood Energy Technology Transfer. WETT technicians are designated with training and knowledge to install wood heating appliances. After they have installed the heating unit you should ask them to give you a written confirmation advising that your installation is up to code and to provide you with a WETT number.
Where to install your heating unit:
A pellet stove is used as auxiliary heating only which means it heats a portion of the house and not the entire house.
Your heating unit should be installed in a clean and open space. Installation of your unit can have a big impact on its efficiency. The biggest open space of your house is where your stove should be installed because the more open space, the more the heat will disperse so you will maximize of the heat. Also, your stove needs to be on a non-combustible floor. Depending on where you are installing your stove you may have to install a non-combustible floor pad. The size of the floor pad and its thickness will be indicated on the label of the unit.