Some general stove questions

[p575]

First off, my insurance co. says any stove I have needs to be UL listed/approved. Does anybody know where I can find a listing of stoves that qualify.
Second off, I looked at an old Timberline stove this morning. The question about it is, there is no way to connect a fan to it to force hot air out into the room, it is simply freestanding. I'm sure a good fire in there would heat the room its in, but how well will it actually heat the air to be distributed throughout the house?

 

[Marc]

Well, the UL standard that wood stoves are apparently tested to is UL 1482 (ULC S627 for Canada) which is for solid fuel-type room heaters. Unfortunately, the corresponding UL product catalog code for this standard, DGAW, turns up only 10 results on UL's online certifications directory and they're all corn, grain or wood pellet burners. UL's website is terrible, so maybe you'll have better luck if you search yourself...

http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.html

 

[sunfish]

Second off, I looked at an old Timberline stove this morning. The question about it is, there is no way to connect a fan to it to force hot air out into the room, it is simply freestanding. I'm sure a good fire in there would heat the room its in, but how well will it actually heat the air to be distributed throughout the house?

I've been heating with wood for 30 years and never had a blower on a stove. A ceiling fan on low works great for moving the heat around. Rarely have we been too cool in the house, but usually too warm. And it does get very cold here.

Can't help with the UL thing, don't have insurance, so I get to do what I want to do. But I also know better than to burn the house down. lol

 

[Cowboy Billy]

I've found it works best to blow air from the coldest part of the room to the stove. Cold air is denser and easier to move.

Billy

 

[Beaver eager]

I thought a UL listing was for electronic type stuff only? Could your Ins. agent have misspoken? Pellet/corn stoves are run on electricity and have circut boards and all that junk in order to function but wood stoves are not except if you have a blower which would have a UL sticker on it anyways (unless it's a homemade one).
Your agent may have been referring to an EPA certified stove instead. Most Ins. companies don't want the old uncertified stoves installed in a home anymore and will only cover EPA certified ones. Cleaner burning and air tight stoves of today burn less wood to heat the same space. I was amazed that it only took 3.75 cords to heat my house for the winter.

 

[Marc]

I thought a UL listing was for electronic type stuff only? Could your Ins. agent have misspoken? Pellet/corn stoves are run on electricity and have circut boards and all that junk in order to function but wood stoves are not except if you have a blower which would have a UL sticker on it anyways (unless it's a homemade one).
Your agent may have been referring to an EPA certified stove instead. Most Ins. companies don't want the old uncertified stoves installed in a home anymore and will only cover EPA certified ones. Cleaner burning and air tight stoves of today burn less wood to heat the same space. I was amazed that it only took 3.75 cords to heat my house for the winter.

UL tests and lists all kinds of things, from boilers to electronic appliances to fire protection equipment to roof assemblies. The EPA rating deals with pollution output. The UL testing certifies the safety of the equipment to certain standards. Different goals altogether. That's why the insurance company is interested in the UL Listing, they want to know it won't burn the house down.

I'd give you my real opinion of them, but I work for a competitor (sort of) and it would be ungentlemanly.

 

[CrappieKeith]

EPA is for efficientcy,UL is for safety.
Your insurance co. wants a safe unit so it is asking that you get a UL listed appliance.
It must come with a UL tag which will have a file # on it.

True,you can go to UL to find what is listed by them.
Yukons are the only UL listed solid fuel furnaces.

 

[Circle B MN]

I've found it works best to blow air from the coldest part of the room to the stove. Cold air is denser and easier to move.

Billy

Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out in the shop...

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

UL tests and lists all kinds of things, from boilers to electronic appliances to fire protection equipment to roof assemblies. ... That's why the insurance company is interested in the UL Listing, they want to know it won't burn the house down.

Yep. Wouldn't surprise me if they haven't really looked at wood stoves, and the insurance agent is talking off the top of his head.

OR, somebody at the insurance company doesn't know what they are doing, and just thought this sounded like a good idea without checking with UL to see if they have spent any time rating wood stoves.

OR, it's a way for your insurance company to say NO to a wood stove while making UL out to be the bad guy.


I'd suggest calling some other insurance companies.