Brick or Stone to Protect from Heat
As the outside temperature slowly drops outside, you may be thinking of installing a woodstove for some supplementary heat. If wood is available to you, using it to heat your home can be relatively inexpensive. Especially if you can put in some labor getting it and prepping it. However, house fires are common when stoves are improperly installed and maintained.
Most of these types of fires are caused when combustible material gets too close to the hot stove, when hot gasses escape cracks in the chimney, or from sparks and hot coals escaping from the stove.
Build a Fireproof Area
Traditionally, clay brick, stone, and other masonry products have been used to protect walls and floors from the type of heat a wood stove can produce. A good mason who follows Ontario Building Codes and stove manufacturers instructions can build a fireproof area that will protect your home and family for decades. For example, a brick wall in itself is not a sufficient to protect combustibles from fire. However, when built with an air space behind it (Approx. 1”-2” according to local building codes) it is enough to prevent ignition, as long as air can circulate behind the masonry wall. It’s sometimes small differences like this that makes all the difference.
Wood stoves usually require 36” of clearance to any combustible materials. This distance can be reduced with properly built masonry or fire-resistant materials, if installed according to manufacturers and building codes. If unsure, speak to your local fire marshal for advice.
Masonry Nation
Give yourself peace of mind and hire the experts at Masonry Nation to build your protective masonry walls and floors. While they’re there ask them to inspect your chimney as well. Masonry Nation has been building chimneys, masonry walls, and fireplaces in the Ottawa area for many years. This time of year (November-February) they are looking for jobs out of the cold, so building a wall or fireplace indoors is a refreshing change from freezing outdoor conditions. All their masons are talented and have Red Seal Certification from Canada’s standard of excellence in the skilled trades.
When small details matter, consider the value of hiring a qualified person to build fire protection inside your home. Let Masonry Nation build a safe environment for your wood stove, and sleep easy, warm, and with the knowledge that it was done right!