Pellet Stove Installation, What To Know
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So you've decided to invest in a pellet stove. Great idea. Now what about pellet stove installation? Is it something that you can do yourself? That probably depends on your overall do-it-yourself ability. The first rule of pellet stove installation is to closely follow the guidelines for installation recommended by the manufacturer of your pellet stove.
If you buy a freestanding pellet stove you're going to want to locate it in a central location so that heat will be distributed more evenly throughout the areas you want to heat. Follow the manufacturers guidelines regarding placement. In order to get the maximum efficiency from your pellet stove it may need to be set a certain distance from walls.
If you're installing a pellet stove in a much older home make sure the floor will be able to support the weight of the stove, and the hopper filled with pellets. Some hoppers in larger stoves can hold up to 85 lbs. of pellets.
Another guideline is that you never direct vent a pellet stove. Direct venting in most, if not all cases will cause damage to the exterior area where it is vented. It's always best to vent a pellet stove straight up through to the roof. Luckily it's relatively simple to provide ventilation for a pellet stove. They're vented using Class L chimneys which are stainless steel interiors and galvanized aluminum exteriors.
It is possible to install the ventilation system for a new pellet stove into an existing masonry chimney as long as an approved chimney liner or PL vent is used. The guidelines for installation from the pellet stove manufacturer will tell you what size diameter vent is the proper one to use with your stove. Before you place your vent make sure it isn't near walkways, doors or windows where people could potentially come into contact with it.
You're going to need to protect the floor where you're going to place the pellet stove. Again, follow the manufacturers installation recommendations. They will tell you what type of flooring materials are necessary and they will give you the minimum size of the floor to be protected. You are going to want to protect flooring from burning or damage from hot embers. If you're not going to be installing a pellet stove on an existing hearth type floor you may need to have a floor installed for this purpose.
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