Fire Safety Information for Stove Installation and Maintenance
Legislation:
In all cases the installation must comply with current local regulations including Building
Regulations, Local Authority Byelaws and other specifications or regulations including
Ireland, UK or EU standards referred to as they affect the installation of the stove.
Useful documentation for reference would include:
 Approved Document J,
 Approved documents L1 A and B conservation of fuel and power,
 The Domestic Building Services compliance guide.
Stove Installation and Maintenance Fire Safety information:
Read the owner’s manual and follow the recommendations and guideline.
The stove must be installed according to existing building codes and manufacturer’s
instructions. Do not use stove unless they are properly installed and meet the building
codes.
Make sure the stove is not too large for the area it is heating.
Make sure the stove does not have missing parts or large cracks that make it unsafe to use.
Some kind of fire protection material must be used to cover the floor and walls that are
close to the stove. Follow building codes and manufacturer’s literature for safe installation.
These sources will tell you what materials to use and how to install them.
Do not perform modifications to the stove appliance as this could seriously comprise safety
in operation.
You must clean wood or coal stoves and fireplace chimneys on a regular basis. The chimney
and stovepipe should be checked frequently during the heating season for creosote build-up
(unavoidable in wood stoves). Have chimneys inspected and cleaned by a professional
chimney sweep.
The appliance, flue & chimney must be cleaned and checked internally and externally
regularly in use and especially after a period on disuse (e.g. after summer). The chimney and
flue connector must be swept at least annually by a suitably qualified chimney sweep, more
often when used with sooty fuels or damp wood. Any loose, broken or leaking joints or flue
ways must be repaired immediately.
Combustibles such as curtains, chairs newspapers, firewood, matches and any other
flammable materials should be stored a safe distance away from the fireplace or stove (at
least 600mm).
Don’t run wires, rugs and carpets near the stoves where they can overheat.
Only use recommended fuels. The appliance can be damaged by burning anthracite,
petroleum coke, liquid fuels or general rubbish and this will invalidate your warranty and
risk your personal safety.
The appliance must not be used as a rubbish incinerator. Never burn rubbish in a stove
because this could over heat the stove
Petrol and other flammable liquids should never be used to start stove fires. Petrol will
ignite and explode.
Do not overheat the stove – it is possible to fire the stove beyond its design capacity, this
could damage the stove, so watch for signs of over firing. If any part of the stove starts to
glow red, the fire is in excessive heat and the controls should be adjusted accordingly where
possible.
The stove must not be installed into a chimney that serves any other heating appliance.
There must not be an extractor fan fitted in the same room as the stove as this can cause
the stove to emit fumes into the room.
Please note that each stove installation is unique to the particular household and it is not
possible to give recommendations to cover each situation. The installation must comply
with the building regulations and be completed using the manufacturers guidelines.