There is another thread concerning how far above a mantle has to be from the fireplace opening. I have a similar question.
Is there a min distance requirement for a mantle from a flue?
I have a cast iron, natural gas stove about about 16 inches from the wall. The wall and hearth are ~6ft wide and made of brick. I’m thinking it’s not real brick but actually a brick veneer. There is a flue (sp?) that comes out the back of the stove, 90 degree turn upward and then a 90 degree turn into the wall. The flue looks to be about 6 inches in diameter. It is a sealed flue (not sure if that makes a difference or not.)
I was going to build a mantle from poplar or clear pine. The mantle will been supported by nailing it to a 2×4 (that itself is screwed into the brick) and possibly some decorative wood brackets. It will all be painted white (matches the rest of trim.)
Edited 8/14/2005 2:45 pm ET by emaxxman
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bump
curious about this myself
Anyone? I was thinking about this some; would the flue get hot enough to be a concern?
e,
The flue could and will get hot enough to cause a problem, if nothing else other than quick "spot" drying and shrinkage of the mantle. Do you have the manual book from the stove? It should have clearance (side, bottom, back and top) distances listed.
If no manual, search out the manufacturer and ask them. A metal flue oftentimes will get hot quicker and higher temp than the device it's venting according to how you run the pipe.
If no manual, no name on the unit or other guidelines, use common sense and maybe quiz a fireplace shop on recommended clearances in addition to the pleasing to the eye height.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Thanks. I don't have the manual as it was in the house prior to purchase. There is a fireplace shop nearby. I'll check with them.
It sounds like you have what might be called an antique stove, not UL listed.Going with that, I would need to know whether this is a kitchen cook stove or a space heating unit. Some of the info flown out here so far is for a wood burning stove, but gas and oil applioances have lower requirements. The flue does not heat up as much and serves primarily to vent poisonous exhaust gasses out. With that in mind, you shouild use stove cement or another heat-appropriate sealer on the joints. Carbon monoxide is not a good thing to have inviting itself into the living space.If it is only a cookstove, then any B grade flue pipe will let you install within two inches of combustables. b-Flue is a double walled ( only about 3/8" separation bvetween walls of the pipe) pipe that is ugly as all get out. more decorative pipe is available but expensive and the separation space then increases. Your local code inspector should be able to inform you, but tread carefully there. if he is not knowledgeable, he will cite the greatest possible distance which mioght be as follows;A wood stove with single wall pipe must be installed such that the pipe is no less than 18" to combustables except where it passes perpendicular to a wall to penetrate same, and that must be through a thimble designmed and approved for the purpose.
Installation of an appropriate heat shield can reduce the clearance from conbustables to single wall pipe to 9".now then - if indeed you have slim-brick installed to the surface of a framed wall, that wall is still a combustable wall, and the installation is already incorrect for a wood stove. I understand that yours is gas, possibly a refitted wood stove with gas jets installed. i believe there is some obscure parqgraph in codes allowing for untested unliusted appliances such as that, which allows the clearaance to be locted such that when installed and running with the highest setting, for a certain amount of time, the temp at a certain distance is no more than _x_°
I can't recall those details because it has been nearly thirty years since I was regularly installing them. One inspector tested me by saying that if I could hold my hand back there for five minutes, he would approve it. guess he didn't have a thermometer of the time for a twenty minute test!
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Sorry for the late reply...I've been sidetracked with other tasks in this room remodel.The stove is less than 10 years old. Even though I don't have the manual, the previous owners installed it new. It was always natural gas to start with it. It even has electronic ignition for the pilot. The stove is used for space heating only although I guess you could cook something on the heating grates...but I wouldn't want to wait that long.Now that Autumn is almost here, I'll take it for test drive (hardly use it to begin with.). I'll see how warm the flue gets.
That makes it a class B flue. Easy to go 1" of combustables if it is double walled
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Clearance to combustibles depends upon the type of flue. IIRC, single wall is on the order of 30" and double wall vented sections reduce that to 6". The stainless steel doublewall ceramic insulated stuff is good for 1-2" clearance, and is mostly used in hidden places, but it is allowed anywhere.Single wall flues can get red hot. I have seen it many times, and it promotes a healthy respect!Bill