6" RMH Build

[rjdudley]

Just checked my clearances and I've got 14.5" from the wall to the nearest barrel edge. 1/2" Durarock with a 1.5" spacer from the wall.
The temp. behind the Durarock was about 95˚ at it's hottest point (that's checking it just a few minutes ago after running it for about 1.5 hours).
Ray

[matt walker]

Great info dudes. I recently read that if close by combustibles are sustained 190°F it's time to do something about it. I start worrying at way lower temps, so I'm pretty sure we are all good. Ray, great info on how effective the stand-offs are. I'd feel totally comfortable with that.

[rjdudley]

Thanks Matt. I think I'll monitor the temps for awhile. I hadn't given it much thought until this thread. If worse comes to worse I can always add an additional layer of Durarock and even sandwich some foil between them.
I'll post if the temps make any nasty swings. Thanks to everyone for making me think about this.
Ray

[mannytheseacow]

I'm curious- what's the deal with foil? I see it all over in the RMH context but I don't see any real science behind it. I mean if it's wicked hot for a long period of time isn't it going to be wicked hot?

[matt walker]

You know, it's funny, I always sorta wonder too. I do think it makes a good radiant barrier, and is capable of reflecting radiated heat back to some extent. My gut tells me that if it's in contact though, it won't do anything. I used it under my build so I could clean the mud off the bricks easily if it needs to come out.

[rjdudley]

Aw dang it! Now you've gone and exposed my ignorance
Here I was assuming that since E & E Wisner talked about using it under one of their builds that it actually worked. I never thought about what might happen if it came in contact with hot materials.
I should stick with what I know best: eating.
Thanks once again guys, some of us just take things for granted and never think them through.
Ray

[matt walker]

Hey man, I don't know either! I'm pretty good at eating too though, although I still bite my cheek sometimes.

[pa_friendly_guy]

When I installed my Riteway wood stove in the basement the guy who built my chimney did not extend the flue liner very far under the ground into the basement. The Man I bought the stove from installed it for me. He installed a sheet of metal to the floor joist and used cooper pipe cut to 1" lengths as spacers and nailed through the cooper into the joists. He told me that a 1" space covered with metal effectively doubled the distance to my floor joist above the stove. That gave me to required clearance that I needed for the stove pipe and the joists. There is nothing special about cooper, that is just what he had. [ Cooper does dissipate heat well but its the 1" space that makes the difference ] The metal does a good job of catching and dissipating the heat. If you really had a concern about a flammable wall I see no reason why a sheet of metal spaced 1" from the wall would not have the same effect of dissipating the heat and effectively doubling your clearances. The insurance industry requires 18" clearance to combustibles from the opening with the fire, 3' on all sides to combustible walls and 18" from where the pipe enters the chimney and the ceiling. Making the walls non-combustible solves the side clearance issues. Think brick, stone, cement board, or the like for wall coverings. The mass bench is not an issue, its the barrel that your insurance agent would be concerned about. There is a question on a Homeowners app about having a woodstove, but it does not increase your premium at all. If you install one after you have a policy there is no way for them to know. If they happen to inspect your home and find one that doesn't meet code they can cancel, but they can't void your coverage if you have a fire caused by a wood burning devise that was added after you took the policy.

[mannytheseacow]

Funny you mention that, Guy. I forgot you were in insurance. The first several years I had a wood stove I was scared to tell my insurance company about it because I did it myself and was scared of what my premiums might do. Finally I told them because I was scared what might happen if my house burned down. My premium went up like $7 a year or something. I was kind of embarrassed I didn't do it sooner because I wasn't covered that whole time. I'm lucky nothing ever happened!

[matt walker]

Guy, that is GREAT info! Thank you for sharing that.