Interior solid fuel burning furnaces, boilers, and stoves

Interior solid fuel burning furnaces, boilers, and stoves

All interior heating systems located within buildings that Grinnell Mutual insures or reinsures must be tested, listed, and approved by a nationally recognized organization following established recognized safety standards. Nationally recognized organizations include UL, CSA International, Warnock Hersey, and OMNI-Test Labs.

Specifications for installing an interior heating system

The unit must be specifically designed for interior installations. Installing a heating system that was designed, tested, listed, and/or approved for exterior installation inside of a building or enclosure is NOT acceptable.

The heating system should be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations about clearances around combustible materials and the type flooring required. This would include distances to combustibles from the sides, back, top, and front of the unit, as well as the distance of the chimney connector to combustible materials.

Specifications for corn-burning stoves

Like all heating appliances, corn-burning stoves should be used only to burn the type of fuels recommended by the manufacturer. Heating appliances are tested, listed and/or approved to burn only specific types of fuel (i.e. shelled corn, wheat, sorghum, wood pellets, etc).

Corn-burning stoves and furnaces should be vented in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Unlisted single wall steel pipes are not an acceptable method of venting any interior heating appliance at a one- or two-family residential property, based on NFPA 211.

Corn-burning appliances should be vented into one of three types of chimneys/vents:

1. Type “L” vent*
2. Factory-built chimney tested and approved to UL 103 or UL 103 HT Standards
3. Clay tile-lined masonry chimney

*If the type “L” vent is not stated for use by the stove manufacturer, the unit must be vented to item number 2 or 3 (above).

Specifications for installing a heating appliance chimney

All heating appliance chimneys should be installed following the 10 -foot, 2-foot, 3-foot rule: The chimney or vent pipe must penetrate the roof of the building or enclosure where the heating appliance is located and extend 3 feet above the roof line. The vent or chimney should extend a minimum of 2 feet above the roof ridge or any part of a roof within 10 feet of the chimney or vent pipe.

Installation requirements for heating systems

If mechanical work is being performed within the building

If mechanical work is being performed within a residential garage, machine shed, or commercial building, the installation requirements depend on the kind of heating system installed.

1. Installation requirements for interior forced-air furnace

• Furnace should be installed in a separate room with one-hour fire rated construction and the entry door should open into the room from the outside of the building.
• Hot air ducts into the garage or machine shed should terminate not less than 8 feet above the floor.
• Air for combustion should be obtained from the exterior of the garage or machine shed.
• Cold air returns to the furnace should draw air at not less than 8 feet above the floor.

2. Installation requirements for interior hot water boiler

• Hot water boiler should be installed in a separate room with one-hour fire rated construction and entry door should open into the room from the outside of the building.
• Air for combustion should be obtained from the exterior of the garage or machine shed.
• Hot water pipes should be located within the concrete floor or should be connected to radiators or convectors located not less than 8 feet above the floor.

NOTE: Interior free-standing stoves are NOT acceptable in a repair area where there is the possibility of flammable or combustible liquids being present.

If mechanical work is not being performed within the building

If mechanical work is NOT being performed within the building (and there is no storage or transfer of flammable or combustible liquids) AND the heating system for the building is an interior forced-air furnace OR a hot water boiler, the installation requirements are as follows.

• Furnace or hot water boiler should be installed in a separate room with one-hour fire rated construction and the entry door should open into the room from the outside of the building.
• Heat ducts into the building may be located at floor level.
• Air for combustion should be obtained from the exterior of the garage or machine shed.

The interior heating appliance and chimney/vent pipes of the interior unit must be maintained and cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. It is recommended that at a minimum the chimney/vent pipe on any type of solid fuel burning appliance be inspected and cleaned on an annual basis by an outside professional chimney sweep.

Homeowners operating solid fuel burning appliances should have at least one 10-pound ABC Dry Chemical portable fire extinguisher located within a visible and easily accessible location within the home or building. Also, smoke detectors should be installed near each sleeping room and at the bottom of each stairway of the home. Consideration should also be given to installing at least one carbon monoxide detector in all buildings or structures where a solid fuel burning appliance is present.**

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**Illinois law requires that at least one operable carbon monoxide alarm be located within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes within a “dwelling unit”.