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wood heat

The “Need-to-knows” for Solid Fuel Heating

-52, -46, -38, -37, -42; Those are just some of the recent temperatures we have been gifted. As a whole, the winter has been surprisingly gentle. However, when these winter temperatures arrive with little warning, we need to be prepared. This goes a step further than scheduling your thermostat in your home to a few degrees warmer. As a precaution, many people install backup heating in their house in case of these low temperatures, especially if they come alongside a power outage. We recommend having a backup plan in case this situation were to ever arrive. Blowing out your water lines to prevent freezing/rupture would be a good idea if you are unable to warm your home. If you are deciding to add a solid fuel heating device to your home for backup heating, this is what you need to know.

Step 1 – What should I buy or install?

If you are deciding between a fireplace or woodstove, here are some things to note. If you install a zero clearance fireplace (whether it is wood, propane or nat. gas), we do not need to inspect the unit, and it does not add a surcharge to your policy. We do, however, need to be notified that this has been added to increase the replacement cost of your home, and to notify the insurance company that there has been a material change. Any time you make changes to your policy that have been defined as “substantial,” you need to immediately notify your insurance broker as this may increase the risk of insuring your property. If you do not notify the insurance company, this change could potentially VOID your coverage due to the changes.


If you decide to purchase a wood stove, here is some information you’ll need to know.

  • The unit must be CSA, ULC or Warnock Hersey approved
  • The unit will need to be installed to meet manufacturers specifications
  • The unit must sit on a non-combustible floor pad meeting CSA requirements
  • If an unapproved unit is being purchased, you must follow B365-17 requirements of an unapproved installation.
  • Any wood stove used as auxiliary heat comes with a surcharge that is added to their home insurance. This can range between 10 – 35% of your home insurance premium.
  • A high-temp CSA approved chimney is required to be used for the wood stove, meeting manufacturers requirements.
  • If you are purchasing a used unit, make sure the unit has been ONLY burning wood. Some people use these units to burn garbage or other items that can cause distress to the integrity of the stove as the burn more inconsistently than wood.

STEP 2 – Installation

When you install your new or used unit, you need to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines stipulated on the manual of the wood stove. If your unit does not come with a manual, these clearances are indicated on the back of the stove on a steel decal riveted to the stove. NOTE: If the stove does not have that decal on the stove, the unit is NO LONGER CSA approved and you will have to follow the unapproved clearances listed in the B365-17 manual. A example of this decal is shown in the photo below. 


If you want your unit WETT inspected, please contact a WETT inspector near you. Lyndon Block in our office is WETT certified and can do that inspection for you. If you have your insurance policy with our brokerage, he will inspect it as a service to you. Otherwise, there is a small charge for the costs incurred to do the inspection. Some things an inspector will look at include:

  • Installation of unit, stovepipe and chimney meeting manufacturers requirements
  • Stove pipe construction, direction of piping and angle/slope.
  • Stove pipe joint security and allowance for flexibility
  • How many elbows (max 2 elbows – 180 degrees of change)
  • Non-combustible floor pad (construction, clearance)
  • Distance to fuel/combustibles
  • Wall pass-through & ceiling bucket installation (thimble)
  • Chimney clearance above roof and other neighbouring roofs
  • Installation & material of wall shielding to reduce clearances of stove and stovepipe to combustibles (Diagram below)

Those are the main things, however, every installation and situation can vary, please contact your broker or WETT inspector to find out more information on how to properly install your unit.

STEP 3 – Insurance Approval

To insure the new unit, your insurance broker/company will need to have someone inspect the unit and take photos indicating the clearances and installation matches the requirements indicated by your wood stove manufacturer. Once the company has approved the installation, ONLY THEN are you allowed to start using it. Talk to your broker to see what the insurance company you are currently with charges for having a wood stove installed in your dwelling.

If you are installing a wood stove in your cabin or seasonal cottage, this has very different implications. A surcharge is very rarely applied as this will be used more infrequently, sometimes an inspection is not even required, depending on the company and the situation. Having your broker review some photos is usually a good idea to show the installation and confirm there isn’t any potential fire hazard.

STEP 4 – Using the solid fuel heating device & maintenance

Burning only wood, (particularly seasoned/low moisture wood) helps burn more effectively, giving your home a warmer, cleaner burn. By having a cleaner burn, you reduce the chance of creosote building up in the chimney/stove pipe. It is important to clean the unit and chimney regularly. Having a chimney sweep done before and after the heating season is a good habit to have. Also, DO NOT burn any accelerants, or garbage of any kind in the stove as this will hurt the integrity of the stove and reduce life expectancy of the stove greatly.

There is a lot that goes into installing a solid fuel heating device. A lot of preparation to make sure the unit is a good fit for your home, your home insurance and if you are prepared for the financial implications that come along with it. This may seem like a lot of work and red tape, but there is a reason for everything, and we want you to make sure that the installation of your unit is done properly for you and your family’s safety. Stay warm and stay safe.

Enjoy the warmth of a wood fire in your home, this winter.

As the mornings get a little cooler, we have come to the unfortunate conclusion that fall is here and winter is around the corner. (So get those last rounds of golf in quick!)

It is now the time to get on those fall projects before we get into the unbearable truth, that is, winter. One thing that can make this winter a little more enjoyable is having a warm wood fire in your home. Whether it is a wood stove, fireplace or wood boiler system; nothing feels as nice as the warmth of a good fire on a cold day.

That being said, there are some things you should know about your wood burning system to keep you and your family safe and to make sure if something happens, your property is looked after as well.

1) When installing a wood stove or other system, please contact a wood heat professional. This can be either a heating contractor or stop by one of our offices to get some information on how to properly install a unit into your home. Each wood burning system is different and requires different installation codes to follow. If you install it incorrectly, your insurance company may not accept it, and you may also be putting yourself in harm’s way.

2) Once installed, make sure it is inspected by someone qualified to do so. Again, we have staff on hand who are WETT certified and can inspect these units properly. A basic inspection can be done by any broker; this is required by every insurance company so they can review the unit and make sure it is up to their standards. If a claim occurs from the use of the new unit, and it hasn’t been approved by the insurance carrier, your insurance can be voided. So please contact us before you use your wood burning appliance. 

3) Keep a clean environment around the stove at all times. When you have a fire burning and you are opening and closing the door to add more fuel (wood) to the fire. Sparks can jump out and land outside of the unit. If there is paper or other combustibles nearby, a fire can start outside the unit and this could end up being devastating. Each certified unit will have a required amount of clearance around the stove to prevent problems like this, so for your safety it is important to follow those requirements.

4) Do not burn any items in the unit other than the fuel that it is approved for. Burning garbage or other items in these units can ruin the integrity of the steel and equipment. This is a not only a safety concern, but it will reduce the life expectancy of the unit and you will start to have a lot of problems in your chimney with the burnt emissions & creosote.

5) Lastly, you should have your unit & chimney cleaned regularly. Most insurance companies would like to see your equipment being cleaned at least twice a year; before heating season and after. This will help keep the unit running efficiently (proper draft) and get rid of any possible blockages that could have developed over time, causing potential fire hazards.

We want to make sure your wood burning appliances are installed correctly; not because it’s required for your insurance, but because we care about your safety. How these units are installed, maintained and cleaned will help keep you and your family safe. If you would like an inspection, please contact one of our locations so we can get that scheduled for you.