Appliance Installation and Setup

Stove placement

The preferred location for the stove placement provides for maximum enjoyment and heating effectiveness. The location typically heat flow to other areas and is either in or near a major living area where the family spends leisure hours. Pellet-heating professionals consider the factors in determining whether installation requirements can be met in the homeowner's preferred location for:

1. Venting which may be limited by factors like obstructions above vertical venting through the ceiling and roof or by the distance to an outside wall for horizontal venting.
2. Outside air for combustion, if needed, which must be drawn from an approved location.
3. Space requirements, which must meet minimum clearances between the stove and combustibles. More space than the minimum required may be desirable to provide room for convenient operation and service.
4. Electrical requirements with the appliance’s suitable proximity to properly wired outlet.

The floor under the pellet appliance must be protected according to manufacturer's instructions. The minimum size of the noncombustible floor protector is clearly specified in installation instructions. The choice of suitable materials usually requires professional assistance if a suitable hearth is not already available in the home. Built-in appliances may require additional protection such as an air space between the appliance and the floor protector.

The intended appliance outlet should be checked for proper voltage, ground, and polarity. The electrical circuit to be used should have a properly rated circuit breaker.

There may be special requirements for mobile home installations. The model chosen must be approved for use in a mobile home. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) makes additional requirements for solid fuel burning appliances installed in mobile homes, which are listed in stove manufacturers' installation instructions.

Stove venting

Proper venting is essential for proper appliance performance, dwelling safety, maintenance frequency, and indoor environment. Pellet stoves produce little or no visible smoke after startup, but exhaust gases, fine ash, and water vapor must be removed safely from the appliance to the outdoors without leaking into the house. The purpose of all vents is removal of combustion by-products during normal operation. For most designs, the exhaust is mechanical: a fan blows the combustion by-products out and pulls air needed for combustion into the fire. A few stoves operate without a combustion air fan and use natural draft both for exhaust and combustion air intake. Some heat also moves through the vent. Protection of nearby combustibles is essential. The minimum clearance between the vent and combustibles, as specified in the vent installation instructions, must be met or exceeded to assure safety.

Venting materials and products that must not be used to vent pellet appliances include: dryer vent; gas appliance (Type B) vent; PVC (plastic) pipe; and single wall stove pipe (unless clearly approved by the installation manual and local codes).

Pellet fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves are often vented into existing masonry and factory-built fireplace and woodstove chimneys. The chimney should be inspected before installation to ensure that it is clean, mechanically sound, and meets local safety code requirements. The appliance manufacturer's installation instructions may require relining the chimney with an approved metal liner, pipe, or PL vent. Vents or grilles on the face of factory-built fireplaces, which provide cooling air to the outside jacket of the fireplace, must not be blocked. Cleanout access for future maintenance should be considered.

It is recommended that consumers use a qualified professional installation service when installing a pellet appliance.