Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Wood stove in garage

Hello, all. I was recently practically given a Fisher wood stove/mobile home heat stove, and I'm in the process of setting it up in my garage. I still need to get the chimney pipe and plumb that, but I have the stove set where it will stay. I am curious about one thing, though. Do I need to get a log grate before I start ny first fire in it? There's firebrick on the floor, sides and back, and the height of the firebox is pretty short, about 13". I suppose I need to provide some air gap under the wood, but too tall a grate will further limit the amount of wood I can load at one time. What to do? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance - Chris

Woodstoves not allowed in garages.
Hearthman

Why's that? Insurance, building code, or what? I've just never heard that you couldn't put a wood stove in the garage at your house...

I've not heard that before either :confused: Common sense does dictate not having open gas cans or anything with volatile vapors in the same room as an open flame - including a gas water heater but.......... I know of several automotive shops that have wood stoves but, codes and enforcement are pretty lax in this area.

It is always a good idea to check with both insurance and building/zoning dept first. My home owner's insurance currently charges me $60 per yr extra for having a wood stove. This surcharge has been increasing $5 or more every year for about the last 4-5 yrs :eek: :wall:

NFPA 211, 12.2.4 Solid fuel burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage.

One of the best fires I ever responded to was an automotive repair shop heated by a woodstove.

This was put into the Std due to the high incidence rate of fires. Garages are the kind of place people place a lot of combustibles and they typically get thrown around, often near the stove if installed there. They pile up junk jammed right next to the stove. They bang into it knocking the stove pipe loose. The flame ignites combustible vapors. They burn all sorts of crap they should not. They don't install bollards to protect it from being bumped by a vehicle.

Just too many ways it is bad. Good way to get your insurance cancelled. Don't do it.

Hearthman

Sort of makes sense, in light of NFPA. It's another example of a few messing things up for the many, though - insurance carrier doesn't care how careful I might be with storing my flammables in another building; all they know is "NFPA says no wood stove in the garage" because brain-dead Bob (no Bob in particular) burned his house to the ground.

Thank goodness for Wisconsin, with proper installation and proper stove, it is allowed :)

I had heard of that reference to "no wood stoves in garages" regulation but was under the impression it referred to commercial applications.

Wood burners in residential garages are allowed by many codes as long as construction methods and clearance requirements are met.
An often overlooked requirement is to have the insurance companies approval of an installation in writing and listed in the policy.
Another overlooked detail is that most codes have a height requirement for woodburners in garages.
Here you must install a wood burning or any other heater with a exposed flame a minimum of five feet off the floor.

Do I need to get a log grate before I start ny first fire in it?

My Buck stove does not have a grate, just fire brick on the bottom. It burns fine. I have older Earth stove in my shop and it is the same way.

Is is true that in Wisconsin you need a stove in the garage to keep your gasoline from freezing or is that just N Dakota?