[TheForge] Question about metallic heat shield for wood stoves

Fri Oct 24 14:55:07 EDT 2014

This is a common issue, and shields are readily available and fairly cheap.

I had added them to the stove in my first home (30 years ago) and added cement board on the wall behind it. As mentioned, the flue also needs a shield.
You can layer the shields (use more than one, with proper spacing and air flow) to reduce the clearance pretty far.

Most of the stove manufacturers, or the shops that sell them, can provide a lot of detail with much more experience than most of us have. (Even the Q&A on Amazon.com for these products can help you decide what to do)

**Paul

--------------------------------------------
On Fri, 10/24/14, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer <artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [TheForge] Question about metallic heat shield for wood stoves
 To: "John switzer" <switz at mindspring.com>, "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
 Date: Friday, October 24, 2014, 12:23 PM

 I'd add that cement
 board is cheap, stiff and reasonably fire proof as well as
 accepts a decorative plaster face.

 On Oct 24, 2014, at 6:41 AM, John switzer
 wrote:

 Code requires a
 36" space for a non-rated stove.  If you can find the
 stove manufactures specs it may be approved for a closer
 spacing.  In any case a metal heat shield (or any other non
 combustible material for that matter) will allow for half of
 the clearence.  The heat shield must have a 1" air gap
 between the stove, if installed there or the wall with no
 fasteners directly between the stove and the wall.  Also a
 1" gap at the floor.  Often times with a newer stove,
 the chimney is the issue, double wall black pie really cuts
 own the space requirements there as well.  I think you can
 instal a double heat shield to further cut down on the
 clearence.  A call tothe local building department will
 answer any questions.

 John

 John Switzer
 Black Bear
 Forge
 P.O. Box 4
 Beulah, CO
 81023

 -----Original Message-----
 >
 From: Andrew Vida <osan at netlabs.net>
 > Sent: Oct 24, 2014 6:05 AM
 > To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
 <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
 > Subject: [TheForge] Question about
 metallic heat shield for wood stoves
 >

 > About three years ago our friend
 Elaine had a terrible thing happen.  
 >
 Her husband, Phil, did a Jerry with a tree, only he did not
 survive.  
 > She has been having a
 terrible time since.  Elaine is as kind and decent 
 > and sweet a human being as anyone could
 ever hope to meet.  Bibi and I 
 > try to
 help her as much as we can, though she never asks.
 > 
 > She is replacing her
 wood stove with a newer one and wants to do the 
 > install as close to correctly as possible
 with an eye to possible sale 
 > of the
 farm as she is about 65 and not getting younger.  She has
 been 
 > unsure of how to do the tile deal
 on the walls and I suggested to her a 
 >
 metallic heat shield between the stove and walls.  That
 would allow her 
 > to place the stove
 closer to the wall, which will perforce have to sit 
 > catty-corner in order to look proper.  It
 will be on a raised platform 
 > that I
 suppose I will be building. :)  I was thinking a slate top
 to the 
 > dais, but that is another issue
 entirely.
 > 
 > My idea
 is to weld up a frame to which sheet metal ca. 20-18 ga. is

 > fixed and arranged to reflect the heat
 back into the room and away from 
 > the
 wall.  I do not think more than a 4" - 6" gap
 between heater and 
 > shield is needed
 but thought I would ask you guys in case I am 
 > mistaken.  I've never done this sort
 of thing before and do not wish to 
 > be
 responsible for our friend's house burning down.
 > 
 > Also, how close
 should we be able to place the shield to the interior 
 > wall of the house?  We have gas heaters
 that throw off a lot of heat, 
 > yet the
 skimpy sheet metal backs allow us to place the units either
 on 
 > the wall or no more than 6"
 away and keeps  things barely warm to the 
 > touch.  Elaine is concerned that the
 arrangement of the stove will eat 
 > too
 much space in the room, so I would like to get it as close
 to the 
 > wall without being completely
 imprudent of safety.
 > 
 > Other OT question: the man who built the
 addition to the house sort of 
 > pooched
 a few items.  Apparently he failed to flash at least two
 valleys 
 > where the old and new meet and
 there is one small leak where vertical 
 >
 meets slope and the T-111 in one place is beginning to show
 decay below 
 > her bedroom window.  My
 idea, without having seen the situation yet, is 
 > to flash the areas but I've never
 attempted to do it on an existent 
 >
 structure with tar shingles and was wondering if anyone had
 any wisdom.  
 > My thinking is to do a
 step-flashing on the former, getting the metal 
 > under the shingles in the corner, gooing
 the hell out of the top with 
 > tar. 
 Not sure that is the right approach, though as water can get
 under 
 > the shingles, but is stopped by
 the metal below to protect the 
 >
 substrate.  Is this OK, or should the metal sit atop both
 surfaces with 
 > a ton of tar sealing
 each long seam?
 > 
 >
 Same  for the latter situation - metal outside the T-111,
 gooed up real 
 > good and atop the roof
 sloping down and away from the windows.
 >

 > Thought is copper flashing with copper
 roofing nails or aluminum 
 > w/aluminum
 or perhaps stainless nails.  Not sure about the stainless
 and 
 > any galvanic reactions, though.
 > 
 > Any thoughts and
 help would be very much appreciated.  I'd thought to

 > include her email address so you could
 reply directly, but her machine 
 > is
 down... poor girl is having a really hard time with just
 about 
 > everything... one of those
 "when it rains it pours" situations.
 > 
 > Thanks guys.
 > 
 > -Andy
 >
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