nehog
Well-known member
...you do not want a wood stove in your garage:
http://www.ledgertranscript.com/home/3510233-95/fire-ipswich-leel-prince
http://www.ledgertranscript.com/home/3510233-95/fire-ipswich-leel-prince
This is why...
- Thread starter nehog
- Start date
tdkkart
Well-known member
paranoid56
Well-known member
lol, this would go right up there with, "this is why we dont put dangerous electricity in your house" as it can cause a fire lol
Gradyhd
Active member
I know people who have had wood stoves in their garages and houses since before I was born. (before someone corrects that statement, they had woodstoves before I was born, I didn't know them before I was born) I had a wood stove for years myself. Never burned my house down. It's comes down to common sense and taking care of whatever you use to heat with. How many people die from carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas furnace? The article said it was suspected to be the wood stove, still under investigation.
Under investigation, I doubt they release the cause for a bit since there were fatalities.
There is a difference between having a wood stove or fireplace in a building and having one properly installed. If the woodburner was the cause, I'd almost bet it had a poor install or the chimney lacked maintenance.
See this photo ?
That was a wood stove in a house and it looked to have a good install with atleast double wall chimney pipe. The problem ? They were only burning green slab wood. It resulted in a chimney fire that burned through the pipe and caught the facsia on fire and made it's way into the attic.
This fire. . .
. . . . was a dropped cigarette on a porch glider.
What does it prove? When fire wants you, it will get you. Murphy's Law Chapter 13 "Fire"
It is sad that lives were lost, it truly *****. It's one thing to see the loss in the eyes of a homeowner but when there is a loss of life it is worse and heartfelt for the guys working the fire too.
There is a difference between having a wood stove or fireplace in a building and having one properly installed. If the woodburner was the cause, I'd almost bet it had a poor install or the chimney lacked maintenance.
See this photo ?
That was a wood stove in a house and it looked to have a good install with atleast double wall chimney pipe. The problem ? They were only burning green slab wood. It resulted in a chimney fire that burned through the pipe and caught the facsia on fire and made it's way into the attic.
This fire. . .
. . . . was a dropped cigarette on a porch glider.
What does it prove? When fire wants you, it will get you. Murphy's Law Chapter 13 "Fire"
It is sad that lives were lost, it truly *****. It's one thing to see the loss in the eyes of a homeowner but when there is a loss of life it is worse and heartfelt for the guys working the fire too.
Highbeam
Well-known member
The stove being in the garage or in the house. Same result. This thread is stupid and does not make a connection that a stove in a garage is a bad thing. It starts to make a case that a stove is a bad thing but even that is weak as hell.
I would also be leery of believing the firemen that blame woodstove (if there is one) or electrical fire since this seems to be what happens when they just don't know what caused it.
I would also be leery of believing the firemen that blame woodstove (if there is one) or electrical fire since this seems to be what happens when they just don't know what caused it.
Stove in house: people are there, near the stove, able to watch and monitor it and any problems. Stove in garage: no one there, no one sees the start, and once started a lot of very flammable substances are usually there to feed the fire.
I'm not trying to push this on people: I'm merely saying that IMHO an unattended wood stove is a major hazard, and in this case it appears to have cost at least two lives (I'm not sure the grand parents will survive, giving their injuries...)
I'm not trying to push this on people: I'm merely saying that IMHO an unattended wood stove is a major hazard, and in this case it appears to have cost at least two lives (I'm not sure the grand parents will survive, giving their injuries...)
wrench
Well-known member
I used to heat my garage with a barrel stove.I loved the heat,and it was real toasty while working out there,but I was never comfortable with the fact that I could not shut it down when I left for the night. I switched to an oil stove many years ago and I feel safer with the ability to turn it off a half hour before i leave,and it will be out when I leave.
purplezr2
Well-known member
A would stove in a house can go 7 or 8 hours on a fill of oak. I know cause I grew up with one. My mom would fill it up and then walk to her shop to work. Never burned the house down. Not much different then a garage stove going 5 or 6 hours.
justanengineer
Well-known member
How is a wood stove any different from a furnace? Properly installed and properly maintained, fire stays INSIDE the wood stove and there is no particular danger. Its not an open fireplace.
My folks and half the world between my house and theirs burns wood and has done so for centuries. Heck, where I grew up the common storage area for your winter's wood was in one end of the basement with the stove in the other end. Fill it up in the morning, fill it up in the evening, keep the area around it clean for when the door's open while filling, dont burn **** wood or a ton of paper, and keep the chimney clean.
There are several inherent risks, such as run away (the stove gets much hotter than expected because of unburned wood and no one is there to change the air-intake to reduce the fire) and chimney fires (which can happen most any time.)
You say "Properly installed and properly maintained" but truth is it is very difficult to properly maintain a wood stove under the conditions described. They are not a 'set it and forget it' type device. They require attention, adjusting the air intake (which is the only way to regulate the heat output on an air-tight wood stove) adding wood in the right amount, etc.
Additionally, the issue with stuff being (too) close is always a problem, someone moves something and doesn't realize it is not far enough away from the stove (then the stove overheats, and oops, a fire!) An unattended wood stove is not a very good idea. If you look at safety rules, they all say this too, never ever leave your stove burning unattended.
Just for the record: we have a wood stove in our house (a Vigilant from Vermont Castings) and understand the issues. There is no way I'd have wood heat in a garage. I see a lot of criticism of me in this thread, that's fine--we're here to discuss things. But everyone should be aware that there is no magic way to make wood heat safe in an unattended environment.
BTW: the young man killed had gotten out and went back in to try and rescue the child. He was not successful.
Highbeam
Well-known member
You're right, wood stove heat will never be as safe as a thermostatic appliance. It's relatively unsafe.
Still, are you more likely to die from a fire like this or while driving in to work tomorrow? Is the stove risk an acceptable risk? Maybe or maybe not. Most insurance companies think not.
justanengineer
Well-known member
I would argue with every point. You should be able to load up your woodstove (assuming they have a decent stove), leave the air intake wide and not have to worry. If your stove is in decent shape it cannot "run away." Should that happen, your stove is sucking major amounts of outside air, meaning it has major issues. A simple smoke trace test can detect those problems long before they become major. Also, if someone is really cautious, they can close the air intake when not home and simply limit the size of the fire, thus it is "set it and forget it."
Chimney fires also dont just happen. They are caused by neglect and by burning **** fuel that shouldnt be burned inside. I used to get stuck on the roof every year cleaning ours as a kid and was always amazed by the LACK of creosote considering we burned wood 6 months/yr. Then again, we also took care of things and also dried our wood properly (naturally = 6 month minimum).
The issue of something being too close to the woodstove is also ridiculous. If you really are concerned, you can either put a barrier around the stove or put it on a pedestal as many have done. Yea, stupidity happens but thiat doesnt mean it will happen to those using common sense.
HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
If by "furnace" you mean "gas fired furnace" or "fuel oil fired furnace, the difference is that these appliances regulate the amount of fuel and air that is combusted automatically and heat output is controlled by a device called a thermostat. A wood stove doesn't do that.
Phil
Highbeam
Well-known member
My stove has a thermostat. I just bought it this year but for decades Blaze King woodstoves have been thermostatically controlled.
Highbeam
Well-known member
Unfortunately this statement is false and is a relic of the past. Modern stoves are mostly non-catalytic and have an unregulated (full throttle) source of secondary combustion air available for the fire to burn. They also can all be overfired which will void the warranty and cause damage to the stove and risk of fire to the home. The flue is also limited to certain temperatures that are easily attainable with regular firewood.
So no, there are no built in safeguards. If you don't know what you are doing, you can overfire a modern woodstove and/or have one runaway. You can overtemp a flue and risk ignition of combustibles in the attic that meet the spec for when the pipe is being operated properly.
Modern cat stoves are much less likely run away but it is still possible.
dave67fd
Well-known member
Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.
NFPA 211
12.2.3 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in any location were gasoline or any other flammable vapors or gases are present.
12.2.4 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage. (Attached)
NFPA 211
12.2.3 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in any location were gasoline or any other flammable vapors or gases are present.
12.2.4 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage. (Attached)
bczygan
Well-known member
I used to have a very nice fully insulated 2 car garage overlooking a lake on an acre of wooded property. Full of tools and equipment and cameras. Cranked up the gas heater and went to town for a minute. Burned to the ground. No insurance.
I used to have a very nice fully insulated 2 car garage overlooking a lake on an acre of wooded property. Full of tools and equipment and cameras. Cranked up the gas heater and went to town for a minute. Burned to the ground. No insurance.
Were they (Fire Marshal) able to determine what happened?
dave67fd
Well-known member
My impression of the post was to make people aware that any heat source can cause fires.
I'm sure the fire marshall recomended installing a wood stove next time around to minimize a fire hazard.
bczygan
Well-known member
Yes,
Heat plus combustible materials equals bad day. No drywall over paper faced insulation, Lots of exposed wood framing. Heater close to wall. Turned it up too high and left it unattended. Might have left combustibles too close or even on it. Good practice for the Brighton Volunteer Fire Department.
No Fire Marshal report that I knew of.