We Offer Wood Stove Installation in Southwest Missouri & Northwest Arkansas
Considering a wood stove, but aren’t sure if you have the space or venting setup to have one installed? We have the tools, training, and experience to get you where you need to be, ensuring countless evenings of cozy comfort ahead. If you’re in Greene County, MO or Benton County, AR, give us a call at Ozark Stove & Chimney. Our crew is full of experts on appliance installation and can get your new wood stove up and running in no time.
What Is a Wood Stove?
A wood stove is a heating appliance designed to produce indoor heat through wood combustion. Like fireplaces, wood stoves are designed to safely self-contain fire. The primary difference between wood stoves and fireplaces is the way they are built. Fireplaces are constructed as a single structure, typically made of brick or stone. On the other hand, wood stoves consist of multiple prefabricated components. Wood stoves are usually either steel or cast iron with a glass panel opening.
Wood stoves consist of a firebox, a ventilation pipe (or flue), and a chimney. The firebox is the main compartment where the wood is burned. The ventilation pipe is a hollow pipe that connects the firebox to the chimney. The ventilation pipe releases smoke and draws in fresh air, which allows heat to permeate throughout the living space.
Most modern wood stoves are lined with firebrick to protect their metal bodies from overheating (which makes them more efficient). Many also have specially shaped pieces of sheet steel – called baffles – inside their firebox. The baffles are designed to control and slow the escape of gases through the chimney, allowing the returning exhaust gases to produce more heat energy, while retaining warmth longer and improving overall efficiency.
What Are the Benefits of a Wood Stove?
Wood stoves may not have the same popularity as fireplaces, but that’s part of their charm. If you’re a homeowner with a specific interior design eye, a wood stove may be a better fit for your home than a traditional chimney. So, what are their big pros?
- Wood stoves are flexible in how they can be utilized within a personal space – they can be a perfect complement to a more traditional home or the finishing touch in a modern renovation.
- Some wood stoves are designed with cooktops or integrated water heating capabilities, so homeowners can use the stove to prepare meals or provide hot water. If you reside in a smaller living space, a wood stove’s versatility might make sense for your needs.
- Wood stoves are very cost-effective. Wood is a renewable fuel source and is a lot cheaper than oil, gas, and electric alternatives. Since the primary heat source isn’t dependent on any additional fuel, homeowners with wood stoves can save some significant dollars heating their homes.
- Since wood stoves have a ventilation flue pipe rather than a chimney, they offer flexibility in placement. For safety and efficiency, you should still have both your wood stove and chimney vent pipe inspected at least once a year.
- You don’t have to have a chimney already installed in order to have a wood stove installed into your home. Rather, the vent pipe can be run through an existing wall or ceiling.
Sold? Great – give us a call. We’ll set up an appointment to get your new wood stove installed right, so you start putting it to use.
Do I Need Approval or a Permit To Install a Wood Stove?
It depends on where you live. Each state has guidelines about installing wood stoves, and then counties and towns may impose additional restrictions or recommendations about wood stove installations as well. The best course of action is to contact your town’s municipal offices and ask what local requirements are in place.
Another thing to consider – in some parts of the country, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulations in place that govern pollution emissions from wood stoves. If you have questions about air quality regulations in your area, you can reach out to Arkansas Energy and Environment’s Office of Air Quality or the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
If you do require a permit before you can install a wood stove, it may cost you an additional fee. Also, check your homeowner’s insurance policy as it may have restrictions for wood stoves – or may not cover them at all.
Getting Ready for Your Wood Stove Installation
If you decide to proceed with purchasing a wood stove, don’t attempt to install it yourself. Most home fires involving wood stoves are the result of improper installation or operation. Rather, hire Ozark Stove and Chimney for your new appliance installation needs and trust us to safely install your wood stove according to guidelines provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), such as the following:
- The NFPA and manufacturer’s instructions require certain minimum clearances between wood stoves and combustible materials or furniture.
- It is advised that wood stoves be placed within a clearance of at least 18″ from non-combustible surfaces and 36″ from a combustible surface in most cases.
- If it is possible, you want to avoid having the stove pipe going through a wall or ceiling. It is much better to install the wood stove near the chimney or relocate the chimney altogether.
- There may be situations when a stovepipe must pass through a combustible wall to reach a chimney with the proper modifications.
- Brick, stone, tile, or any other fire-resistant materials are the ideal flooring to hold a wood stove.
- If you don’t already have fire-resistant flooring in your home, you’ll need to add a section of flooring below where the wood stove will be located. Floor protection must extend under the stove and outward for a distance of at least 18″ in front and on each side of the stove.
- You will also need to consider fire-resistance with the wall behind the wood stove. Whatever material you choose for the floor can be extended up the wall.
Once you’ve found a place within your home with the correct clearance requirements (and this is something we’d be glad to help you with), next up will be:
- disconnecting any existing heating appliances and removing them from the area
- if there’s leftover debris or dirt, cleaning it up
- if there’s furniture nearby that you’d like to protect, relocating it to another part of your home (or we can cover it with drop cloths)
- confirming that you have all parts of the wood stove in your possession before the technician arrives
It’s time for my wood stove to be installed – what now?
After shopping around for the perfect wood stove and getting clearance from your town, it’s finally time to get your wood stove installed. Someone from the Ozark Stove and Chimney customer service team will confirm your appointment with you before the designated time. After our technician gets to your home, they will explain to you how the installation process will go, then proceed with the next steps for getting your new system in place.
If you have any questions about the installation, feel free to ask! Our technicians are there to help you – and part of that is explaining how this new appliance works and informing customers on appropriate safety guidelines.
Once installation is done, you may have to schedule a final inspection of your new wood stove installation through your town, depending on local regulations.
How Do I Maintain a Wood Stove?
Be sure to speak with your technician about scheduling annual inspections at the end of your installation. The best way to maintain your chimney is to be proactive about its care. If you can find issues or problems early on, they will be easier and less expensive to repair.
There are three parts of your wood stove system that need regular cleaning:
- Firebox: This is the main chamber inside your wood stove where the fire is contained. We advise cleaning out ashes and other debris at least once a week, but this may vary depending on the size of your stove and how often you use it.
- Ventilation/Flue Pipe: The indoor pipe leading from your stove to the chimney will gradually build up ash and soot. It’s possible that creosote may start to build if you do any burning with the air intake dampers mostly closed.
- Chimney: Most chimneys have a bottom access port for cleaning. This area requires maintenance to remove any loose ash or creosote buildup inside the chimney pipe.
Keeping your wood stove working efficiently requires regular cleaning. Leave the dirty work to us and schedule a cleaning with the Ozark Stove and Chimney crew. You can book it at the same time as your annual inspection, knocking out two birds with one stone. We’d be happy to assist you!
A Few More Wood Stove Safety Tips…
- Burn only dry, well-seasoned wood.
- Do not dispose of ashes indoors. Ashes should only be thrown out into a metal container then set outside to fully cool.
- Do not connect the wood stove’s vent to a fireplace chimney unless it has been converted for the sole use of the wood stove.
- Never burn anything other than wood in the wood stove (no trash, plastic, wrapping paper, paper plates, etc.).
- Have your wood stove inspected annually by a technician certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in the same room to alert you if carbon monoxide levels increase to unsafe levels.
Does Ozark Stove and Chimney Do Wood Stove Installations Near Me?
If you live in Green County, Christian County, Stone County, Dallas County, Benton County, or Marion County, the Ozark Stove and Chimney team provides services to your area. We are a local crew and have roots all over the Ozarks.
We’ve completed work in Springfield, Branson, Joplin, Bentonville, Rogers, Bella Vista, Fayetteville, Harrison, Ozark, Neosho, and several other towns. If you would like to know if you fall within our service area, give our customer service team a shout – we would be glad to let you know.
What If I Wanted To Install My Wood Stove Myself?
If you have a background in construction and you have knowledge of building codes and fire regulations, you can surely try to tackle this job on your own. However, we do advise against it. Most home fires originating as the result of a wood stove are due to botched installations. If the flue isn’t properly connected, you could be exposing your home to a possible carbon monoxide leak or structure fire.
When it comes down to it, you need access to proper tools and equipment, as well as the correct technical knowledge to tackle this type of project. It’s not safe to take shortcuts when it comes to the health and safety of your family. Avoid the risks of a potential fire and the headaches that will come with repair work by hiring Ozark Stove and Chimney from the start. We’ve been installing wood stoves for years and can get the job done right the first time.
Why Are We Right for the Job?
Ozark Stove and Chimney is fully licensed and insured. We take pride in being able to do anything chimney-related – and being able to do it better than any of our competitors too. After we’re done installing your wood stove, you can ask about bringing us back for any of the following services:
- Chimney Sweeping
- Chimney Inspections
- Chimney Leak Repair
- Chimney Relining
- Masonry Repairs
- Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Gas Fireplace Services
We’re a trusted local community business because we pride ourselves on integrity, honesty, and punctuality. No job is too big or too small – if it matters to you, it matters to our team. Customer satisfaction is important, but customer safety is essential. We are certified through and are members of the following organizations:
- Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-Certified
- SaverSystems/HeatShield Factory-Trained Dealer and Installer
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)-Accredited
- National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) Members
If you’re looking for a team that’ll treat you right and do the care with care, quality, and precision, we’re it.
Hire Us To Install Your Wood Stove
Now that you’ve learned all about wood stoves and how they work, call Ozark Stove and Chimney at 417-201-6585 and let one of our customer service representatives get you scheduled for your next appointment. Don’t have time to call? That’s no problem. You can schedule an appointment online by visiting our website. We’re looking forward to working together!
If you’re thinking about adding a wood stove to your home, ask us about installation services as well as all the other services available here at Ozark Stove & Chimney.