# Pellet stove in garage



## guatamican eye fake (Feb 13, 2017)

Thinking of putting a pellet stove in my garage. I have a concern about moisture from humidity or condensation from cold to warm, I only plan to heat when in the garage. It seems like this could affect the electronics like the mother board.  Any thoughts or tips? Thanks


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## MCPO (Feb 14, 2017)

guatamican eye fake said:


> Thinking of putting a pellet stove in my garage. I have a concern about moisture from humidity or condensation from cold to warm, I only plan to heat when in the garage. It seems like this could affect the electronics like the mother board.  Any thoughts or tips? Thanks



The pellet stove should not be the cause of condensation. Mine`s been in the rear stand alone garage/workshop for 9 yrs with no moisture or rust issues. I start and stop the stove only when I`m in there working.  My garage is wood construction , insulated , and plywood finished inside.
 My bro -in-laws garage with a metal roof gets very damp , so that could be an issue. You might want to stick a humidity guage in the garage to keep a check on yours.


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## DneprDave (Feb 14, 2017)

I have a pellet stove in my insulated garage and have no problems with condensation.


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## Former Farmer (Feb 14, 2017)

Check with your insurance company.  If anything were to happen, you want to know that they would stand behind it.


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## alternativeheat (Feb 14, 2017)

Heating devices in garages in this state have to hang suspended x amount of ft off the floor. That's if to do it legally. The theory is in a gas or fuel spill, gas liquid and fumes run along at floor level and can reach the stove/heater. But that's this state, don't know about anyone else'.


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## Pete Zahria (Feb 14, 2017)

Never had a problem.

Dan


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## guatamican eye fake (Feb 14, 2017)

Regarding the legalities of the stove in the garage, it is not legal. A few years back I was gonna put a wood stove in my garage insurance said not a chance. There is an actual federal fire code law that in a nutshell prohibits your insurance company from insuring you. That being said Im heat my home with pellets and know heating my garage the same way is far less risky than a wood stove. Turn the stove off , empty the ash pan


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## DneprDave (Feb 15, 2017)

They put heating furnaces with an an open flame in garages, how is that safer than a pellet stove with no open flame?


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## alternativeheat (Feb 15, 2017)

Pete Zahria said:


> Never had a problem.
> 
> Dan


I don't know that anyone here says it makes sense, just stating the legality. A lot of laws don't make sense.


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## FirepotPete (Feb 15, 2017)

NFPA 211, chapter 12.1 and on give you the answers. Mostly NO. No solid fuel burning appliances in a garage. You can do it with restricted walls and clearances off the floor and fire proof sheet rock but it's costly, takes up a lot of space if you are trying to heat a small garage. Different if you have a large garage and space isn't a problem.

As far as people never having a problem with their insurance or inspectors, that's only as long as the insurance inspector or building code inspector isn't looking at a pile of ashes AFTER a fire, then there will be problems.

I don't agree with the fire code in this case as I've seen many a fine install of solid fuel stoves over the years, it's just what the national code says. Cover yourself and make sure you install per national and local codes or if you have a fire you could be out thousands of dollars and hopefully no one gets hurt.

Edit to add: Solid fuel means, wood, pellets, corn, wheat, anything that falls into those categories.

Also most jurisdictions just say NO, not even if the user follows the NFPA 211 restrictions, it makes their jobs easier.


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## webfish (Feb 15, 2017)

If your insurance company or local municipality follow NFPA then it is not allowed.

12.2.3 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any location where gasoline or any other flammable vapors or gases are present. 

12.2.4 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage.


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## MCPO (Feb 15, 2017)

webfish said:


> If your insurance company or local municipality follow NFPA then it is not allowed.
> 
> 12.2.3 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any location where gasoline or any other flammable vapors or gases are present.
> 
> 12.2.4 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage.



The rules, state and local fire regs, insurance coverage are all quite clear.  That said, I went by my own rules and regs.   Others can make their own choice.


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## Highbeam (Feb 15, 2017)

webfish said:


> If your insurance company or local municipality follow NFPA then it is not allowed.
> 
> 12.2.3 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any location where gasoline or any other flammable vapors or gases are present.
> 
> 12.2.4 Solid fuel–burning appliances shall not be installed in any garage.



This is one of those times when interpretation matters. I fart in my living room next to the stove so a flammable vapor is present but there is my stove. I have a permitted and insured wood stove in my detached "shop" that has 3 overhead doors in it. What is a "garage"? I have propane tanks in my shop but no flammable vapors are present since the valves are closed. I also have had a gas oven/range in my kitchen near a woodstove so gasses are available

Lots of weirdness and no real answer but this part of the NFPA has been around for a long time.

The only question from the OP was about rust and condensation. I have experience in my shop heating it from 40 to 70 often that no condensation forms on the outside of my woodstove.


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## alternativeheat (Feb 15, 2017)

What is a garage ? Here is the definition from an online search, take your pick for which one applies:
ga·rage
[ɡəˈräZH, ɡəˈräj]
*NOUN*

a building or shed for housing a motor vehicle or vehicles.
synonyms: carport · depot · station · terminus · terminal · base ·
[more]
a style of unpolished energetic rock music associated with suburban amateur bands:
"garage band"


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## webfish (Feb 15, 2017)

Highbeam said:


> This is one of those times when interpretation matters. I fart in my living room next to the stove so a flammable vapor is present but there is my stove. I have a permitted and insured wood stove in my detached "shop" that has 3 overhead doors in it. What is a "garage"? I have propane tanks in my shop but no flammable vapors are present since the valves are closed. I also have had a gas oven/range in my kitchen near a woodstove so gasses are available
> 
> Lots of weirdness and no real answer but this part of the NFPA has been around for a long time.
> 
> The only question from the OP was about rust and condensation. I have experience in my shop heating it from 40 to 70 often that no condensation forms on the outside of my woodstove.




Agreed he didn't ask. Just trying to get info out there to save him a headache. I would hate to get 90% of the way done , have insurance company show up and say you have a problem as they interrupt whether it is a garage and whether they will insure you. To each his own on risk they want to take.


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## guatamican eye fake (Feb 15, 2017)

I asked my insurance guy what he interpreted a garage to be. He said if its accessible to a vehicle its a garage, get rid of the overhead door and now its just work space.  But I bet in California you couldn't even store pellets in you garage


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## MCPO (Feb 16, 2017)

guatamican eye fake said:


> I asked my insurance guy what he interpreted a garage to be. He said if its accessible to a vehicle its a garage, get rid of the overhead door and now its just work space.  But I bet in California you couldn't even store pellets in you garage



The undeniable fact remains . That is, most interpretations by a municipal building or fire inspector , (with respect to an overhead door large enough to get a car thru) he will use the example that just because "you" do not store vehicles or related equipment/chemicals, oil, etc. in the building , or use it as a garage , does not mean the next owner won`t be using it as a garage. He will almost always refuse to issue a stove permit to you based on that alone.
Myself, I simply will have to assume responsibility for the loss should my garage burn due to a pellet stove fire.  After all it is not my home and is far enough away where it should not cause harm or damage to anyone or a neighbor`s property.
The bottom line is that each of us have to assume responsibility for our actions.


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## Pete Zahria (Feb 16, 2017)

Pete Zahria said:


> Never had a problem.
> Dan





alternativeheat said:


> I don't know that anyone here says it makes sense, just stating the legality. A lot of laws don't make sense.



I was referring to the original question... the one about moisture....

Dan


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## alternativeheat (Feb 17, 2017)

Pete Zahria said:


> I was referring to the original question... the one about moisture....
> 
> Dan


Hah, my mistake ! My garage before we tore it down and built an apartment in it's place, had a 100,000btu oil heater and it never had a problem with moisture either. The controls, the thermostat, the blower motor, the burner itself all served me well for many years. Back in the day I think I picked that up used for $100. I set it on a hearth in the work shop side of the garage where there had been a pot belly stove. I don't know why a pellet stove should be any different in terms of moisture.


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