I'm getting a wett inspection and the inspector on the phone told me to make sure i have double wall stove pipe or it will not pass. I currently have new single wall stove pipe with all the proper clearances if not more. This is only in a 6' section off the top of my stove to the ceiling. Is this worth argueing with him or just replace it before the inspection? Thanks
Single Wall stove pipe Code
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Could this be a misunderstanding? The word stove pipe often gets confused when intended to mean chimney pipe. Or is your area insisting on double-wall stove pipe?
No i don't believe so. I sent them a photo of the pipe coming off the stove and they wanted confirmation that it was double walled and not single walled. I didn't think it was code to have a double wall as long as i had the clearances with single wall. Do you think this is maybe a personal thing for the inspector to want rather then the actual code?
I don't know how the local Victoria city code is evolving. In general, using double-wall stove pipe is a win-win solution for many situations. With the stainless liner it is a better product and by keeping the flue gases hotter it promotes a cleaner flue system. And it is generally safer when clearances are close.
In Canada municipalities have the right to mandate the use of double wall stove pipe. My municipality is one of these, no single wall allowed in new installations. Unfortunately you may be removing your brand new single wall pipe and replacing with double wall.
St. Coemgen
Feeling the Heat
I think begreen may be on to the possible reason. It may not be about clearance, but about emission reduction.
When we remolded, I had both our simple brick chimneys removed and put in fully insulated commerical new ones (they are actually insulated ceramic flues). Even though I was not required to do that at the time. Yes, the short pipe from our stove is still single walled for now but only because no one here sells double walled steel pipes in the correct sizes for the output of our stoves. But even so, the emission reduction was impressive. Especially compared to everyone else near me with the old brick chimneys:
stcoemgen.com
Oddly, 10 years after I did this, the laws changed, and what I did is now required for new construction.
When we remolded, I had both our simple brick chimneys removed and put in fully insulated commerical new ones (they are actually insulated ceramic flues). Even though I was not required to do that at the time. Yes, the short pipe from our stove is still single walled for now but only because no one here sells double walled steel pipes in the correct sizes for the output of our stoves. But even so, the emission reduction was impressive. Especially compared to everyone else near me with the old brick chimneys:
The Smokeout
Went outside recently and this is how the local village looked as the heating fires were burning: This is our chimney on the same day, at the same time as the photo above, with a fire burning in ou…
stcoemgen.com
Oddly, 10 years after I did this, the laws changed, and what I did is now required for new construction.
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It's not that expensive for 6' of double wall and it is superior in many ways other than cost. The permitting authority may write code that requires double wall and you can certainly demand that he show you that code. The inspector may also just think it's a good idea and require it because he's a bully, this means you have to choose to fight or comply.
You have been in contact with this inspector. Call him back and say that you didn't know and installed single wall connector pipe to the double wall chimney. Is this a new rule? Where can I read it?
Since single wall is still allowed in the national code then the local code will have to specifically call out the more stringent double wall requirement.
Everybody has a boss.
You have been in contact with this inspector. Call him back and say that you didn't know and installed single wall connector pipe to the double wall chimney. Is this a new rule? Where can I read it?
Since single wall is still allowed in the national code then the local code will have to specifically call out the more stringent double wall requirement.
Everybody has a boss.
That's not how the Canadian Building Code inspection system works.
The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) also known as the building code inspector pretty much has the final say. It doesn't matter if it's written in the code or not. If they want double wall pipe, then double wall pipe is what they will get.
I ran into this with my roof top solar install, the local inspector (AHJ) decided to enforce the new electrical code 4 months early, the new code hadn't even been released to the public when my permits were approved, long story short my system is a hybrid between 2 code versions so to satisfy the AHJ and have my inspection accepted.
It's possible to challenge the decision of the inspector, in practice though it's often just easier to repair the work, pass the inspection and move on.
Sounds exactly the same. What I see is that you just folded. Not always a bad idea. You just lost your lunch money because you didn’t think you could beat the bully.
I am the AHJ in my city and it’s the same here.
It didn't cost me a cent, that was on the contractors dime because ensuring their install passed inspection was part of the contract.
I didn't care either way, it was the contractors choice to comply instead of picking a fight with one of the only 2 electrical inspectors we have.
Double wall stove pipe is the same here, not really a written rule, at least not easy to find, all the big box stores will sell you single wall, if you go into one of the stove shops though they tell you the city requires double wall, and as such that's all they stock.
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