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HomeMy WebLinkAboutInstalling_a_FireplaceFireplace inserts Fireplace inserts must be installed according to their respective listing requirements. Inserts must not be installed in factory-built fireplaces unless the listing specifically allows the combination. Fireplace inserts and hearth-mounted stoves vented through the throat of a fireplace shall conform to ULC-S628, Fireplace Inserts. The installation of fireplace inserts and hearth-mounted stoves vented through the throat of a fire-place shall conform to CAN/CSA-B365, Installation Code for Solid-Fuel Burning Appliances and Equipment. Combustion air Site-built masonry fireplaces must follow proce-dures for providing adequate combustion air supply as prescribed under the current edition of the Alberta Building Code. Factory-built fireplaces must have combustion air provided in accordance with manufacturers’ installa-tion instructions. NOTE: The throat of every fireplace shall be equipped with a metal damper large enough to cover the full area of the throat opening when the appli-ance is not operational. Gas-burning fireplaces Gas-burning fireplaces must be approved by an ac-ceptable testing agency (e.g., Canadian Standards Association, Canadian Gas Association, Underwrit-ers’ Laboratories of Canada, Intertek Testing Ser-vices, Warnock Hersey International or Omni Test-ing Laboratories). Gas permits Gas permits are required to install or modify any gas-burning fireplace and for natural gas or propane log lighters installed in any wood-burning fireplace. Installing a fireplace Safety TipsCarbon monoxide alarms Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed in every home containing a solid-fuel-burning appliance, as required in the current edition of the Alberta Build-ing Code. The alarms are also recommended for existing homes. Alberta’s Safety System Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing works in partner-ship with the Safety Codes Council, municipalities, corporations, agencies, and other organizations to deliver effective community-focused public safety programs and services to Albertans. Questions or more information: Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing Safety Services Branch 16th Floor, Commerce Place 10155 - 102 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4L4 Phone toll-free: 1-866-421-6929 Fax: 780-427-8686 E-mail: safety.services@gov.ab.ca www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cp_index.cfm Safety Codes Council Suite 800, 10707 - 100 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3M1 Toll-free within Alberta: Phone: 1-888-413-0099 Fax: 1-888-424-5134 www.safetycodes.ab.ca Please place your agency or municipality contact information in the space below. These brochures may be updated periodically. They have no legal status and cannot be used as an official interpretation of the various bylaws, codes and regulations currently in effect. December 2007 ISBN: 978-0-7785-6003-6 WARNING: All components, including chimneys and fans, must carry labels indicating they were tested to be compatible with that particular firebox. Never substitute a component that has not been specifi-cally designed for the unit you are installing. You may create a fire hazard that places lives in jeopardy. Site-built fireplaces Site-built fireplaces are usually masonry or stone, sup-ported by a non-combustible foundation. These fireplace installations must conform to the current edition of the Alberta Building Code and should only be constructed by a qualified tradesperson. Free-standing fireplaces Make sure you have at least 1,200 mm (4 ft.) of clear-ance between the open sides of a free-standing firebox and the wall (or any combustibles), and at least 900 mm (3 ft.) clearance around the closed sides of the firebox. Clearances for the closed sides of the firebox may be reduced if tested and labelled heat shields are provided. WARNING: A free-standing fireplace must not be con-nected to a chimney flue serving a gas or oil heating sys-tem, or to a chimney flue that serves another wood-burning or coal-burning appliance. Steel liners Steel liners for fireplaces shall conform to CAN/ULC-S639M, Standard for Steel Liner Assemblies for Solid-Fuel Burning Masonry Fireplaces and shall be installed in accordance with the installation instructions in that standard. Chimneys Factory-built chimneys serving solid-fuel-burning appli-ances and their installation shall conform to CAN/ULC-S629-M, 650°C Factory-Built Chimneys. WARNING: The chimney for a factory-built fireplace must be specifically designed, tested and labeled for the particular unit. Careful planning, installation and proper mainte-nance are the keys to safe and effective fireplaces. Installing or modifying any fireplace system is complicated. To achieve high-quality, safe per-formance from your fireplace, consider having your fireplace system professionally installed. For explanations of any of the technical require-ments or standards listed below, please use the contact information on the back of this brochure. Do you need a permit? Yes, permits are required for the installation or modification of any fireplace system. It is your responsibility to obtain a building permit before installing or modifying any solid-fuel-fired appli-ances, including factory-built fireplaces. Factory-built fireplaces Factory-built fireplaces and their installation shall conform to CAN/ULC-S610-M, Factory-Built Fireplaces. Factory-built fireplaces must be in-stalled and used in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. NOTE: Factory-Built Fireplaces that have decora-tive gas logs must have Canadian Gas Association or Canadian Standards Association certification. Most factory-built fireplaces, sometimes referred to as “built-in fireplaces,” are designed for instal-lation in a wall, with one or two sides of the fire-box open for viewing. These are also commonly known as “zero-clearance” fireplaces. This term is misleading be-cause it implies the fireplace doesn’t need clear-ances to combustible material. Manufacturers’ instructions will refer to “framing spacers,” designed to ensure combustible material used in construction is a safe distance from the firebox. Installing a fireplace Clearance to combustible material Combustible material shall not be placed on or near the face of a fireplace within 150 mm of the fireplace opening, except that where the combusti-ble material projects more than 38 mm out from the face of the fireplace above the opening, the mate-rial shall be not less than 300 mm above the top of the opening. Metal exposed to the interior of a fireplace, such as the damper control mechanism, shall have at least a 50 mm clearance from any combustible material on the face of the fireplace where the metal penetrates through the face. The clearance of combustible material above heat-circulating duct openings shall be at least a) 300 mm where the combustible material projects more than 38 mm from the face; or b) 150 mm where projection is less than 38 mm. At least 100 mm clearance shall be provided be-tween the back and sides of a fireplace and com-bustible framing, except that a 50 mm clearance is permitted where the fireplace is located in an exterior wall. Hearth extension Fireplaces shall have a non-combustible hearth extending at least 400 mm in front of the fireplace opening and at least 200 mm beyond each side of the opening. Where the fire chamber floor is elevated more than 150 mm above the hearth, the hearth dimension measured perpendicular to the fireplace opening shall be increased at least 50 mm for an elevation above 150 mm and not more than 300 mm. For every 50 mm in elevation above 300 mm, an addi-tional 25 mm is also required.