Floor Protection

All woodstoves require floor protection when installed on a com bustible surface. You must place use protector equivalent to 3/8' asbestos millboard covered with 24 gauge metal. The floor protector must extend 16" in front of the door side, 8" on each side and 8" in the rear of the unit and under the chim ney connection and 2" beyond each side. See Figure 4.

The k, C or R factor that correlates with the floor protector m aterial used during the test if the room heater is not provided with a floor protector. The units of measure for k, C and R factors shall use the sam e applicable units. Directions and exam ples on how to use alternate materials and how to calculate equivalent thickness shall be shown.

An easy means of determ ining if a proposed alternate floor protector meets requirem ents listed in the appliance

m anual is to follow this procedure:

1.Convent specifications to R-value

a.R-value is given - no conversion is needed.

b.K-factor is given with a required thickness (T) in inches: R=1/k+T

c.C-factor is given: R=1/C

2.Determ ine the R-value of the proposed alternate floor protector.

a.Use the form ula in step 1 to convert values not expressed as “R”.

b.For m ultiple layers, add R-values of each layer to determ ine the overall R-value.

3.If the overall R-value of the system is greater than the R- value of the specified floor protector, the alternate is acceptable.

EXAMPLE:

The specified floor protector should be 3/4 inch thick m aterial with a k-factor of .84.

The proposed alternate is 4" brick with a C-factor of 1.25 over 1/8" mineral board with a k-factor of .29.

Step 1: Use form ula above to convert specification to R-value. R=1/kT = 1/0.84 x .75 = .893

Step 2: Calculate R of proposed system . 4" brick of C - 1.25, therefore

R brick = 1/C = 1/1.25 = 0.80

1/8" mineral board of k+ 0.29, therefore R m in.bd. = 1/0.29 x 0.125 = 0.431

Total R = R brick + R brick + R mineral Board = 0.8 + 0.431 = 1.231

Step 3: Com pare the proposed system R of 1.231 to specified R of 0.893. Since proposed system

R is greater than required, this is acceptable. Definitions:

Note: Asbestos cannot be used. Asbestos is used as a standard only. 3/8 inch asbestos millboard has a “K” factor of 0.84. The newer substitute CERAFORM board has a “K” factor of 0.21. Your floor protector must have an equivalent or better “K” factor than the above recomm endations.

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