Codes and Listings
Conforming to local building codes will be an important part of your planning. Local authorities make the final decision on whether or not an installation will be ap- proved. They need to know that your installation is safe and meets local codes.
The metal label permanently attached to every Vermont Castings stove indicates that the stove has been tested to current UL and ULC standards, and gives the name of the testing laboratory. Clearance and installation information is also printed on the label. In most cases, local authorities will accept the label as evidence that, when the stove is installed according to the information on the label and in this manual, the installation meets codes and can be approved.
However, codes vary in different areas. Be sure to review your installation plans with your local authority before starting the installation. Check with your local Vermont Castings Authorized Dealer for help in provid- ing the necessary information to local officials.
This section will answer clearance and construction questions for almost all installations. Your local Ver- mont Castings Authorized Dealer will also be able to help. For questions left unanswered, we recommend that you refer to the National Fire Protection Association ANSI/NFPA 211-1988 Standard for Chimneys, Fire- places, Vents and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances, or in Canada, CSA B365. These standards are the basis for many national codes.
Remember, your local building official makes the final decision on approvals of installations.
CAUTION: Follow all installation and use instructions exactly. Failure to follow instructions may result in a
dangerous situation, including a chimney or house fire.
Chimneys and Draft
Understanding how your chimney contributes to stove operation is essential if you are to obtain optimum per- formance from your Vigilant Coal Stove. The chimney provides a safe pathway for hot smoke and exhaust gases to exit from the stove, but in addition, the chim- ney strongly influences the “draft” necessary for opera- tion of your stove.
Draft is the force which produces a flow of warm gases up and out of the chimney, and draws fresh combus- tion air into the stove. Your Vigilant does not come equipped with “draft”. Draft is the result of a difference in weight (due largely to a difference in temperature) between the gases inside the chimney, and gases out- side the chimney. Because gas expands when heated,
warm gases inside the chimney weigh less than cool gases outside. This weight difference creates the pres- sure necessary to produce and sustain draft.
As the lighter, more buoyant gases rise up the chimney, draft causes a flow of cooler air into the stove. When starting a fire in a cold stove on an unheated chimney, it may be necessary to provide some assistance by ignit- ing several sheets of crumpled newspaper which have been placed in the flue collar area.
There are other factors which influence draft, such as barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, the height, configuration and size of the chimney, and the
airtightness of the home itself.
Improving Draft With Outside Air
In some modern, super-insulated homes, the air neces- sary for combustion is inadequate due to restricted air infiltration into the dwelling. (Infiltrated air is simply that air which finds its way into a home through various cracks and openings in the foundation, along windows and doors, and at other non-weathertight areas.) If the stove is competing with kitchen or bath exhaust fans for available air, the situation is aggravated further. Where poor draft is the result of a low infiltration rate, open- ing a ground floor window in the vicinity of the stove, or installing a permanent outside air supply, will often alleviate the problem.
In some areas, bringing air for combustion from outside the home directly to the air inlet of the stove is required for new construction. When the air supply for the fire is brought directly from the outside, it is not affected by variations in air pressure within the house. Improved stove performance often results. An Outside Air Adap- tor Kit is available from your local Vermont Castings
Authorized Dealer.
How Draft Affects Stove Performance
A strong draft will allow you to successfully fine-tune the Vigilant’s performance by adjusting the primary air supply to determine the rate of combustion and heat output. With a strong draft, you can restrict the primary air supply and lower the heat output without risk of suf- focating the fire.
A strong draft will be maintained by operating your stove so that combustion gases entering the chimney are hot, and stay hot. Air must not be allowed to enter the chimney without first having passed through the stove. Make sure that clean-out doors and thimbles are sealed tightly, and that the chimney is structurally sound.
