Table of Contents
Advertisement
Escape 1400 Insert Installation and Operation Manual
PART B - INSTALLATION
6 Pre-Installation Masonry Fireplace Requirements
The masonry fireplace must meet the minimum requirements found in the building code
enforced locally, or the equivalent for a safe installation. Contact your local Building
Inspector for requirements in your area. An inspection of the fireplace should include the
following:
1. CONDITION OF THE FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY:
The masonry fireplace and chimney should be inspected prior to installation, to
determine that they are free from cracks, loose mortar, creosote deposits, blockage, or
other signs of deterioration.
chimney should be upgraded and/or cleaned prior to installation.
Masonry or steel, including the damper plate, may be removed from the smoke shelf
and adjacent damper frame if necessary to accommodate the insert's chimney liner,
provided that their removal will not weaken the structure of the fireplace and chimney,
and will not reduce protection for combustible materials to less than that required by the
building code.
2. INSTALLATION INTO AN EXISTING FACTORY-BUILT ZERO-CLEARANCE FIREPLACE:
It is possible to install a wood insert into an existing factory-built zero-clearance
fireplace. However, there currently exists no UL or ULC standard specific to that type
of installation. The factory-built zero clearance fireplace must be listed; that is, safety
certified by an accredited certification agency. It must be suitable for use with solid fuel
and nothing in the owner's manual must specifically prohibit the installation of a
fireplace insert. When in doubt, check with the fireplace manufacturer. The installation
of the zero-clearance fireplace MUST be thoroughly inspected by a qualified person to
ensure that it still meets the manufacturer's specifications. The chimney must be at
least 1" (25 mm) larger in diameter than the stainless steel liner that will run from the
insert flue collar to the top of the chimney termination.
Never remove parts intended to insulate the zero-clearance fireplace from combustible
material. Only readily detachable parts that are easily replaced, such as damper parts,
screens, and doors, are to be removed from the fireplace. These parts should be
stored and available for reinstallation if the insert is ever removed. Removal of any
parts which render the fireplace unfit for use with solid fuel requires the fireplace to be
permanently labeled by the installer as being no longer suitable for solid fuel until the
removed parts are replaced and the fireplace is restored to its original certified
condition. Also, any air vents, grilles, or louvers that allow air circulation around the
fireplace must not be removed or blocked.
3. CHIMNEY CAPS:
Mesh type chimney caps must have provision for regular cleaning, or the mesh should
be removed to eliminate the potential of plugging.
4. ADJACENT COMBUSTIBLES:
The fireplace should be inspected to make sure that there is adequate clearance to
combustibles, both exposed combustibles to the top, side, and front as well as
concealed combustibles, in the chimney and mantle area. Your local inspector should
have information on whether older fireplaces are of adequate construction.
5. OPENING SIZE:
Refer to Section 8.5 Minimum masonry opening for suitable size fireplace openings.
28
If evidence of deterioration is noted, the fireplace or
Advertisement
Table of Contents
