For homes with fireplaces and stoves—which includes most homes in the Pacific Northwest—I encounter issues related to clearance-from-combustibles requirements regularly. What do I mean by “clearance-from-combustibles?”

I’m referring to the distance that’s deemed to be safe between a heat-producing appliance, chimney, chimney liner, vent pipe, vent connector or other hot surfaces, and combustible materials (such as a wall or ceiling).

Recently, during a home inspection in Oak Harbor, I came across a pellet stove metal flue pipe that was not professionally installed, unconventionally discharged underneath a deck, and didn’t appear to observe proper clearance-from-combustible requirements. 

As a result of these issues, I recommended further evaluation and cleaning of the pellet burning appliance and flue by a qualified chimney sweep. 

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