If you heat by wood, this may be of interest

[woodenboater]

When we got our cabin, the wood stove was not to WETT code so presume previous owners didn't bother to insure the place. Got someone to look at it and it just needed a different elbow here and some fireproof backing board on the wall. If the previous owners lit any decent fire, the wood panelling behind it would have gotten VERY ho to the point of will it light up. Place is now safe and insured.

 

Now the chimney at our city home was going to need work according to the sweep we use and who used to do WETT certifications. Got another guy to have a look and he confirmed first guy's deco. Googled our liner issue and it was indeed a known issue and hazard so there goes a bunch of Gs up in smoke. Again, peace of mind is wonderful motivator lol.

[Dara]

I can just picture the first caveman getting a fire going and his buddy saying...oh boy...this is gonna get you in trouble one of these days

[John Bacon]

When we got our cabin, the wood stove was not to WETT code so presume previous owners didn't bother to insure the place.

 

If they owned it for a while then it was probably grandfathered. My parents had their cottage insured without WETT certification. But when they sold the place it required WETT cert. in order for the new owners to be able to insure it.

[Old Ironmaker]

Wood burning in the future in the city and elsewhere actually will be more and more difficult I believe. It is getting more difficult to get fire insurance on homes with certified woodburning units. Some providers just will not insure any places with wood burning appliances. This came to light 12 years ago when I helped on a new build in town and plans were to build a gorgeous fireplace with an insert, no broker could find an insurer to cover a new build. Most of the guys I know that have woodburners in their shops are not insured for fire. That makes burning wood very expensive if a fire did happen. I have seen some that are a fire hazard waiting to burn the building down around it. Guy gets a new stove old stove goes into the shop. I think we have seen or done it perhaps.

 

I personally think it is a problem in areas of high density. Even out here at the lake. We had a nut bar neighbour once that would burn anything that grew out of the ground. He liked spruce and pine best. My wife has asyma(sic) when black smoke was billowing out his chimney and the wind was blowing from the west it really bothered her and that's only from 1 residence a few hundred feet away. Imagine an entire neighbourhood in the city burning wood. The neighbour moved. Long story, happy ending, for the neighbourhood. This guy gets a entire chapter in my book. OK I have to tell you one. He moves in and I remind him to take his stairs up before he heads south, I'll help. Nope not required he tells me, he's an engineer and nothing will move those stairs based on his research of wind and water levels here, Erie. OK. Of course the first October Gale the stairs go for a swim. They end up on my breakwall 30 feet from shore and 20 feet up the hill.. There's a knock on the door and 2 OPP are standing on my deck. He insists I stole his 15foot section of stairs because they are smashed to smithereens on my property. The cops let me off with a warning.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[woodenboater]

 

If they owned it for a while then it was probably grandfathered. My parents had their cottage insured without WETT certification. But when they sold the place it required WETT cert. in order for the new owners to be able to insure it.

 

 

nah, wasn't an old place. relatively newish. they sold as property wasn't large enough for hunt camp I dunno, deer everywhere and clean lanes. moose and bear signs as well.

[SirCranksalot]

Wood burning in the future in the city and elsewhere actually will be more and more difficult I believe. It is getting more difficult to get fire insurance on homes with certified woodburning units. Some providers just will not insure any places with wood burning appliances. This came to light 12 years ago when I helped on a new build in town and plans were to build a gorgeous fireplace with an insert, no broker could find an insurer to cover a new build.

We had a wood stove installed in 2009. There was a slight increase in our insurance premium but nothing major and no hassle.

[ch312]

Odd, the inspector who failed the WETT and handed over a $10k quote to fix it failed to mention there are zero clearance chimney inserts available that would make it pass after I pour a new rain cap, extend the hearth and put some new bricks in the fireplace. Less than $1000 should get me up and running.

 

No way he doesn't know a simple chimney insert would avoid a complete masonry rebuild from the basement up. Friggin crook.

[Rod Caster]

The whole WETT inspection stuff is Bull. They are by no means a legal requirement, for insurance (or 'peace of mind') only, and even at that they don't necessarily require it.

 

On my insurance questionnaire they asked if it was WETT certified, I wrote 'No' and nothing ever came of it

[cheaptackle]

Chad I wouldn't put it past the insurance company to use that "No" to deny a claim if it ever came up - just a thought that you may want to check into. I'm sure they're aware you have wood burning equipment by the nature of the questionaire, but y'all have probably heard as much as me or the next guy about how they'll do anything to avoid paying! If you've already checked this - cool! Just keeping my eyes out fer ya pal!

 

Michael