Fireplace Vent Pipe Clearance

This article gives typical clearance distance requirements between the termination cap of a gas fireplace or fireplace insert and other building or site features such as windows doors other mechanical system components air intakes exhausts.

Fireplace vent pipe clearance. The height of the chimney above the roof surface measured at the up slope side of the chimney from the roof surface to the chimney top should be at least three feet the green line in our photo. In direct vent applications this clearance distance must be in compliance with local building codes the requirements of the fuel gas supplier for the heating appliance in use and the appliance manufacturer s instructions. This is a bit of an odd measurement and chimney clearance case because the chimney side is actually about 8 away from the roof edge. Most of the double wall stove pipe allows for 6 clearance from wall combustibles and 8 from ceiling combustibles.

Using a heat shield on a single wall stovepipe allows you to reduce the clearances from 18 to 6 to the wall and 9 to the ceiling. The general rule of thumb however is a 1 inch clearance all the way around for vertical vent runs. For non direct vent applications that is side wall venting only the required clearance is 7 feet. Many think stovepipe can run from the wood stove right up through the ceiling and roof.