Insulation around a cassette stove.

kevyg

Hi. I'm after some advice, I recently got an insert cassette stove fitted into my fireplace. I opened up the chimney breast to the correct dimensions. There is a gap around the stove on both sides and to the rear of it.
However in the fitting instructions it states that the area to the sides and back of the stove need to be insulated but my installer said that he doesn't do it as the heat needs to escape. I think he is wrong, in the instructions it also states that the void around the stove needs to be vented but I think that that is for a new build where someone builds a metal stud chimney breast and that that area needs to be vented, where as the area directly around the stove needs to be insulated.i think my installer is confused between not insulating the Gap and not insulating the void. It's a stovax Riva 50, so it's not a cheap stove and i can tell you the installer wasn't cheap. Really want to have this done correctly as this has cost us a lot of money and I'd like to have it done as in the instructions.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated but I think I'm correct in assuming the area directly around the stove needs to be insulated as it would make sense to push more heat into the room.

listermint

Fill the void with Vermiculite.

It comes in large bags and is light as a feather. But wear a mask when pouring it as it goes everywhere.

kevyg

Thanks for that. Would you agree that the area around the stove should be filled. Going to call the guy that installed the stove and see what he says. But wouldn't mind confirmation off someone who knows the story with these things before I go accusing the man of not doing his job properly.

listermint

I dont understand what the guy is talking about venting around the back and sides.

The vents are at the front of it. The heat should come out the front. Why would you want to displace heat out the read or sides?

There should be no hidden ventilation in those areas your ventilation is meant to be accessible and allow gases escape.

For full details phone Stovax support line. Thats your first port of call you spent good money on the Stove it doesnt stop at the hardware the support comes with it.

dathi

kevyg wrote: »

Thanks for that. Would you agree that the area around the stove should be filled. Going to call the guy that installed the stove and see what he says. But wouldn't mind confirmation off someone who knows the story with these things before I go accusing the man of not doing his job properly.

taken from stovax installation manual

1.6 Fill any void at the back or sides of the box with 6:1
vermiculite / cement mix or any other good quality noncombustible insulation material. It is important that the back
and sides of the box are well insulated.
1.7 Do not pack the void above the appliance with
insulation materials such as mineral wool or
vermiculite.
if he starts waffling about it being in the building regs ,its part J TGDs and the manufactures installation instructions must be complied with

kevyg

Thanks for the reply.
So i rang the installer and he said the Irish building regs are different then uk regs and that we are meant to leave 50 mm around an insert stove. I checked the regs or tried to track down where that was stated but couldn't find it. I found lots of info about distance to combustibles etc but nothing about leaving a gap.
I rang the stove shop, they are very reputable and they said that they would insulated around the stove.
I rang stovax and they couldn't believe that he wasn't insulating around the stove. He also stated that their installation instructions override the building regs, and must be complied with, not sure of that but he said it's madness not to, it affects the stove in how efficient it operates and obviously as he said you are heating your outside walls.
The installer said he has been fitting stoves like this for 16 years... What do you say to that.
Anyway if someone could link me the building regs for stove installation it would be great and I think my next call will have to be to the installer and tell him he is wrong.

kevyg

Is it correct that the manufacturers instructions must be complied with?

dathi

kevyg wrote: »

Is it correct that the manufacturers instructions must be complied with?

taken from part J Irish building regs TGDs

The space between the lining and the
surrounding masonry may be filled with a weak
insulating mix (see sub-section 2.5.3) unless
the manufacturer’s instructions specify the
contrary.

the manufactures instructions must be complied with if they state requirements that exceed those set out in the regs

poker--addict

did you get this resolved?