So...wood stoves and rentals

[joannqn]

Our new house (rental) has a wood stove. I have no idea when the chimney on the thing was last swept, but have asked the leasing agent to find out. A called a local fireplace store and they told me it should be swept at least every year. If it's been more than that, should they pay for the first sweeping? Or is that our responsibility as the renter? The estimate I got from the store was that it runs $100 to $125.

 

If I was the owner, I'd leave the house in much better condition than they did, including leaving a ready to use wood stove.

[mommaduck]

Find out from the leasing agent and then find out if the landlord plans on paying for it to be done every year or if you are responsible for having it done. I've rented a home with a fireplace three times and a heating stove once. All four times, the management company took care of the cleaning.

Edited October 30, 2010 by mommaduck

[FaithManor]

From my dad, owner of a heating and energy business...the owner should have it done every year and you should demand that it be done by a certified person and not just one of the owner's buddies who may or may not have the proper equipment to see to it that all of the creosote is removed.

 

You should also demand that the owner pay for a full examination of the system. Dad says there are a lot of rentals around this area with completely junked out wood stoves as the only heat and they are very dangerous....stovepipes with holes, broken ash pans, etc. Don't move in until this is done or at least wait to build a fire until it has been done and any necessary repairs are made.

 

If this is the only source of heat in the house, it is absolutely the responsibility of the owner to keep it in working order but you need to purchase properly dried hardwood, NO PINE, to burn in it so that you don't have problems.

 

If this is not the only source of heat, then please don't use it until you talk with someone very knowledgeable about burning wood for heat and educate yourself.

 

Faith

[kristavws]

Even if they refuse to have it cleaned, I think it would be worth the $125, provided you have a cheap source for wood. We heat our entire house with just a wood stove. Last year, we ran out of wood before the end of winter. My electric bill went up $200 per month, and these were not the coldest months of the winter. Suffice it to say, our woodshed is completely stuffed full of wood this year.

 

Krista

[kalanamak]

Woodstove pipes are easier to clean than chimneys. The last two I had were straight shots and I took them apart and used a spiral of metal strips on extending poles (designed for cleaning wood stove's pipes) to scrape up from below until it went out the top. Take the first 6 feet off and you can keep shoving that puppy up and adding extenders. Make sure there is not too much buildup in the stove, too. I did it once a year and never had much build up. (Put down a throw-away sheet and dress for success.)

 

However....more important, IMO, is that the thing is shielded enough while going through the attic or roof. I had a house nearly catch fire because the pipe in the attic got too hot near wood. I had a sheath put on it. What kind of roof do you have? Don't have debris on it (pine needles, e.g.) that will catch fire if dry and meet a spark. Google about. You can get decent facts. I have a stove inspected when I move in. And you have a couple of littles. You have to watch them like a hawk. That said, wood stoves make living in the PNW tolerable...you can dry your shoes, have one room that isn't damp, heat water when the power goes out because a tree fell in the woods, etc. etc. etc.

[joannqn]

Where the stove is, there is not second floor and no trees near the roof...so that's good. I have an email to the leasing agent to check on when it was last inspected and cleaned. Will deal with who cleans it after I get that response.

 

We'll mostly likely get baby gates to go around the stove to keep littles away.

[Mejane]

I'd expect the chimney to be clean when I moved in and that the landlord would take care of it as part of general maintenance. We have ours done every year, but we use it a lot in the winter.

[kalanamak]

 

We'll mostly likely get baby gates to go around the stove to keep littles away.

 

You must be in hog heaven what with space, sanity, and no lead!!

[SonshineLearner]

There are hearth gates for this. We got ours for under $200. which... if you see a kid with a burn on them... is worth it...

[Wildiris]

I think it depends on the contract you signed and if a sweep is included.

 

In either case, if you pay or the landlord splits the cost, the chimney should be swept every year. Creosote builds up from smoldering fires and can start a chimney fire. If you should ever find your self with a glowing stove pipe, close the wood stove down, depriving it of oxygen. Chimney fires are how houses burn down in the middle of winter. Even when we clean our wood stove in the fall and burn hot fires, we still have chimney fires when we let a fire rage too hot.

 

When you have the chimney cleaned make sure the chimney cap has a spark arrester.

 

Kids generally know to stay away from a hot wood stove. With four kids, all babies around a wood stove we never needed a gate. Sometimes I children are smarter than we think.

[mommaduck]

Kids generally know to stay away from a hot wood stove. With four kids, all babies around a wood stove we never needed a gate. Sometimes I children are smarter than we think.

I live in an area where wood stoves and other heating stoves (propane) are very common for heating homes. I've not seen a gating system used here yet. You teach the children just as you teach them with a regular stove. However, it is a good idea if you that is what makes you most comfortable :)

[kalanamak]

I live in an area where wood stoves and other heating stoves (propane) are very common for heating homes. I've not seen a gating system used here yet. You teach the children just as you teach them with a regular stove. However, it is a good idea if you that is what makes you most comfortable :)

 

I sold a house to couple with toddler, who perhaps *meant* to stay away from the stove, but tripped into it and burned her hand. The one in the house I have for sale is on a raised area and set back, but this little Jotel was in the center of the house and near the "fly zone" between the kitchen and the bedrooms. Great for heating the whole 900 square foot house, but not for children pelting past.

 

One of my concerns about wood stoves isn't the curious touch but the shoved accidentally by siblings. People put out a hand when they fall. A good burn on a palm can scar and alter the good mechanics of a hand.

[mommaduck]

I sold a house to couple with toddler, who perhaps *meant* to stay away from the stove, but tripped into it and burned her hand. The one in the house I have for sale is on a raised area and set back, but this little Jotel was in the center of the house and near the "fly zone" between the kitchen and the bedrooms. Great for heating the whole 900 square foot house, but not for children pelting past.

 

One of my concerns about wood stoves isn't the curious touch but the shoved accidentally by siblings. People put out a hand when they fall. A good burn on a palm can scar and alter the good mechanics of a hand.

Totally understand. Wow on the placement of the stove! I usually see them in a corner of the houses around here...definitely not fly zone areas. But yes, accidents do happen.