BCAB #965 - Acceptability of Existing Woodburning Stove

January 26, 1988

BCAB #965

Re: Acceptability of Existing Woodburning Stove

With reference to your letter of December 21, 1987, regarding acceptance of a wood-burning stove.

We understand that the appliance has been installed and in use for ten years, giving completely trouble free performance. It also complies with the clearances to combustibles required by the current 1985 Building Code.

We do not consider it realistic to attempt retroactive application of the Code to such an appliance, and in fact retroactive application is not empowered by the adopting regulation. The current standard for stoves also requires testing, and this is impossible for existing units in use.

With a unit already installed, having a ten year record of satisfactory performance, complying with all required clearances and inspected - to the extent that safety features can reasonably be checked - by the authority having jurisdiction, then we would regard the unit as complying with the intent of the Building Code, and would consider it acceptable.

Our concern under these circumstances would not be efficiency of the unit, but the degree of hazard to which it exposed the surrounding structure.

J.C. Currie, Chair