Clearance is the minimum air space between the stove (or its pipe) and anything that can burn: walls, framing, trim, furniture. Getting it wrong is a fire risk, so the rule is simple: the stove’s certification label and installation manual decide.
On this page
Listed stoves: follow the label and manual
A listed (safety-certified) stove has been tested for specific clearances. They are printed on a label on the stove and in the manual. Drolet states that “the information given on the certification label affixed to the appliance always overrides the information published in any other media” (Drolet).
Example, Drolet Escape 1500 (U.S. figures from Drolet’s spec page, checked October 12, 2026):
| Clearance | Single-wall pipe | Double-wall pipe |
|---|---|---|
| Back wall | 13 in | 6 in |
| Corner | 12 in | 6 in |
| Side wall | 10 in | 10 in |
| Example, Drolet Escape 1500 (U.S. figures from Drolet’s spec page, checked October 12, 2026): | 84 in | 84 in |
Notice that the pipe type changes several clearances, especially at the back and in a corner. Manuals often list several installation configurations; use the one that matches your actual pipe and layout.
Unlisted stoves: NFPA 211 defaults
Older stoves without a listing have no tested clearances. Building officials often reference NFPA 211, which for a typical unlisted radiant stove calls for 36 inches to unprotected combustible walls and ceilings, and 18 inches for single-wall connector pipe. Approved wall protection can reduce those distances by set amounts (Maine Forest Service and State Fire Marshal, NFPA-based standards). Your local code official makes the final call.
How to read the clearance diagram
- Measure from the right point. Manuals show whether a distance is measured from the stove body, the top heat shield or the flue centerline.
- Match the configuration: parallel to a wall, in a corner, or in an alcove; single- or double-wall pipe.
- Check the ceiling and the front. Manuals usually list both a required clear space in front of the door (front clearance to combustibles) and a required extension of floor or ember protection in front of the loading door—make sure you’re looking at the right figure for each.
- Remember the pipe. Stovepipe has its own clearances, separate from the stove’s.
Before you install
- Get the permit your jurisdiction requires and an inspection.
- Tell your home insurer.
- Consider an NFI-certified installer.
Sources
- Drolet, Escape 1500 specifications and clearances: https://www.drolet.ca/us/en/wood-stoves/db03135/
- Maine Forest Service, Recommended Standards for the Installation of Woodburning Stoves (NFPA-based): https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/projects/woodheatmaine/downloads/woodstove_installation.pdf