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UL 103 HT is the safety testing standard that every Class A chimney pipe must pass before it can be sold in the United States. It includes 11 tests covering heat resistance, structural strength, wind load, rain penetration, and chemical durability. If a chimney pipe carries the UL 103 HT label, it has been tested to safely handle flue gas temperatures up to 1,000 degrees F in continuous operation and 1,400 degrees F in short bursts.

Yes, you can install your chimney pipe on the outside of the house. An exterior chimney runs along the outside wall using Class A insulated pipe (UL 103 HT listed), exits through a wall thimble near the stove, and rises vertically to above the roofline. It is a good option when running pipe through the interior would mean cutting through multiple floors, attic spaces, or finished ceilings.

​Installing a chimney through a tiled roof in a residential home is a task that requires some planning and execution to ensure safety and prevent leaks. We give you ia general guide outlining the key steps involved in this process

Illinois follows NFPA 211 as the statewide standard for chimney, fireplace, and solid fuel appliance installations. Most cities and counties require a building permit before you start, and a local inspector or fire marshal must sign off on the finished system. Chicago enforces additional rules, including mandatory use of certified contractors for certain installation types.

You should install a chimney liner when your masonry chimney shows signs of deterioration (crumbling mortar, spalling bricks, rust stains), when you experience smoke backup or weak draft, when you switch to a new stove or fuel type, or when your chimney is over 30 years old and was built without a liner or with outdated clay tiles.

Inspect your chimney at least once a year and clean it when the inspection shows that sweeping is needed. Use a brush approved for the flue material and call a professional for glazed creosote, damage or unsafe access.

Yes, you can install a small wood burning stove in your kitchen as long as you meet clearance-to-combustibles requirements, use UL 103 HT listed chimney pipe for any wall or ceiling penetration, install a non-combustible hearth pad, and comply with your local building code and permit requirements.

An external Class A chimney pipe runs vertically along the outside of your house, passing through the wall in a wall thimble; the stove pipe stays inside the room and never passes through it. You need UL 103 HT listed double-wall insulated pipe, wall brackets every 4 to 6 feet, and a proper termination that meets the 3-2-10 rule.

To install chimney pipe through the house, connect double wall stove pipe from your wood stove up to a ceiling support box, then switch to UL 103 HT listed Class A insulated chimney pipe for every penetration through ceilings, attic, and roof. Maintain 2 inches of clearance to combustibles around the Class A pipe and install firestops at each floor level.

You should install a stainless steel chimney liner because it protects your masonry chimney from heat damage and acid corrosion, improves draft by reducing the effective flue diameter, prevents carbon monoxide from leaking through cracks in old mortar joints, and reduces creosote buildup. Before a new wood stove goes on an existing chimney, have the chimney inspected; the stove's instructions and your building department say whether it must be lined.