Wood-Burning Heating Stoves & Cooking Stoves:
Installation guidelines described on this page have been provided by the National Fire Protection Association. The NFPA standards are the basis for many local codes. These guidelines state that a wood-burning stove, heating stove must be located a minimum of 36 inches from unprotected woodwork and other combustible materials or furniture or 18 inches from non-combustible walls. The addition of a heat shield or other protective devices, to the wall or the stove, allows a reduction of those distances by 50% allowing for an installation 18 inches from a combustible wall and 9 inches from a noncombustible wall. The wood-burning stove needs to be vented through a class-A, double-walled chimney.

Gas Converted Heating Stoves:
An antique heating stove with a gas conversion must conform to the clearances for a wood-burning stove (above). The converted heating stove needs to be vented. This is done through a class-B, single-walled chimney. Set ups to Propane (LPG) and Natural Gas available on all models. With a gas conversion the total BTU ranges from 20,000 to 35,000.

Cooking Stove with a Gas Conversion:
An antique cooking stove that has been set up with gas does not require any clearance space. The stove is completed insulated and emits no heat. These stoves do not need to be vented. Set ups to Propane (LPG) and Natural Gas available on all models.

Electric Converted Heating Stoves:
The electric converted heating stove does NOT need to be vented. 5,000 watt or 18,000 BTUs. 220 volt. 30 amp.

Cooking Stove with an Electric Conversion:
An antique cooking stove that has been set up with electric does not require any clearance space. The stove is completed insulated and emits no heat. These stoves do not need to be vented. Set ups include standard 220 Volts, 50 AMPS.

What does a proper stove installation look like:

UL Listings
Antique stoves, including those sold by Good Time Stove Company, are not UL listed. The stoves we sell are all antique stove manufactured from 1840-1930. These stoves were manufactured before the creation of United Laboratories and accompanying standards and therefor have never been UL listed. To achieve UL certification, each and every stove wood need to be individually tested by the United Laboratories; this is a very expensive and impractical process.

The good news is that the a UL listing is rarely required for the installation of an antique stove. To the best of our knowledge there is no code or law at any state level that bans the use or installation of non-UL listed stoves manufactured before 1/1/1981 provided that they are in good repair.

However that being said, building inspectors, officials and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ)are allowed interpretations and decisions that could preclude use of an antique stove on a city level. Your local building official will have the right to make a decision when something is not clear. Because all state and local codes differ, you will need to check your local codes specifically.

You may need to do a little research at your town hall to determine if there are any local codes on the books that might prevent the installation of a non-UL listed stove. At your local town hall you will find a book containing BOCA codes (Building Officials Code Administrators International) and/or ASME codes (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). You want to seek out the listings for "Solid Fuel Room Heaters". This entry will be one to three pages long. Be sure to read these codes completely.Towards the end of these guidelines there is usually a statement that solid fuel burning stoves manufactured before 1/1/1981 are exempt from needing UL Listing provided that they are in good repair or a restored condition. Our stoves are classified as "antique" stoves because they were manufactured before 1/1/1981.

Most states accept the guidelines provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); localities rely on the local inspectors to interpret and enforce these codes. It is not uncommon to encounter resistance to the installation of an antique stove from inspectors who are uneducated, unfamiliar or inexperienced with antique stoves. Your local inspector may be familiar with the codes governing new stoves but unless they have worked with antique or non-ul listed stoves, they my lack knowledge of the appropriate codes (or exemptions) that govern "antique", generic" and other non-ul listed stove. You may find it beneficial to provide him or her with the information from the National Fire Protection Association (above).

The NFPA devotes a large part of their code with instructions for "generic" or "unlisted" stoves. The NFPA recognizes the value of an antique stove and has laid out these provisions to ensure safe and proper installation of the antique stove.

EPA Regulations
Antique heaters and ranges were manufactured before the establishment of EPA standards and have therefore been provided exemption from EPA regulation. The antique stove is exempt from EPA regulation. EPA has nothing to do with UL or safety. They do not cover cook stoves, coal stoves or stoves that are not production. It may be that a state bans any non-EPA stoves. This is a separate issue from the issue of UL listing.