Boat Stove Installation: Keeping Your Narrowboat Warm
For those of you who share our love of adventure, the great outdoors, and small spaces, it won’t surprise you to know narrowboat living has become increasingly popular in the past ten years.
Whether used for leisure cruising or as a permanent residence, narrowboats provide a sense of adventure and freedom, and a unique way of life on Britain’s waterways.
According to the Canal and River Trust, of the UK’s 35,000 boat owners and users, about 25 per cent liveaboard, meaning their boat is their permanent home. For those living on the water all year round, keeping your narrowboat warm and cosy is essential for a comfortable life, especially during colder months!
One of the best ways of keeping your narrowboat warm is by installing a wood-burning or multi-fuel stove. A small stove will provide excellent heat, as well as adding charm and character to your home.
In this handy guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about boat stove installation, including how to install a stove on a boat, safety considerations, and legal requirements.
Why choose a stove for your boat?
A wood-burning or multi-fuel stove is a popular choice for heating a narrowboat. It’s an efficient and traditional way to stay warm and cosy with the added benefit of using readily available fuel like wood or coal. Compared to gas or diesel heating, stoves provide a dry heat, helping to reduce condensation inside the boat.
Can you put a wood burning stove on a boat?
The short answer is ‘yes’, but a boat stove installation does require careful planning to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.
Opt for a small, wood-burning or multi-fuel stove, ensuring it fits within your available space while maintaining the required clearance from walls and furniture. Look for models with heat shields options to reduce safety distances, and place the stove on a non-combustible hearth, such as stone, tile, or metal. Our Hobbit Stove is the perfect size for keeping your narrowboat warm – it’s small, but mighty!
How do you ensure you’re complying with regulations?
Over the past few years, the advice and guidelines for installing wood-burning stoves on canal and narrowboats have improved for the better. These updates will result in a safer boat stove installation and more efficient heating – a win-win for narrowboat owners!
One of the biggest regulation changes relating to how to install a stove on a boat was moving away from the traditional uninsulated 4” steel pipe, which was welded together and passed through the deck, to a sectional twin-wall insulated flue pipe.
This new approach is much safer when running the flue through the cabin and roof. Plus, by keeping the flue gases warmer both inside and out, it creates a better draw, improves burning efficiency, and significantly reduces soot buildup – meaning less maintenance and a cleaner, smoother-running stove.
To make things easier, we’ve designed three canal boat flue kits that meet the latest guidelines while keeping a sleek and aesthetically pleasing look. The external flue diameter remains a neat 152mm, perfectly matching the 100mm flue outlet on our Hobbit stove (which has both top and rear flue options).
What safety precautions should I take after the boat stove installation?
Once your stove is in situ, you should ensure the surroundings are heat-resistant or better still, fireproof. Don’t keep anything flammable near the stove and make sure furniture, homeware or other materials are heat-resistant.
The minimum distance to combustibles from the stove is 400mm from the sides, and 450mm from the back, and 250mm around the twin wall flue pipe. By installing our heatshields this significantly reduces the distance to combustibles from the stove to 100mm from the sides and 150 from the back.
Regularly emptying the inside of your stove from ash and charcoal is important to maintain good airflow. You should also clean your chimney regularly to prevent soot build-up.
Like any home, its important to keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of emergencies. And lastly, make sure you monitor carbon monoxide levels by having a working CO detector installed.
Do I need permission to install a stove?
In most cases, you do not need special permission to install a stove on your narrowboat. However, if your boat is certified under the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS), the installation must comply with BSS safety requirements.
By following the correct steps for your boat stove installation, ensuring proper ventilation, and adhering to safety guidelines, you can enjoy the warmth and ambiance of a wood-burning stove on your narrowboat.
If you’re unsure about any aspect of the installation, we can provide professional advice and help to guarantee a safe and efficient setup.
