Wood stove too close to wood paneling

Q. We've been trying to sell our house for nearly five months, and last week some people offered to buy it. Then along comes their home inspector, and now we've got problems. According to the inspector, our wood-burning stove is too close to the wall paneling. I told him it's been that way for over seven years and we've never had a problem. But he insisted that it's unsafe. As far as I'm concerned, if it ain't broke, why fix it? What do you say?

A. That old maxim about not fixing what isn't broken can apply in many situations, but not where fire-safety is involved.

If we were discussing a damaged fence post, a faulty door latch, or a stained carpet, there would be no urgent need to "fix it." But when the distance between a hot wood stove and combustible wall paneling is the issue, by the time "it's broken," it may be too late to "fix it." A more appropriate cliché would be "don't play with matches, or you may get burned."

The fact that the stove hasn't set your wood paneling on fire in seven years is not a determining factor because violating a safety requirement does not guarantee something will go wrong. Violations merely increase the likelihood of a negative outcome. Speeding on the highway, for example, does not ensure you will have an accident. It merely increases the chances of having one. Furthermore, speeding for seven years without an accident does not negate the importance of the speed law.

Additionally, it may only appear that your wood paneling has not been adversely affected by heat exposure from the wood stove. You may actually have a slow-fused fire bomb, owing to a natural process called pyrolysis or pyrophoric action. Here's how that works:

The wall paneling near your wood stove has been heated and reheated numerous times since the stove was installed. When this happens, the kindling temperature of wood is gradually lowered each time the material is heated. After years of repeated heat exposure, the kindling temperature can be as low as a mere 200 degrees. The fact that you haven't had a fire so far is no guarantee you or the people who are buying your home never will have one.

To ensure the safety of your wood stove installation, it is strongly advised that you check the manufacturer's label on the stove to determine the required clearances to combustible materials. UL listed fireplaces have placards stating this information. If no clearance data is listed on the fixture, have it checked by a certified chimney sweep. The minimum wall clearance for an unlisted wood stove is 36 inches from combustible material, unless approved wall protection is installed.

The importance of maintaining proper clearances for your stove cannot be overstated. It could save your home and possibly a few lives.

• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.

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