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Vermont Castings Vigilant
2000898
Floor Protection
Freestanding Installations
A tremendous amount of heat radiates from the bottom
plate of a Vigilant Coal Stove, and the floor beneath re-
quires special protection. A Vigilant Coal Stove Bottom
Heat Shield (be sure to install the included shield insert
when the shorter 7⁷⁄₈ (197 mm) legs are used) provides
heat protection. A floor protector provides spark and
ember protection.
Most installations will require the bottom heat shield
together with its shield insert or “double bottom” and a
floor protector be used. Only when the stove is placed
on a completely non-combustible surface such as
unpainted concrete over earth may it be used without
either. In Canada, the double bottom heat shield is
always required.
When using the standard 10” (250 mm) legs on the
stove over a combustible floor, a single bottom heat
shield must be used in conjunction with a floor protec-
tor that consists of a minimum of one layer of 24 guage
galvanized sheet metal or .25” thick mineral board or
the equivalent. The floor protector must be at least
45” (1140 mm) wide x 48” (1220 mm) deep and must
extend under the full length of any horizontal run of
chimney connector. For the 6” (150 mm) connector that
is standard with the Vigilant Coal Stove, the protector
must be a minimum of 10” (250 mm) wide, centered
under the connector. When the optional 8” (200 mm)
connector is used, the protector must be a minimum of
12” (300 mm) wide and centered under the connector.
When the shorter 7⁷⁄₈" (197 mm) legs are used on the
stove over a combustible floor, the double bottom heat
shield must be used as well as a floor protector. The
E
C
A
B
E
A
C
F
ST689
Vigilant
floor protection
8/7/01
D
D
A. 45” (1143 mm)
B. 48” (1219 mm)
C. 8” (203 mm)
D. 16” (406 mm)
E. 12” (305 mm)
F. 2” (51 mm) to either side of connector
Fig. 12 Minimum floor protection requirements.
ST689
floor protector must meet the same requirements as for
standard legs.
Floor Protection for Fireplace Installations
In many fireplaces the brick or concrete hearth in front
of the fireplace opening is supported by heavy wooden
framing. Bricks and concrete are not good insulators,
so heat radiated to the hearth under the stove will pass
through the hearth directly to the wooden framing.
Such fireplace hearths must be protected like any other
combustible floor. If a bottom heat shield and regular
legs are used, the existing fireplace hearth may provide
adequate spark and falling ember protections if it meets
the necessary size requirement of 45” x 48”. Without
a bottom heat shield (regular legs), or with the double
bottom heat shield (short legs), the hearth construction
must meet the requirements given in the previous sec-
tion.
We recommend always using a bottom heat shield
when using regular legs, so that your hearth/floor pro
-
tector may reflect your personal design preference.
Fireplace Mantel and Trim Clearance
If your installation will utilize an existing fireplace and
its masonry chimney built to code, you must check your
fireplace mantel and trim clearances.
Ventilated shields (noncombustible shields installed on
non-combustible spac-
ers 1” away from the
combustible surface)
may be used to reduce
clearances. (Fig. 14)
Mantel and top trim
shields for the Vigilant
Coal Stove must be at
least 48” long, centered
over the stove; side trim
shields must extend the
full length of the trim.
ST690
Vigilant
Rear exit floor dgrm
8/7/01 djt
VIGILANT�
Heavy
Wooden Framing
ST690
Fig. 13 Additional protection may be required when the
hearth is built over wooden framing.
1" (25mm)
1/4" (6mm)
ST501
mantel and
trim shield
11/10/00 djt
Mantel
Spacer
Custom-
formed
Mantel
Shield
ST501
Fig. 14 A custom formed man-
tel shield.