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A WETT inspection, which stands for Wood Energy Technology Transfer, includes a thorough inspection of all wood burning appliances such as stoves and open fireplaces, by a certified WETT inspector.
These technologies do pose a potential threat to the well-being and health of those in the home, a WETT inspection can give you the peace of mind you need when buying or selling a home, living in a home, and sometimes can also be a requirement when securing insurance.
It is important for a number of reasons to have an inspection report carried out for any wood burning technologies in your home, not the least of which is the safety of you and your family. With wood burning appliances, the potential for harmful pollutants to be released into your home as well as combustible materials to ignite is increased.This makes it important that these appliances are regularly inspected and properly maintained. If you have a home that already includes one of these features, or you would like to purchase one and have it installed in your home, having a WETT certified inspector or technician involved is a necessity.
WETT inspections are also now being required as a part of the home insuring process. In fact, many homeowners first hear about WETT specialty inspections because an insurance company asks that their appliances be examined by a WETT certified inspector. In Canada, insurance companies require homes using wood burning appliances to be thoroughly inspected by a professional and cleared/approved before the home can be insured.
If purchasing an older home that includes any of these wood-burning appliances, a WETT inspection is an absolute necessity. Cottages often include wood-burning appliances, and owners are finding out that the installation of these features are not in compliance with WETT standards. An inspection will be able to tell you whether or not these appliances are operating optimally, are in good structural condition, and that they burning in a way that does not compromise your health and safety.
There are no legal requirements in Canada for a person to be WETT certified in order to perform inspections. However, many insurance companies are insisting that the inspection and/or installation and/or maintenance of wood-burning appliances and equipment be performed by someone who is WETT certified. To become WETT certified a course must be taken which typically consists of 4 to 6 days of training as well as 80 weeks of field experience before certification is given. That is why we at Northern Cookstoves and Heaters advise that you use a licensed and experienced WETT inspector because only they will have the true in-depth knowledge necessary for examining these systems correctly.
While a typical home inspection includes a visual inspection of the fireplace, cook stove, chimney and hearth, a WETT specialty inspection conducted by a certified inspector includes an inspection of all the elements of any wood burning technologies in the home to make sure that they are installed correctly and are installed with compliance to building codes and regulations. It should also include a visit to the roof to examine the chimney for any potential structural or ventilation issues.
The inspection might include an examination of a wood stove, flue pipe, chimney, and wood-burning fireplace. An inspector should look at the positioning of the system, and its distance in relation to any combustible materials. If there is a problem with the function of the technology in your home, it is important that the technician you employ is also a licensed WETT technician.
WETT inspections are more than just something to offer you peace of mind, if wood-burning appliances are a part of your home's features, it is of paramount importance that these appliances are both installed properly and inspected for your safety.
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If you have any questions or want to know more about our wood fire cook stoves and heaters, please contact us today.
