In November, UL published its new bi-national UL/ULC 1390 Solid Fuel Fireplace Inserts and Hearth-Mounted Stoves for Installation into Masonry Fireplaces. The long-awaited standard has been in development for over 3 years and provides a new method for testing and certifying inserts into masonry fireplaces.
With the new standard, manufacturers can now renew testing and certifying solid-fuel inserts. The new standard incorporates best practices to facilitate safer, better-performing installations, including requirements for the installer, which include a Level II inspection of the existing fireplace and a full liner, as well as limits on what can be modified in the installation. For more details on the standard, refer to UL to either purchase or read an online-only version (creating an account may be necessary): UL 1390 | UL Standards & Engagement | UL Standard
Still on the horizon is the complementary standard UL/ULC 1391, which will cover solid-fuel inserts into factory-built fireplaces and is expected to be published sometime in 2025. For more information, please contact governmentaffairs@hpba.org.