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A freestanding wood-burning stove heating a finished living room

Wood stove installation in Manchester, New Hampshire

Hillsborough County / Southern New Hampshire. Heat your home, even when the power goes out: the permit, the local rules, and who installs here.

Free to request · No obligation to hire
Photograph · Clay Banks / Unsplash

Before you install in Manchester.

I

Heating permit lists wood

The city’s heating permit application asks for equipment type (oil, gas or wood) and vent style, plus the applicant’s license number.

Local details
II

Mill-housing chimneys need review

In the Amoskeag Corporation Housing Historic District, chimney modification or replacement needs Heritage Commission approval before a permit.

Local details
III

A stove shop on Second Street

The Stove Shoppe lists 591 Second St. and says it has sold and installed stoves in Manchester since 1972.

Local details

The coldest month here, January, has a 1991–2020 normal of 22.3°F at the MASSABESIC LAKE, NH station. One station is a planning reference, not a reading for every address. NOAA station normals

Local businesses to contact directly

Wood stove installers in Manchester.

Compare installation providers and nearby showrooms. Check service coverage and assessment fees directly, or request help finding an installer.

  1. I

    Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep

    Chimney service & installation · North Andover, MA address; its Southern NH service page names Manchester
    Wood stovesWood insertsChimney work

    Its Southern NH page lists Manchester, Bedford and Auburn and says it installs wood-burning heating appliances such as stoves and fireplace inserts. Its office address is in North Andover, Massachusetts, so ask about travel time and whether its installer holds the license the Manchester heating permit asks for.

    View business & contact detailsWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab
  2. II

    Ceaser Chimney Service

    Chimney service & installation · Manchester address at 750 E. Industrial Park Dr #5
    Wood stovesWood insertsInstallationChimney liners

    Offers wood stoves, pellet stoves and wood fireplace inserts to Manchester-area customers and says its technicians install new hearth appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The owner is listed as a CSIA Master Chimney Sweep. Ask whether it files the city heating permit.

    View business & contact detailsCeaser Chimney ServiceWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab
  3. III

    Fire ’N Stone

    Sales & installation · Tilton showroom at 539 Laconia Rd.; names Manchester and Hillsborough County
    Wood stovesWood insertsInstallationChimney liners

    Sells wood stoves and inserts and says its licensed technicians install them to local building and fire-safety codes, including chimney liners when needed. Its Manchester page names the city and Hillsborough County. The showroom is in Tilton, so confirm scheduling for a Manchester job.

    View business & contact detailsWood stovesWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab
  4. IV

    The Stove Shoppe

    Sales & installation · Manchester store at 591 Second St.
    Wood stovesWood insertsInstallation

    Says it sells and installs stoves and fireplaces and has done so in Manchester since 1972; its product list includes wood stoves and wood inserts from brands such as Jotul, Lopi and Hearthstone. Many examples on its pages involve gas and pellet units, so confirm the wood model and venting plan in writing.

    View business & contact detailsWood, gas and electric stovesWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab

Unpaid listings, shown alphabetically. Website research is not contractor vetting or confirmation of a partnership. Confirm qualifications and insurance before hiring.

Details your installer can help confirm

Wood stove permits in Manchester.

Start with a heating permit from PCD.

Inside Manchester, permits come from the Planning and Community Development Department’s Building Regulations Division at One City Hall Plaza (603-624-6450). Its heating permit application lists wood as an equipment type, asks whether the unit is chimney-vented or direct-vent, and has a field for the applicant’s license number. The city says heating applications can be filled out online but must be printed, signed and mailed with fees; it does not accept them electronically. Since July 1, 2024 the department has enforced the 2021 International Residential and Mechanical Codes. Ask whether a building permit is also needed. Bedford, Goffstown, Hooksett and Auburn issue their own permits.

Manchester PCD: permit applications

Amoskeag mill housing: chimney changes are reviewed.

The Heritage Commission’s regulations say any building permit that would alter the external appearance of a property in the Amoskeag Corporation Housing Historic District must be approved by the Commission first. Their examples include roofing or chimney modification or replacement and new exterior appurtenances. In the Amoskeag Millyard Historic District, demolishing any external portion of a building needs prior review. The regulations are an undated scan, so confirm current practice with Planning staff.

Heritage Commission regulations for historic district building permits (PDF)

NFPA 211 is part of the state fire code.

New Hampshire’s Division of Fire Safety lists the 2024 edition of NFPA 211, the standard for chimneys, fireplaces, vents and solid fuel-burning appliances, among the codes adopted as the state fire code, with an effective date of July 27, 2026. Ask your installer to show how the plan meets NFPA 211 and the stove’s listing, and which Manchester inspections will check it.

NH Division of Fire Safety: fire codes adopted for NH

Only EPA-certified stoves can be sold; no rebate now.

NHDES says only EPA-certified wood and pellet stoves can legally be sold, and that certified devices carry a permanent label with the manufacture date and emission standard. It also says no woodstove changeout programs are currently in effect in New Hampshire. Check the label before buying, and do not count on a state rebate to offset the cost.

NHDES: home wood-burning appliances

This is a planning guide, not a permit determination. The local authority and your installer must confirm current requirements for your property and appliance. We have not verified project-specific approvals or fees.

Choose the right project

Wood stoves and fireplace inserts in Manchester.

Freestanding wood stove in a bright living room
INew stove or replacement

Install a wood-burning stove.

An enclosed stove with a chimney system designed for your home. An installer assesses placement, venting, and the space you want to heat.

About wood stoves
Existing fireplace illustrating a hearth to assess for an insert
IIExisting fireplace

Explore a fireplace insert.

Use a suitable existing fireplace as the starting point. Have the opening, chimney, and liner assessed for the proposed insert.

About inserts

Can you install a wood stove without a chimney?

A new wood stove can sometimes be installed with a new chimney system. Ask a Manchester-area provider to assess a suitable route and quote the complete job. Installation without an existing chimney

Want heat during a power outage?

Many cordwood stoves provide heat without electricity. Ask about your exact model, any powered blower, and the rooms it can heat. Read the power-outage heating guide

Room photographs illustrate project starting points; they are not installations completed through FireplaceLab.

Understand the full installed cost

Wood stove installation costs in Manchester.

U.S. planning ranges to prepare for a Manchester quote. They are national estimates, not measured Manchester averages or offers from listed businesses.

Freestanding wood stove$2,500–$7,500
Wood-burning insert$3,000–$8,000+
New installation, no chimney$5,500–$9,000+

Unit and typical installation ranges from HomeGuide’s national cost guide, reviewed Sep 28, 2026. These are alternative project scenarios, not amounts to add together. Repairs, access, venting, permits, and premium models can move costs higher.

What to ask a Manchester installer.

  1. Will you file Manchester’s heating permit (and any building permit), and whose license number goes on it?
  2. How does the chimney, liner and clearance plan meet NFPA 211 and the stove’s listing?
  3. Is the house in the Amoskeag Corporation Housing Historic District, and does the job change the chimney?

Compare quotes on the same scope.

Request separate details for the appliance, chimney or liner, hearth work, labor, removal, permits, inspections, and exclusions. Confirm any paid assessment before booking.

Will you save on heating?

There is no reliable single savings figure for every Manchester home. Compare your current heating cost with delivered dry wood, appliance efficiency, how much heat you will replace, maintenance, and the upfront installation. Backup comfort and financial payback are separate decisions. Compare all heating options

Answers before you request a quote

Manchester wood stove installation FAQs.

Which Manchester permit covers a wood stove?

The city’s heating permit application lists wood as an equipment type and asks for vent style and a license number. It must be printed, signed and mailed to Planning and Community Development with the fee. Ask the department (603-624-6450) whether a building permit is also needed for hearth or chimney work.

Does the Heritage Commission review stove jobs?

Only in the city’s two local historic districts. In the Amoskeag Corporation Housing district, permits that change a building’s exterior, including chimney modification or replacement, go to the Commission first. In the Millyard district, removing any exterior portion needs review. Elsewhere in Manchester, the Commission’s page describes no permit review.

Is there a wood stove rebate in New Hampshire right now?

NHDES says no woodstove changeout programs are currently in effect, though some communities have run them in the past. Budget without a rebate. Any stove you buy new must be EPA-certified, since NHDES says only certified devices can legally be sold.

What FireplaceLab does

Explore your options. Then get a quote for your home.

  1. I

    Answer two simple questions

    Tell us what’s there now and what you want from wood heat. No contact details needed.

  2. II

    See options and rough costs

    Explore a suitable starting point and national installed cost ranges.

  3. III

    Request a local quote

    When you’re ready, share your home details. We’ll look for an installer to assess the job and quote the work.

FireplaceLab is an installer-matching service. Your installer handles the assessment, quote, and installation. A request does not book work or guarantee a match.

Wood stove installation · Manchester, New Hampshire

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Tell us where you live and what you want to install. We’ll look for a local professional to assess the work.

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