Stoves are a listed permit item
Ames’ mechanical permit application lists fuel-burning fireplaces, stoves or similar appliances, and appliance vents or chimneys, as separate line items.
Local details
Wood stove installation in Ames, Iowa
Story County / central Iowa. Heat your home, even when the power goes out: the permit, the local rules, and who installs here.
Free to request · No obligation to hireBefore you install in Ames.
Owners yes, rentals need contractors
Homeowners may pull permits for a primary residence that is not a registered rental; mechanical work on rental properties must be done by licensed contractors.
Local detailsOld Town needs a certificate
Exterior changes in the Old Town Historic District or at Ames’ three local landmarks need a Certificate of Appropriateness first.
Local detailsThe coldest month here, January, has a 1991–2020 normal of 19.8°F at the AMES MUNI AP, IA 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 Ames.
Compare installation providers and nearby showrooms. Check service coverage and assessment fees directly, or request help finding an installer.
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Home Fires Incorporated
Sales & installation · 208 Airport Rd, Ames; home page says it serves Ames and central IowaIts home page says it installs, repairs, maintains and inspects gas, wood-burning and electric fireplaces, and its products page lists Regency and IronStrike wood stoves and wood inserts. It does not say ‘wood stove installation’ in those words, so confirm that its crew installs the stove and venting and who pulls the Ames permit.
View business & contact detailsHome Fires Incorporated home pageWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - II
Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Ames
Chimney service & installation · Ames, IA 50010; page names Ames, Story County, Boone, Roland and other central Iowa townsIts Ames location page lists wood-burning stove and fireplace installation alongside gas and pellet work, and says its technicians are NFI certified, licensed and insured. It names Ames and Story County in its service area. The page gives no street address, so ask where the crew is based and whether it will pull the Ames mechanical permit.
View business & contact detailsWebsite 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 Ames.
Get a mechanical permit from the Inspections Division.
Inside Ames city limits, the Inspections Division at City Hall, 515 Clark Ave., issues permits, and permits are required for most mechanical work. Its mechanical permit application lists a fuel-burning fireplace, stove or similar appliance and an appliance vent or chimney as permit items. Homeowners can apply for permits on a primary residence that is not a registered rental property without a contractor; work on rental properties must be done by a licensed contractor, and contractors must be licensed through Iowa DIAL. Call 515-239-5153 or email inspections@cityofames.org to confirm what your stove, insert or liner needs. Gilbert, Nevada and unincorporated Story County are separate jurisdictions.
City of Ames: Permitting and InspectionsAmes limits outdoor fires to dry wood in approved containers.
The Ames Fire Department’s recreational fire code requires outdoor fires to sit in an approved container more than 15 feet from combustibles, burn only dry wood, kindling or small logs, and not produce offensive smoke from green or wet wood. The Fire Chief may prohibit recreational fires when conditions make them hazardous, and yard-waste burning is not allowed. These rules cover outdoor fires, not indoor stoves; we found no Ames rule curtailing stove use. That is not a guarantee.
Ames Fire Department: Recreational Fire CodeIn Old Town or a local landmark? Get a COA first.
Ames has one local historic district, Old Town (designated 1989), and three local landmarks: the Adams House, Martin House and Municipal Building. Exterior alterations, new construction, relocation or demolition there need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, and the city charges no application fee. A new chimney, exterior flue or cap can be an exterior change, so call the commission liaison at 515-239-5447 before booking work.
City of Ames: Local Landmarks & Historic DistrictsBook inspections yourself, and don’t start early.
Ames’ mechanical permit application says the permit holder must call for required inspections at least 24 hours ahead (515-239-5153), that work must be done by the permittee or the permittee’s employees, and that permits are non-transferable and valid for one year. If work begins before the permit is issued, the total fee is doubled. Ask your installer who will hold the permit and schedule inspections.
City of Ames: Mechanical Permit Application (PDF)Ask whether your installer holds Iowa’s hearth license.
Iowa DIAL’s Hearth Systems Specialty License is an HVAC sublicense covering solid-fuel appliances with a flame view, their venting, fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves, and it requires National Fireplace Institute certification or an approved equivalent. Ames says contractors must be licensed through DIAL. If you hire the work out rather than pulling a homeowner permit, ask which state license the installer holds.
Iowa DIAL: Hearth Systems Specialty LicenseThis 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 Ames.
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
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 insertsCan you install a wood stove without a chimney?
A new wood stove can sometimes be installed with a new chimney system. Ask a Ames-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.
Wood stove installation costs in Ames.
U.S. planning ranges to prepare for a Ames quote. They are national estimates, not measured Ames 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 Ames installer.
- Will you pull the Ames mechanical permit and call for the inspections, or should I apply as the homeowner?
- Which Iowa DIAL license do you hold, and does anyone on the crew hold the Hearth Systems Specialty License or NFI certification?
- My house is in Old Town. Does your plan change the chimney or add an exterior flue that needs a Certificate of Appropriateness?
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 Ames 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
Ames wood stove installation FAQs.
Can I pull the permit and install a stove myself in Ames?
Ames says homeowners can apply for permits on a primary residence that is not a registered rental property without needing a contractor. The mechanical permit application lists fuel-burning stoves and chimneys as permit items, and the permit holder must call for inspections. Ask the Inspections Division at 515-239-5153 what it will check before you start.
I own a house near campus that I rent out. Can I add a stove?
Ames says all mechanical work on rental properties must be done by a licensed contractor, so the homeowner permit route is not available for a registered rental. This page is written for owner-occupied homes; ask the Inspections Division how rental inspections treat a new stove before you buy one.
Does Ames restrict wood burning?
Outdoors, yes: fires must be in an approved container, 15 feet from combustibles, and burn only dry wood, and the Fire Chief can prohibit them when conditions are hazardous. We found no Ames rule limiting indoor stove use, but the same dry-wood rule is good practice for a stove.
What FireplaceLab does
Explore your options. Then get a quote for your home.
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Answer two simple questions
Tell us what’s there now and what you want from wood heat. No contact details needed.
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See options and rough costs
Explore a suitable starting point and national installed cost ranges.
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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.
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