Two code editions apply
Urbandale lists the 2018 International Residential Code for building work and the 2024 International Mechanical Code, adopted per State of Iowa, for mechanical work.
Local details
Wood stove installation in Urbandale, Iowa
Polk and Dallas counties / Des Moines metro. 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 Urbandale.
No open burning, citywide
Urbandale Fire says no open burning is allowed anywhere in the city, including its Dallas County portion; recreational wood fires in approved devices are allowed.
Local detailsTwo providers name Urbandale
Des Moines Chimney Sweep and Fireplace & BBQ Center each name Urbandale on their own sites.
Local detailsThe coldest month here, January, has a 1991–2020 normal of 21.5°F at the DES MOINES WSFO-JOHNSTON, 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 Urbandale.
Compare installation providers and nearby showrooms. Check service coverage and assessment fees directly, or request help finding an installer.
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Des Moines Chimney Sweep
Chimney service & installation · 7500 Bloomfield Road, Des Moines; says it serves the Des Moines metro including UrbandaleIts site lists wood and gas insert installation among its services, and its About page cites experience with chimney liners and wood stoves and names Urbandale in its service area. It doesn’t say it sells freestanding stoves. Ask whether it supplies the insert, handles relining and files the city permit.
View business & contact detailsWebsite reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - II
Fireplace & BBQ Center
Retailer & showroom · 1800 86th St, Clive; home page names Urbandale among metro cities servedIts home page says it carries wood-burning stoves and caters to Clive, Johnston, Urbandale and other metro cities; its wood stove page features Jotul stoves and lists wood stove services such as chimney cleaning and blower repair. It does not state wood stove installation in those words, so ask who installs and who pulls the permit.
View business & contact detailsFireplace & BBQ Center home pageWebsite 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 Urbandale.
Get a mechanical permit from Urbandale Building Services.
Inside Urbandale, permits come from Community Development’s Building Services at 3600 86th Street, whether your home is in the Polk or Dallas County part of town. The city says a building permit is required for almost all construction except minor repairs and small portable sheds, and that permits must be obtained for all plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. Apply through the city’s online permit portal. The permit page points contractors to Iowa’s statewide plumbing and mechanical licensing and contractor registration. No Urbandale page names wood stoves, so ask Building Services at 515-278-3935 which permits a stove, insert or new chimney needs.
Urbandale: Permits - Plumbing, Mechanical & ElectricalNo open burning in Urbandale, including Dallas County.
Urbandale Fire Department’s open-burning brochure says a Polk County Board of Health ordinance bars open burning throughout the city, including the Dallas County portion, so bonfires, leaf burning and other open wood or debris fires are illegal. Outdoor fireplaces and grills burning untreated wood or charcoal for cooking or recreation are allowed, ideally 15 feet from structures and no larger than 3 feet across. These rules cover outdoor fires; an indoor stove goes through the permit process.
Urbandale Fire Department: Open Burning Brochure (PDF, 2020)Ask which code edition your plans follow.
Urbandale’s Building Codes page lists the 2018 International Residential Code (Municipal Code Chapter 150) for building work and the 2024 International Mechanical Code, adopted per State of Iowa (Chapter 153), for mechanical work. The page also lists a winter design temperature of -5°F and a 42-inch frost line. If a stove needs a new hearth, wall or chase, ask your installer which edition governs each part of the job.
Urbandale: Building CodesAsk your installer about Iowa’s hearth license.
Iowa’s Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing offers a Hearth Systems Specialty License, a sublicense under an HVAC license covering installation of solid-fuel and gas appliances, venting systems, fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves. It requires National Fireplace Institute certification. Urbandale’s permit page directs contractors to the state’s plumbing and mechanical licensing, so ask which 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 Urbandale.
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 Urbandale-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 Urbandale.
U.S. planning ranges to prepare for a Urbandale quote. They are national estimates, not measured Urbandale 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 Urbandale installer.
- Will you apply for the Urbandale mechanical permit, and does this job need a building permit too?
- Do your installers hold Iowa’s Hearth Systems Specialty License or another state HVAC license?
- Which code edition, 2018 IRC or 2024 IMC, governs the hearth, clearances and chimney on this job?
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 Urbandale 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
Urbandale wood stove installation FAQs.
Who issues the permit for a wood stove in Urbandale?
Urbandale’s Community Development Building Services issues permits citywide, in both the Polk and Dallas County parts of town. The city says permits are needed for all mechanical work and a building permit for almost all construction. No city page names wood stoves specifically, so call 515-278-3935 to confirm which permits apply, then apply through the online permit portal.
Does Urbandale’s burning ban affect an indoor stove?
The Urbandale Fire Department’s brochure says Polk County’s ordinance bars open burning throughout the city, including the Dallas County portion, but it is about outdoor fires such as bonfires and leaf burning. No Urbandale or county rule limiting indoor stove use was found. Burn only dry, untreated wood in an installed stove.
What license should an Urbandale stove installer have?
Urbandale’s permit page points contractors to Iowa’s statewide plumbing and mechanical licensing and contractor registration. The state offers a Hearth Systems Specialty License, a sublicense under an HVAC license covering solid-fuel appliances, venting, inserts and freestanding stoves, which requires National Fireplace Institute certification. Ask each installer which license it holds and check it on the state’s lookup.
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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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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