Prudent practices for the design and installation of heat‐producing devices near wood materials

The conditions required to cause ignition of solid wood materials under short‐term heating are examined, and it is found that the appropriate ignition temperature applicable under these conditions is 250°C. It is then shown that ignition requirements are different if long‐term heating is involved and that ignition can occur at exposure temperatures much lower than the ignition temperature pertinent to short‐term heating. It is shown that hot surfaces of 77 °C or higher, if located for a long duration next to a wood member are liable to lead to its ignition in a self‐heating mode. Recommendation is made that prudent practices for design or installation must also involve a suitable safety factor. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.