New to Pellets

Wilfred Aubrey said:

We got our first pellet stove last week. It is an Enviro M55 Cast. What I really want to know is should I install the outside air kit. The installer said it was not that important and the tech. manual that came with it said it was. I am running Maine's Choice pellets with the air trim full open and the heat level at 2.
There is a little brown soot at lower corners of the glass. I guess what I want to know is how many of you have the outside air kit hooked up before we make another hole in the wall.

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In my opinion the OAK is important especially if your house is real tight, but take my opinion for what that is worth.
Nice choice on the M55 Cast and welcome the the forums.

Heavily discussed topic.. Do a search and you'll find your answer. Many opinions and views on this topic.

The OAK or outside air kit is needed if your house is tight.

If you have a central heating sytem that has a fresh air inlet/mixer that brings in some fresh air to the house then the OAK is not an absolute necessity.

I run 3 Pellet stoves in my home with up to two running at any one time and NO OAK.

I did install an OAK in my new raised hearth but have not connected it to the stove.

The air mixer from the regular furnace allows plenty of fresh air into the house and keeps things from getting stale.

If your local inspector says you need it, then you will definately need to install it.

If you live in an area that gets reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally cold out, the OAK will help keep the stoves from pulling in that cold outide air.

The small brown soot on the glass is about normal. Some stoves will skunk up the glass in short order and others will not.


Now if the glass becomes really dirty in short order, then you may need to adjust things.

*****Just a side note.*****

The fact that we allow the air mixer in the furnace system to provide the fresh air, cooking odors and such dont last long. ( Mixer is in the air plenum in the utility room)

After frying fish or other things in the kitchen that leave a smell, within a short time the odors are gone.

The air changes around enough that it keeps the place from getting stale.
The volume is not enough to cause a real heating issue though

Enjoy the new stove.

Snowy

Wilfred Aubrey said:

Thanks for the info. After adjusting the trim this morning the stove is running very well and holding the house at 70. My house is double insulated{ original 1980's inside walls then 1/2 foam over original siding under the vinyl siding} The window's are new double pane.

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I have a Avalon Newport that I installed a couple weeks ago. The airwash system for the glass did not work until I installed the outside air kit.

Apparently the lack of an OAK was generating enough negative pressure in the house to signifigantly reduce the amount of air coming in through the airwash.

Also picture how much air has to be replaced if you fire up the clothes dryer, bathroom fan and range fan at the same time you are running the stove or any combination theirof.

Closed combustion is cool!

I think the best argument for the OAK is the fact that the air you are running through the stove has to come from somewhere and it is going out your exhaust pipe. Whether your house is tight or drafty, the air is coming in from the outside. Carefully feel how much air is being drawn into the intake. In the end it is equivalent to taking a hair drier on cold and blowing the air from outside into your house. No matter what, you are wasting energy by taking your nice warm air from inside the house and pushing it out the exhaust pipe, then replacing it with cold air from outside (around your windows, doors, etc). Install the OAK and the intake air comes from directly outside.

Do you like literally throwing money outside? I don't.

If you have a really tight house, you will see a performance difference in your stove, but I feel that there are very few applications where an OAK doesn't make sense.

Good Luck!

We have the M55c too! Great stove. This stove requires a lot of combustion air. I would strongly suggest an OAK. its really pretty easy to install yourself.

Where do all modern high efficiency furnaces get their combustion air? Not from your living space!

There's your answer...

Wilfred Aubrey said:

.....The installer said it was not that important and the tech. manual that came with it said it was......

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Was the installer also the stove shop dealer? Even if he was, do you believe them, or the company that designed and made the stove?????

And since you have a pretty well insulated house, that's even MORE reason to have the OAK.

BTW, welcome to the forum....we'd LOVE to see pics of the new stove (burning pics, of course! :lol: )

Pictures, pictures, we want pictures