lessoil said:
Just wondering if this could happen. Would you require fewer pellets
to attain the same heat output by using inside air?
Or, would the air that you pull in through leaks in the house negate this?
Yes, an OAK does bring in cooler air and damper air. However it does keep the house much more comfortable than not having one and bring air in from all the cracks! Simply because when it pulls cooler outside air across your body and the room you are in, it feels cooler to you and makes the room cooler!
Cooler air has more oxygen so it burns quite well. However the damp air from the shoulder seasons seems to be more of an issue when burning the pellet stove on a low feed rate. The dampness can make the pellets stick and clog in the burn pot. You can adjust the air and feed rate to compensate. Some stoves like the Avalon and Lopi have an opening in the OAK plenum inside the stove to mix the outside air with heated inside stove air to rectify this dampness issue.
The best solution I have seen is using the SelKirk venting system that brings in the outside air thru a double wall in the pellet flue vent. This system dries out the OAK air and warms it up also. That is the way to go if possible
Hope that answers your question.