outside air adapter

[Ravenvalor]

Hello:

I installed an outside air adapter for my Woodstock Fireview and when the stove is running when I open a window I can feel air coming into the house. Should there not be a pull of air into the house with the outside air adapter and since there is a pull into the house should I leave a window open?

Thanks
Jim

 

[begreen]

There are other things that can create negative pressure in the house. You should not have to have a window open with an OAK connected stove.

 

[Ravenvalor]

Interesting, do you believe that when I open a window I should not have that inward draft? What type things causes this draft?
Thank you,

 

[fossil]

Assuming the air inside your home is warmer than the air outside, and thus less dense, it wants to rise. It'll find any way out it can. Bathroom ceiling fans, kitchen vent hood, wherever...some of those devices typically have little damper flappers in them, but they are by no means airtight. Crack open a window, you're likely as not gonna feel a draft coming into the home, whether you have a woodstove or not. Woodstove with an OAK is not gonna be drawing that air in through the cracked window. Rick

 

[Ravenvalor]

So you do not think when I crack the window it is feeding the fire? Well that is good news then, the cold air is probably replacing the warm air that is probably escaping through the ceiling light fixtures, bath fan and any other hole or crack in the ceiling. Do you think that might explain why my smoke detector is always going off?

Thanks,

 

[Todd]

I have the OAK installed on my Fireview and when the fire is going I can put a lit match next to the hole where the air slide goes through the OAK and the flame pushes away from the hole, not getting sucked in along with room air, so I assume the outside air is doing it's thing. I can also put my hand on the OAK pipe and feel the cold air.

If your smoke alarms are going off you must have some other problem. Check your gasket on the top lid, I just replaced mine last year cause I smelled smoke and it took care of the problem. Or it could be pipe connections, check for gaps and fill with furnace cement.

 

[Ravenvalor]

Hi Todd:

About the smoke detector, this is a new stove so the gaskets are probably ok. Should I just test them with a dollar bill anyway? The caulking you recommend, should I caulk every seam and every screw on the stove pipe? I talked to Woodstock about seams in the stove pipe and they seemed to think there was too much pressure pulling into the pipe for smoke to be able to leak out.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Todd]

Mine was only 2 years old when I replaced the top lid gasket. I'd check yours, it may not fit exactly right or the gasket could be thin in a spot. Also check gaps at the connection right where the pipe goes into the stove collar. Woodstock is probably right, but any gap between pipes reduces your draft somewhat and during these warmer draft sluggish fall days could cause problems.

 

[Ravenvalor]

I bet where the 90 degree pipe goes into the stove collar has some gaps in it. I will try to caulk that. I will also check the gaskets with a visual as well as a dollar bill test.
I am thinking about purchasing a co2 detector with the ppm read out.
thanks,
Hope you are enjoying your Fireview

 

[Todd]

CO2 detector is a good idea, I have two. This is my 3rd full year with the Fireview and can say without question is the best stove I ever had out of many others over the years. Long even burns with less wood. Hope your enjoying yours. It takes some trial and error, but once you figure it out it kicks ash!

 

[Ravenvalor]

This is my first year burning wood. We usually run our gas furnace but thought that wood would be a cheaper alternative. Now I am not sure if I am going to save any money. We enjoy the wood heat though and I find the work is not too time consuming.