Shut off on your OAK. Have you done this and how? I need suggestions.

[NothingLikeWood]

Just wondering if someone can detail how they did a shut off on their OAK. Our basement bungalow installation/house came with a pre-installed OAK. It looks like a dryer vent hose with insulation inside and comes from ground level down to the stove through the wall. I was wary of this material it until I inspected it and saw it was rated as fire resistant.

The installer just stuffed the end of this vent into the stove's OAK entry. Because our house is so darn tight that when we run our exhaust items (dryer and/or vacuum) it will go into negative pressure and suck from any source it can - such as the OAK (and not the HRV). During shoulder season I sometimes I have to pull it out and stuff it with insulation when I am not burning as it draws in damp moist air. I also experience the ice cube factor when it is not lit in the depths of winter. I and would like to find a way to stop this, such as a "damper" or full shut off when we are not burning. Any suggestions on how to do this? Thanks in advance!

 

[LLigetfa]

Here's my story from last year.
Anyone retrofit a positive shutoff for an OAK?

 

[Renovation]

Here's my story from last year.
Anyone retrofit a positive shutoff for an OAK?

Thanks LL,

Your solution looks clever, effective, and has the advantage of shutting off the supply at the outside end, for best insulation.

I'm thinking of a version that shuts off at the stove end, and can be switched from outside air to inside air--conceivably with a T and two 3" or 4" valves on the supply pipe. Has anyone tried that, and/or know if such valves are easily available? Happy 24/7 burning!

 

[southbound]

There are some good links here........ https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/62348/#711781

 

[LLigetfa]

I looked online for a Napoleon 1400PL manual to see how the OAK connects but was not enlightened. Does it go into the back or bottom? On the inside of the connector, is it a flat surface where you could mount a sliding plate? A flat sliding plate like a gate valve would be my first choice if you want it at the stove. A well fitting butterfly damper in a short section of rigid pipe would be my second choice.

As for your HRV not providing enough make-up air, have you checked the filters on it? Also check the coarse screen on the outside in case it has clogged. I struggled through one Winter not realizing that my intake was clogged up with Cottonwood fluff.

If the home has a forced air furnace, the HRV might be plumbed directly to the cold air return of the furnace and as such, balanced to factor the suction of the furnace. Of course the objective of us wood burners is to never let the furnace run and so the HRV may be unbalanced.