Wood stove in basement next to oil furnace

[EJL923]

I am looking to install a wood stove in my basement, mostly for heat when im down in my shop and at times during very cold days, to warm up the floors. The second reason not so much... I have a three flue chimney with an insert on the first floor going up the middle flue, thats my primary heat. In the basement, i have an oil furnace using one flue on the left and i have an open flue on the right for what i want to be a wood stove. Does someone know what the NFPA code is to follow to separate an oil furnace from a wood stove. Clearance, insulation, etc..?

 

[begreen]

There probably is mechanical code in addition to NFPA here. You want a mechanic to be able to easily and safely service the furnace. I'm not sure the mechanical code, but I would guess at least 3 ft distance or more if the stove is not UL listed. Then there is the issue of competing for combustion air. I would definitely add an OAK to the stove for this reason. Check with the local approving authority for accurate info here.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

Is there an A coil (central air) installed in the oil furnace plenum?

The primary concern is not using the same chimney which you have already explained that you will not be.

 

[EJL923]

It is baseboard hot water. Im just trying to do my homework before going to a building inspector to ask. I find you get more from the conversation when you are able to ask the right questions, or even at times, know something he doesnt. My primary concern is the heat from the stove, or pipe, but begreen brought up another concern about the air. Especially because i try to seal up the basemeant a little more each year. I dont know how make up air is calculated, but my basement is about 1400 sq ft, wide open. I am wondering if there are general numbers for estimates, or if the only way is with actual blower measurements.

 

[remkel]

It is baseboard hot water. Im just trying to do my homework before going to a building inspector to ask. I find you get more from the conversation when you are able to ask the right questions, or even at times, know something he doesnt. My primary concern is the heat from the stove, or pipe, but begreen brought up another concern about the air. Especially because i try to seal up the basemeant a little more each year. I dont know how make up air is calculated, but my basement is about 1400 sq ft, wide open. I am wondering if there are general numbers for estimates, or if the only way is with actual blower measurements.

Sounds like the exact setup I have in my basement. My stove is a little less than three feet from the boiler. I ran a pipe at a 45 off the stove to get to the thimble. I have no separation between my stove and the boiler, just space.

I would HIGHLY encourage you to install an OAK if you a able. Before I installed mine, I did have a couple of times where the stove would draw make-up air from the boiler flue when the boiler was not running (which was very rarely when the stove was running 24/7). I will try to post a picture tonight when I get home.

 

[EJL923]

Thanks remkel. If needed, and OAK install wouldnt be a problem, but it does take away stove options.

 

[jharkin]

Since it sounds like your boiler (not a furnace) is obviously not power vented, there are formulas in either the fire or hvac code to calculate how much make up air it needs. There are two formulas I know of - one formula calculates a sq footage of an air duct to the outside required based on the input BTU rating. The other gives you a square footage of floor area in the basement space relative to BTU rating - if you are over that they assume natural leakage is enough. If you are under the square footage then you need to install an air duct sized by formula #1.

So what you do is you calculate that ventilation requirement for the boiler, the add the requirements for any other appliance in the space that draws air - like a dryer and in your case the stove. Then you run the results through the formulas above and it will tell you if you need to add air.

Most likely the answer is going to be what you already know - OAK time.

 

[jharkin]

Some reading that might help

http://inspectapedia.com/Energy/Combustion_Air_Details.htm

http://www.nachi.org/forum/f20/combustion-air-requirements-gas-furnaces-26865/
50 cubic ft of room volume for each 1,000 BTU
-or- 1 sq in of duct opening to the outside for each 3,000 BTU
This is only a rule of thumb for average (not tight) cunstruction...

 

[remkel]

Thanks remkel. If needed, and OAK install wouldnt be a problem, but it does take away stove options.

Here are a couple photos of my setup. It is 2'10" from the side of the stove to the boiler. The metal dryer hose is my OAK.

Finally got it to upload.....it is painful having to go from ipad to computer.

Happy to discuss further if you would like either here or in pm.

 

[velvetfoot]

Where's the oil storage tank?

 

[remkel]

Mine is in the complete opposite corner from the boiler.

 

[EJL923]

my setup would be very similar to that, almost identical

 

[velvetfoot]

I didn't know how far the tank could be from the burner.

I too have thought about this, only my open space in the chase is in the middle, so it's a little different.

 

[remkel]

In my town I am required to pull a permit and have an inspection of the install by the fire department. They spent all of 5 minutes looking at this. The oil line does run to the left of the stove in the rear, but it is insulated.

The goal for this year is to make an improvement to the OAK by getting some piping instead of the metal dryer hose.