A few OAK questions

[karri0n]

So, This summer, I would like to install an OAK for my stove, as the house is quite drafty and, while the stove heats the house well, I can feel how windy it gets inside from the drafting chimney with no real make up air supply other than the cold air it pulls in to the living space.

That being said, I don't know if it's really possible to put an OAK in.

My house was built in 1740, and as such, it sits on earth and rock foundation. There is a small cellar dug out that holds the water pump, furnace, oil tank, ad has a bit of room for storage/etc. There are two tunnels dug out that the pipe runs for the radiators, some electrical, and some cable tv go through. These crawlspaces are unvented, and the cellar is unvented. The hearth is sitting on floor, below that is rock and earth.

What is the max length the OAK can run for? It is at least 10 feet from the hearth to the outside wall, and the cellar is unvented, so it won't be able to run into there, and even if it did, it would still just draw room air through the floor. It seems my only option is to route it under the floor, and out the outer wall. With a run this long, am I going to limit the flow capabilities?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

10' should pose absolutely no problem. I'm not sure of the maximum or even if there is one but I know of some folks who have over 20' and have no problem.

 

[karri0n]

That's good to know. Thanks to this site, I know I can pick up 10' of ducting and fab a connector, rather than the ~$200 that my dealer will charge me for the kit.


My only issue now is drilling through the brick hearth, and hopefully I don't need to dig out a channel for the tube to go through once I get below the hearth.

 

[moosetrek]

Not sure what size pipe your stove calls for, our Englander NC-30 calls for a 3". It's in the middle of the house, though, and there was no easy way to route anywhere. We ended up going down, through the basement, and then upsizing to a 4" flexible dyer hose - I bought a 25' one at Lowes and ran it out to the outside, a total of about 25-28 feet. No problems at all, but it must draw well since the pipe is still pretty cold when it gets to the hearth. We've never not used one with this stove, so no comparison we can offer, but she sure do burn good!

Good luck, love those old houses.

 

[karri0n]

good to know first hand MT. I think mine is also 3", but I've only ever felt the inlet by hand. It's a tight fit back there.