Did you go with the fresh air wall/chimney thimble?

[08specB]

In talking with the salesman where I am buying my stove he suggested the outside cold air wall thimble (Harman recommends it). He said that newer homes tend to be a little more air tight and they need the fresh air wall thimble. The fresh air one is about $200 and about $130 more than the regular wall thimble. My house was built in 1978 so I told him to go with the regular wall thimble. Stove is getting vented right out the wall in a large living room with vaulted ceilings

Do you guys suggest the fresh air wall thimble? Is it not worth it? Thoughts?



Jay

 

[railfanron]

My opinion is an outside air kit of some kind is always worth it. When the stove is running you're drawing a 100 cubic feet of heated air every minute into the stove and out the chimney. That air has to be replaced so unheated air flows in through every nook and cranny available and then heated. You pay to heat that air after you threw out the perfectly good heated air. When the stove uses outside air for combustion no inside air is used so the house should feel warmer.
Ron

 

[08specB]

My opinion is an outside air kit of some kind is always worth it. When the stove is running you're drawing a 100 cubic feet of heated air every minute into the stove and out the chimney. That air has to be replaced so unheated air flows in through every nook and cranny available and then heated. You pay to heat that air after you threw out the perfectly good heated air. When the stove uses outside air for combustion no inside air is used so the house should feel warmer.
Ron

Would you in turn use less pellets or would it be so minimal you wouldnt see the diff?

 

[Mpodesta]

I cant comment on seeing the difference on the % of pellets used, but what I can tell you is that I live in a older home and last year was my first full winter heating with pellets. I ran my stove with no outside kit and I could feel the cold air being pulled off my porch, into my kitchen on into the living room to feed the stove. It made that passage way feel chilly when walking threw it.

This year I'm using a OAK, no question about it

 

[08specB]

I cant comment on seeing the difference on the % of pellets used, but what I can tell you is that I live in a older home and last year was my first full winter heating with pellets. I ran my stove with no outside kit and I could feel the cold air being pulled off my porch, into my kitchen on into the living room to feed the stove. It made that passage way feel chilly when walking threw it.

This year I'm using a OAK, no question about it

OAK = outside air kit i assume?

eh F it for $130 I might as well spend the extra $ rather than regret it

 

[Mpodesta]

outside air kit

 

[railfanron]

To answer your question think of this. At 100 cubic feet a minute for the combustion blower the pellet stove will exchange ALL THE AIR in a 1200 sq Ft house in less than 2 hours. That's ALL your heat going up the chimney and being replaced with unheated air.
Ron

 

[08specB]

To answer your question think of this. At 100 cubic feet a minute for the combustion blower the pellet stove will exchange ALL THE AIR in a 1200 sq Ft house in less than 2 hours. That's ALL your heat going up the chimney and being replaced with unheated air.
Ron

I am not getting an insert this will be a free standing Harman XXV and the stove will be in the upstairs of my raised ranch vented right out the wall. The upstairs is about 1400 sq ft however that does not take into account the cathedral ceilings in the living room, dining room, kitchen and foyer. The ceilings go to normal ceilings where the foyer meets the hallway so I have been told I am heating a space closer to 1800 sq ft because of the ceilings.

To chickenman - The outside air kit they sell is $130 more than a regular wall thimble however you are probably right and I would rather spend that $130 now than regret it later and have to take it apart to add the OAK.

 

[08specB]

That all seems pretty pricey to me but go for the OAK at the start regardless I say.

I really have no choice on what they charge because of the deal I am getting. The stove is $3,499 plus the $100 Harman credit and on top of that they are giving away 3 tons of pellets with the purchase. It is also tax free weekend in Massacusettes this weekend so I pay no tax on the piping. In the end I am making out very well considering what I am getting for the $.

 

[08specB]

Yeah that sounds pretty fair. You need to let them make a little money....

yea I know its a good deal. Delivery is $90 labor is $300, Stove is $3399, 3 tons of free pellets (okie golds), piping is about $5-600 and a hearth pad for $280. out the door its about $4500 iirc (estimate isnt in front of me)

 

[railfanron]

It makes no difference whether it's an insert or freestanding unit they all need air to burn. It either comes out of the house or from the outside air intake. So your house has more cubic feet that means all the heated air gone in 3 hours instead of 2. If it comes out of the house new air will be coming in to replace it. If your house is completely air tight (not possible) the unit will become starved for air and not burn well. A normal house will have drafts were the new air is coming in. All the high efficiency furnaces today use some sort of outside air intake, why; because a large portion of there efficiency comes from using outside air instead of inside air. Most commercial buildings today operate under a positive pressure situation. They do this because it's cheaper to blow OUT a little heated air than it is to suck IN unheated air and reheat it.
Ron

 

[08specB]

After speaking with the stove place again I am a little more clear on what this kit does. I was under the impression that it was just a different wall thimble that pulled the outside air in using the same exhaust piping. After speaking with them there are two seperate pipes on the inside that go out of the stove and into the wall however only one pipe (exhaust pipe) goes out of the house.

 

[08specB]

The intake will still be drawing from outside, it should not be drawing from in the wall. THe intake pipe will go right to the outer plate, just wont stick out.
Cool dog by the way...

The exhaust pipe and OAK kit pipes are two seperate pipes from the pics I see online. Inside the house those two pipes go into the wall however only one pipe (exhaust pipe) comes out. The way the stove will be setup you will see the exhaust pipe come out the back of the stove to the right (because the chimney is right behind the wall where the stove is going) and out the wall. The OAK kit pipe will need to be near that.

Thanks about the dog, 3 year old Boxer named Harley

 

[TimfromMA]

My stove does not use OAK but I plan on adding it before winter.

 

[08specB]

It appears from what I have been reading that it is more efficient to add a OAK. I will purchase the kit tomorrow and talk with the installer when he comes to see if HE thinks I need it. He installs so many Harmans in many houses he would know so I will go with what he said. The store said if I do not install it they will credit me back the $150 extra that the kit costs from the reg wall thimble. I will report back on 9/3

 

[TimfromMA]

I do notice drafts in my house when the stove is on. It's probably because the stove is pulling in house air which causes air to rush in from every little gap it can find. I expect the addition of OAK to help with that.

 

[08specB]

After going to the dealer yesterday and speaking with the installer himself he did say if you can do OAK then do it. He explained how it worked and how it will be setup and he said he will spend alot of time with me after the install explaining how the stove works, cleaning the stove and everything about it.

I finalized my order yesterday and with the stove, 3 tons of pellets, hearth pad, install and delivery everything was about $4,800 out the door. I think thats a damn good price !!

 

[TimfromMA]

Added OAK this weekend. Will have to wait for winter to feel the difference.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/added-oak.129843/

 

[08specB]

Don't know about the price but the installer sounds perfect.

stove 3,399
3 tons of okie golds free
hearth pad $280
labor $300
delivery $90
taxed $215 on just the stove
piping & oak about the rest, lol