Last year I upgraded my open woodburning fireplace with a woodstove insert. The old fireplace had an ash dump with outside access. The new stove does not have an ash dump. It does hoever draw fresh air from the bottom. When I burn to heat the house I end up drawing cold air throughout the house, to prevent this I have opened my ash dump door to the outside. It works perfect while burning. However when I am not buring a strong cold draft can be felt around the stove. Is there any solution to automate or at least operate a damper from inside my house to control the ash dump opening? Also is there any safety concerns drawing fresh air from the ash dump. It is only open to the oustide.
Fresh Combustion Air through Ash Dump
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What is the stove you have, and is there an outside air kit available for your model? I think you would be able to run the duct to the outside via the ash dump, and then block off the rest of the area with a plate and insulation so air isn't going anywhere but into the stove intake.
Most experts and studies have shown the outside air often does not do much good - and sometimes does harm. If your house is really tight, that might be another thing - but a closed stove only uses maybe 2 sq. inches of open air inlet.
Bringing cold outside air into a hot firebox can lower the combustion temperatures, meaning less efficiency.
OSAK (outside air kits) are available for some models, but it is usually a pain to hook them up in masonry fireplaces.
I can't imagine that 2 square inches of inlet air creating a draft throughout your house!
Bringing cold outside air into a hot firebox can lower the combustion temperatures, meaning less efficiency.
OSAK (outside air kits) are available for some models, but it is usually a pain to hook them up in masonry fireplaces.
I can't imagine that 2 square inches of inlet air creating a draft throughout your house!
Whats the chimney set up? s.s. liner? Direct connect? Is there a block off plate installed? You may be getting a draft from lack of block off plate.
I have an Osburne 1800 Wood Stove insert. I have not seen air kit for it, and I would imagine this to be very difficult to install as the oonly access would be through the ash dump unless I remove the stove . The chimney is brick with a SS liner. Ahs dump door ot outside is about 10x5"
My house is 35 years old so there is some air leakage it is not a tight house. I normally run my forced air furnace fan to circulate the air in the house and make it more comfortable room to room. However when the ash door is closed the fire draws on my cold make-up air to the furnace, the furnace then blows this cold air to the rooms. When the ash dump door is open this is not a problem and the house is rather well balanced.
Also there is no wall space near the stove that I could install a conventional fresh air system. This would have to be done thourgh the brick fireplace.
I will pull of the front plate this weekend and have a look if i can just add Rocksul insulation and make the draft enter the firebox instead of the house.
(broken link removed to http://osburnstoves.com/html/1800insert.html)
My house is 35 years old so there is some air leakage it is not a tight house. I normally run my forced air furnace fan to circulate the air in the house and make it more comfortable room to room. However when the ash door is closed the fire draws on my cold make-up air to the furnace, the furnace then blows this cold air to the rooms. When the ash dump door is open this is not a problem and the house is rather well balanced.
Also there is no wall space near the stove that I could install a conventional fresh air system. This would have to be done thourgh the brick fireplace.
I will pull of the front plate this weekend and have a look if i can just add Rocksul insulation and make the draft enter the firebox instead of the house.
(broken link removed to http://osburnstoves.com/html/1800insert.html)
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