Is this a good idea?

[albertj03]

I recently had a garage built that is attached to the house. The bonus space above the garage is unfinished with the plumbing and electrical roughed in. In the basement, where my stove is, there are two PEX tubes that go up to the bonus space that aren't connected to anything. Right now they are sealed but as I was down there cleaning up the stove this morning I was wondering if unsealing the tubes and pulling cold air from up above the garage would be a good idea. I don't have any kind of cold air intake or anything like that in the basement so I thought this might help. Then of course I was wondering if this would cause any safety concerns. The bonus space is only accessible from the 2nd floor of the house and there is steal fire rated door that closes it off at the end of the hallway.

Would this be a good idea or could there be some kind of safety risk introduced if I were to unseal one or both of the tubes?

 

[fossil]

I really don't think it will do anything at all. What are the tubes doing there?

 

[bholler]

i don't think it will matter much either way

 

[albertj03]

I really don't think it will do anything at all. What are the tubes doing there?

They are for the heat above the garage when we finish it. Right now they aren't connected to anything on either end but eventually we'll finish the space and it will be on a separate zone.

 

[bobdog2o02]

If you have to ask you probably already know the answer.....

 

[Simonkenton]

What is the diameter of the PEX tubes?

 

[albertj03]

What is the diameter of the PEX tubes?

That's a good question, I'm guessing probably 3/4 of an inch if not an inch. I'll check tomorrow but it's orange PEX. They ends up above the garage are sealed with tape. When I had the stove going on Saturday I could feel a little bit of a draft from one of the tubes, there was nothing at all from the other one. The tape on that one tube is probably not completely sealed.

 

[HotCoals]

If your talking about a cold air kit the intake can not be higher then the stove.

 

[Simonkenton]

So, as I understand it, you are thinking of moving the air through these water pipes, which are about 3/4 inch in diameter.
I like your style, you are thinking out of the box. However, no go. You won't be able to move enough air through those pipes to make any difference.

 

[HotCoals]

and they could suck fire right out of your stove in a blow back situation.

 

[Hoozie]

If your talking about a cold air kit the intake can not be higher then the stove.

Is this documented somewhere? I was thinking about running my OAK through the old thimble hole (~4.5' off the ground), but apparently that isn't kosher?

 

[begreen]

It's not recommended, but is done for basement stoves sometimes when there is no choice. I'm wondering in that case if a cold air p-trap could be designed in.

 

[HotCoals]

A reverse draft could occur..think about it.

 

[begreen]

That can happen in any negative pressure zone, regardless of oak connection. I would think that a trapped oak would actually lessen the chance, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[HotCoals]

That can happen in any negative pressure zone, regardless of oak connection. I would think that a trapped oak would actually lessen the chance, but maybe I'm missing something.

true.

That said I'm pretty sure a intake higher then the stove would only add to that.
I'm not up on it that much though.

When a oak is hooked up is the only air the stove gets from outside then,or does the stove get some room air yet?

 

[begreen]

It depends on the stove. Some dump the OA at the base of the stove pedestal and others direct connect to the intake port.

 

[HotCoals]

It depends on the stove. Some dump the OA at the base of the stove pedestal and others direct connect to the intake port.

I was kinda thinking that but was not sure and some have said secondary air can be a separate intake.

 

[albertj03]

Ok, does not sound like a good idea. That is pretty much what I figured right after the idea popped into my head.