I've got one shot at this = OAK for pellet stove insert worth it?

[Markolc81]

Hi there. I recently purchased a used Quadra-fire 1200i pellet stove and am getting ready to pull the trigger to buy a venting setup. I will be doing this as a DIY install. This stove will be installed in my second fireplace (First fireplace has a Drolet 1500i Wood stove) . This is an interior chimney, dead center in my house, with a 25' drop.
When burning in my wood stove, I can feel cold circulating near my feet in the room with the stove. I of course do not have an OAK (Outside Air Kit) on this one, but that's OK because I use this stove as more of a space heater (Only 5 hour burn times in this little stove) on one side of my house. I really couldn't install and OAK on the wood stove anyway due to my insulated liner taking up all the space in the flue.
My plan is to have this wood stove shoulder the heavier of the load keeping my house warm when not running the wood stove, trying to stay away from using my Natural Gas furnace as much. My house is a 1985 Colonial, but I've invested in new insulation and sealing it up a bit. It's not air tight by any means, but I can feel a good decent draft (when using wood stove) through some of the older doors and windows where the weatherstripping hasn't been updated yet.
I've been researching OAKs and the general feeling is they are worth it for pellet stoves, and I believe in the reasoning why. My issue is, due to my chimney location, really the only way for me to do an OAK is to use a co-linear chimney cap and kit. The price difference in using a conventional liner kit with no OAK and this co-linear cap OAK solution is about $250.

The reason why I say this is my one shot, is because I'm not gonna go ahead and buy the OAK cap afterwards and reline my chimney with a different solution if I find I regret my decision in not going with an OAK in the first place.

So my question goes out to the forum, would you spend $250 more up front to install an OAK with your pellet stove?

Thanks!

 

[Markolc81]

Let me clarify, I have one more option. If I use a 3" exhaust Co-linear cap (I'm at sea level so according to the chart in the manual, 3" would be sufficient at 25') then I can save $130 on adapters that I would have needed for a 4" conventional liner. My line of thinking is that if I was using an OAK, a 3"exhaust liner may be sufficient. But I have one shot to get this right, and I'd hate to regret saving a couple bucks but have draft issues later on.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Hi there. I recently purchased a used Quadra-fire 1200i pellet stove and am getting ready to pull the trigger to buy a venting setup. I will be doing this as a DIY install. This stove will be installed in my second fireplace (First fireplace has a Drolet 1500i Wood stove) . This is an interior chimney, dead center in my house, with a 25' drop.
When burning in my wood stove, I can feel cold circulating near my feet in the room with the stove. I of course do not have an OAK (Outside Air Kit) on this one, but that's OK because I use this stove as more of a space heater (Only 5 hour burn times in this little stove) on one side of my house. I really couldn't install and OAK on the wood stove anyway due to my insulated liner taking up all the space in the flue.
My plan is to have this wood stove shoulder the heavier of the load keeping my house warm when not running the wood stove, trying to stay away from using my Natural Gas furnace as much. My house is a 1985 Colonial, but I've invested in new insulation and sealing it up a bit. It's not air tight by any means, but I can feel a good decent draft (when using wood stove) through some of the older doors and windows where the weatherstripping hasn't been updated yet.
I've been researching OAKs and the general feeling is they are worth it for pellet stoves, and I believe in the reasoning why. My issue is, due to my chimney location, really the only way for me to do an OAK is to use a co-linear chimney cap and kit. The price difference in using a conventional liner kit with no OAK and this co-linear cap OAK solution is about $250.

The reason why I say this is my one shot, is because I'm not gonna go ahead and buy the OAK cap afterwards and reline my chimney with a different solution if I find I regret my decision in not going with an OAK in the first place.

So my question goes out to the forum, would you spend $250 more up front to install an OAK with your pellet stove?

Thanks!

I’ve got an insert and an oak. I’ve never regretted the decision of having an oak installed. I would recommend it.

 

[zrock]

definitely put in a OAk. That cold air your feeling from your wood stove is all the cold air its pulling in from every crack and airspace in your house from outside. You will get slightly better heating with a OAk since your not pulling in all that drafty air and having to reheat it.

 

[bogieb]

I would do the OAK. When my P61a was installed, they did not put an OAK in and I added it the next year. The results were good enough that when I installed my main floor stove I did the OAK as a matter of course.

I would also go with the 4" exhaust. I understand trying to save a bit of money, but this is not the place to do it, especially with a longish run. What happens on paper versus what happens in real life can be different.

 

[EbS-P]

I agree with the 4” recommendation. I will ask how many hours will the pellet stove be running? Full time part time or once or twice a week?

Remember natural draft appliances can not terminate OAK higher than the stove.

It’s probably really important to install a well sealed and insulated blockoff plate for both installs. I do think if it’s possible, for a pellet stove that will be run a lot, that an OAK is a good idea. Just follow all instructions for the co linear install.

 

[Tonyray]

installed a Harman P61A 8 yrs ago..
kids qould sit on the floor watching tv and complaining about cold draft running along th floor.
[air going back to the stove]...
installed and OAK and draft disappeared... well worth it since we were using paid for heat to go back to the stove.

 

[Markolc81]

It's hard to say how many hours I plan to run it. For example, in my old house which was a 1400sq ft Cape, I ran an Astora Bay Avalon as a primary heating source. It ran pretty much 24/7 (aside from cleaning) from Dec-March on low or Medium. Did not have a thermostat set up. I burned about 3 tons of pallets each winter in that fairly well insulated house. We liked it warm for the dogs and little kids.

Now I have a 2400 sq ft House. Different stove. This time I will use a Programmable thermostat (shut down at night, kick on in the morning, lower temps while out of the house etc). We like to keep our house a bit cooler, in the high 60s typically, and only turn on the wood stove for the coldest of days or ambiance to get it really warm for a special night. With that info, I'll assume maybe the stove will run 12 hours a day?

I think I'll go ahead and get the 4" liner. I agree it's not the place to try and save a buck and I may possibly be limiting myself in the future upgradeability of stoves.

 

[blades]

oak does not need to be co-linear. if possible out a side wall . me I drop it down to basement ceiling then over to and through wall. Oak should always be lower than the stove. Once outside I raise it a bit then put a inverted S trap on it. keeps wind driven rain/ snow and other stuff from entering.Screen on that end keep bugs and such out. Regular wood stoves will still draw more than the oak port can supply by itself and not all the the combustion air is supplied by just that port unlike a conventional furnace. Not sure how the pellet stoves treat the oak function.

 

[Washed-Up]

I believe an OAK is essential regardless of how much the stove is used and I’ve seen basement installs without…resulted in a ton of rust inside the stove due sucking in very humid air. As stated above, why exhaust air that you’ve paid to heat already.

 

[Markolc81]

Thought about trying to run the OAK through the basement. But would be exponentially more difficult and expensive in my case due to having a finished basement with drywall ceiling etc. Up and out is really my only option, hence why I only got one shot at this.

 

[Weakfish]

Why does OAK have to be lower than the stove?

 

[EbS-P]

Why does OAK have to be lower than the stove?

For natural draft appliances the oak could turn into the chimney if you got a deft reversal . For forced draft like pellet stoves it does not apply.

 

[johneh]

An OAK (outside air kit)
necessary for proper draft most likely not
good safeguard against back draft in the event of a power outage YES
My number one reason for an OAK
It bites my butt to pay to heat air that I will just suck up the chimney
and throw away without an OAK installed
Your Choice!!

 

[EbS-P]

An OAK (outside air kit)
necessary for proper draft most likely not
good safeguard against back draft in the event of a power outage YES
My number one reason for an OAK
It bites my butt to pay to heat air that I will just suck up the chimney
and throw away without an OAK installed
Your Choice!!

There was some discussion about the reality of this. Cold outside air being sucked in reduces the exhaust gas temps therefore reducing the amount of heat transferred to the house. Seems logical. If the cold air enters an unheated basement and is warmed by the earth that is different than it entering your living room.

I am always in favor of controlling exactly where and how outside air enters the home. And OAK reduces the quantity of air entering the home. I see that as a positive.

 

[Tonyray]

Have had 3 power outtages in the past during burning season.
each time the harman stopped in mid flight the smoke as i watched just slowly drifted out the exhaust pipe and OAK outside.
None coming into the living space.....