New home, new ZC fireplace, install questions

[searle7]

Hi everyone, im building a new home 2,000 sq foot main and 2,000 square foot basement and have just installed a kozyheat Albany fireplace on the main floor. Ceiling is 11 feet and this will be backup/supplemental heat. See pictures of install. I just wanted to be sure I get the most out of the fireplace and wanted to double check my install. I've ready about people installing blockoffs to keep heat going out the chimney. Not sure if this pertains to ZC fireplaces but i feel like the chaise is going to get super hot. I've thought about putting vents at the top of the chaise to let heat back into the room? Any other issues or improvements i can do before I get the house insulated and sheetrocked?

Thanks!

 

[Pertzbro]

I'm surprised no one has replied. Do you have an outside air for the unit to run off of? Kozy heat sells a number of parts/pieces that you can use for directing heat outside of the chase. Will there be a tv above the unit at all?

I'd check out the manual as it describes how to do it.

https://www.kozyheat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/HTK-INT-ENFR-R.8.pdf

https://www.kozyheat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ABY-EN-R.2-10.20.pdf

 

[Pertzbro]

On second look, looks like you have outside combustion air going to the unit (pipe on the right side).

Is that a second chimney on the left for a seperate wood or gas unit?

 

[searle7]

Thanks for the reply! Yes the pipe on the right side is the outside combustion air and the one on the left is for vent for my gas fireplace in the basement.
We don't plan on putting a tv above. I'm somewhat familiar with those heat transfer units but I always assumed they were to transfer heat to a different room that the fireplace is in.
I was thinking of putting a fan of some sort near the top of the chaise to vent out the trapped heat? With a freestanding stove obviously all the air surrounding it is able to be heated and go into the room. With the fireplace, only the face is exposed to the room, hence the to reliance on to units fans to blow the heat into the room. Either way i figure that chaise would get super hot and it would be beneficial to vent it somehow. The Albany heat kit you attached uses a ducted vent from the fireplace but i feel like it doesnt vent the chaise itself.

Not sure if anyone has tried it or if it's up to code.

 

[stoveliker]

If that flexible duct going up on the right hand side is the outside air, then you need to change that. It's not safe and against code to have OAKs going up. With draft reversal they could start functioning as a chimney, for which they are not designed, resulting in a fire.

 

[stoveliker]

Outside air needs to be horizontal or angling down. As you have a basement, rather than a crawlspace underneath, that may not be possible (unless you can go down thru the floor and then to an outside wall thru the floor joists).

 

[wjohn]

If that flexible duct going up on the right hand side is the outside air, then you need to change that. It's not safe and against code to have OAKs going up. With draft reversal they could start functioning as a chimney, for which they are not designed, resulting in a fire.

See pages 18 and 19 in the installation manual - from what I read, this is explicitly allowed as long as it terminates at least 3' below the chimney termination, with the requirement of looping downwards first for an air trap:

Albany Manual

searle7 does need to add the air trap in to meet the requirement. Now's the time to do it!

 

[mcdougy]

I have a different brand of a zc. It required a passive vent at floor level into the chase, I added a passive vent at the top of the chase at ceiling level to let built up heat have a chance to exit into the room from the chase. No fan required which is better imo. I also lined the inside the of the chase with fire rated drywall and cement board in the ceiling for piece of mind.....

 

[searle7]

See pages 18 and 19 in the installation manual - from what I read, this is explicitly allowed as long as it terminates at least 3' below the chimney termination, with the requirement of looping downwards first for an air trap:

Albany Manual

searle7 does need to add the air trap in to meet the requirement. Now's the time to do it!

That's right I did notice that. It was a reputable company that did the install but your right about adding the air trap. They left alot of excess piping so i should be able to loop it down first.

 

[stoveliker]

It seems you were right. That is the first time I have seen a case this is allowed.

I'm still puzzled as the physics of the reasoning against this does not change.

 

[searle7]

I have a different brand of a zc. It required a passive vent at floor level into the chase, I added a passive vent at the top of the chase at ceiling level to let built up heat have a chance to exit into the room from the chase. No fan required which is better imo. I also lined the inside the of the chase with fire rated drywall and cement board in the ceiling for piece of mind.....

That's exactly what I'm thinking of doing as far as cutting and adding a grill both at the top and bottom for the air to circulate. Can you feel much heat coming out the top? I'd be curious what's the temps are in the chaise both before and after adding a vent