OAK from Ash Dump in Fireplace?

[mralias]

I have observed many install manuals indicate that you may attach your OAK to the ash dump in your fireplace. Is this a good idea? My fireplace flue and oil burner (monster) flue run side-by-each. Each a clay flue liner encased by brick. In the basement they both dump into a common chamber (at least I think it is). So if I use the ash dump for OAK, do I run the risk of sucking carbon monoxide into the stove and then perhaps the house?

 

[Shaw520]

You are confusing the ash dump with the clean-out door, (two separate chambers),..An ash dump is NOT supposed to be in the same flue/chamber as the exhaust flue.,... ash dumps in masonry fireplace are supposed to drop below the firebox and NOT connect to any exhaust flue. There should never be CO in your ash dump chamber, but you will be drawing your fresh air from your basement instead of outside.

 

[mralias]

You are confusing the ash dump with the clean-out door, (two separate chambers),..An ash dump is NOT supposed to be in the same flue/chamber as the exhaust flue.,... ash dumps in masonry fireplace are supposed to drop below the firebox and NOT connect to any exhaust flue. There should never be CO in your ash dump chamber, but you will be drawing your fresh air from your basement instead of outside.

Thanks for your reply. That would make sense. I am going to have to take a close look in the basement and make sure they are not venting to the same chamber below. I know there are two flues at the top but not too sure about what I am dealing with in the basement other than one clean out. Wish I could find a dual flue masonary diagram. The one above only shows a single. Google is not working out for me all that well.

 

[kykel]

Thanks for your reply. That would make sense. I am going to have to take a close look in the basement and make sure they are not venting to the same chamber below. I know there are two flues at the top but not too sure about what I am dealing with in the basement other than one clean out. Wish I could find a dual flue masonary diagram. The one above only shows a single. Google is not working out for me all that well.

It would seem to me that you would have one flue from the basement all the way up( for oil burner). second flue would start from first floor above fireplace and run up to top.

 

[mralias]

It would seem to me that you would have one flue from the basement all the way up( for oil burner). second flue would start from first floor above fireplace and run up to top.

You are correct. It is the ash dump from the fire place to the basement that concerns me. Closer inspection when I get home from work will tell the tale.

 

[kykel]

You are correct. It is the ash dump from the fire place to the basement that concerns me. Closer inspection when I get home from work will tell the tale.

hopefully the ash dump and the oil burner flue arent tied together.

 

[Shaw520]

hopefully the ash dump and the oil burner flue arent tied together.

If a real mason built it, they will be separate chambers.

The only question you need to ask yourself is do you want to draw the air from your basement,... it wont be true 'outside' air.

 

[mralias]

If a real mason built it, they will be separate chambers.

The only question you need to ask yourself is do you want to draw the air from your basement,... it wont be true 'outside' air.

Well, looks like a real mason built it. The clean out in the basement is only for the oil monster flue. The side underneath the fireplace looks to be cinder block. Soooo...is there a clean out for the ash dump somewhere? Nothing in the basement and nothing on the outside. So how does the air from the basement feed from the dump? Where does the ash dump go? Is there suppose to be a second clean out somewhere? If so, i'll be damned if I can find it. This is not suppose to be this hard. Is it?

 

[kykel]

Well, looks like a real mason built it. The clean out in the basement is only for the oil monster flue. The side underneath the fireplace looks to be cinder block. Soooo...is there a clean out for the ash dump somewhere? Nothing in the basement and nothing on the outside. So how does the air from the basement feed from the dump? Where does the ash dump go? Is there suppose to be a second clean out somewhere? If so, i'll be damned if I can find it. This is not suppose to be this hard. Is it?

On my parents house the ash drop cleanout door is outside on the chimney at the bottom. there is a little metal door. On there second fireplace witch is in the middle of the house the door is in the basement under the fireplace. Same set up, little metal door. You should have something similar.

 

[Shaw520]

On my parents house the ash drop cleanout door is outside on the chimney at the bottom.

.....lets not confuse the two...... 'hash drop' and 'clean-out doors' are two different things/doors.

 

[Shaw520]

Well, looks like a real mason built it. The clean out in the basement is only for the oil monster flue. The side underneath the fireplace looks to be cinder block. Soooo...is there a clean out for the ash dump somewhere? Nothing in the basement and nothing on the outside. So how does the air from the basement feed from the dump? Where does the ash dump go? Is there suppose to be a second clean out somewhere? If so, i'll be damned if I can find it. This is not suppose to be this hard. Is it?

ok,... most ash dumps didnt have a clean out,.. because the base foundation of the fireplace was sooo big,.. it would take a million years to fill it,. so most ash dumps just went into the 4ft X 6ft foundation base....

"So how does the air from the basement feed from the dump?",. if you dont have a door specifically designated to your ash dump,.. then there is no fresh air feed.

 

[mralias]

ok,... most ash dumps didnt have a clean out,.. because the base foundation of the fireplace was sooo big,.. it would take a million years to fill it,. so most ash dumps just went into the 4ft X 6ft foundation base....

"So how does the air from the basement feed from the dump?",. if you dont have a door specifically designated to your ash dump,.. then there is no fresh air feed.

AHHHH! Thus the issue. So it looks like I can not use the ash dump for my OAK and must leave the ugly pipe at the top of my chimney. Oh well. Thanks for your help. House is 25 years old so I assume there was no code requiring the ash dump clean out on the outside? At least the CO issue does not exist.

 

[jjs777_fzr]

AHHHH! Thus the issue. So it looks like I can not use the ash dump for my OAK and must leave the ugly pipe at the top of my chimney. Oh well. Thanks for your help. House is 25 years old so I assume there was no code requiring the ash dump clean out on the outside? At least the CO issue does not exist.

Same as my parents house - a huge ash dump that goes to basement - may take at least >1000 years to fill it - and there is no cleanout door or other way for make up air to enter the ash dump. So in my parents case as well as your case - you would not be able to use the ashdump as the source for the OAK. You could however - install the OAK into the ashdump - as long as you plan to pop a hole into the ashdump somewhere and then vent that to the outside. Many possibility' I'm sure.

 

[kykel]

.....lets not confuse the two...... 'hash drop' and 'clean-out doors' are two different things/doors.

I guess my parents had a good mason. You sweep the ash into the trap door and there is a clean out on the bottom. Im not sure where the "hash" would go

 

[Shaw520]

I guess my parents had a good mason. You sweep the ash into the trap door and there is a clean out on the bottom. Im not sure where the "hash" would go

yes,.. but is it a 'Hash' clean-out or a flue clean-out? LOL!