OAK Install question

[J Bone]

Hi everybody. I apologize, because I'm sure that this is a very basic question by a noob who is simply clueless about most of this stuff.

We are just about to start building our new home, and I had planned on installing a Quadrafire Mt Vernon pellet stove myself, with a vertical vent going above the roofline. The stove is not against an exterior wall - it is fairly centered in the house.

And the house is being built by a contractor that is VERY strict about house tightness - they even do a couple of negative-pressure tests before they are satisfied with the tolerance.

We have already bought a fairly expensive Soapstone hearth pad (hopefully this wasn't a mistake).

Clearly, I am not an expert on any of this, and I am just now realizing that some installers are recommending an OAK for a tight house.

Since the stove is not against an exterior wall, it seems that I will have to install the OAK into the floor, so the intake is in the crawlspace.

So, here's the questions:

1) Is it recommended to use the crawlspace for air intake?

2) Do you think I need the OAK at all?

3) If it is possible/recommended to direct into the crawlspace, but since there is no way I can cut a hole in the Soapstone (and I wouldn't want to try and risk messing it up), how could I direct the vent to the floor without it looking like crap? I don't want a cheap, flexible metal pipe running off to the side of the hearth pad, looking like a total eyesore in my brand new house.

Again, I apologize if these are ridiculously stupid questions, and I very much appreciate any help.

Thanks!

 

[zrock]

In a air tight home the oak is a must. Ìm assuming your stove is going up against a inside wall. Have the contractor run a line inside the wall down into your crawl space. I would run from the crawl space to the outside. I have never seen a crawl space that is not musty and dusty at some point.

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[Ssyko]

Are the floor joists going to be insulated? Like Z said you could run a 6” duct under the joist to the outer wall and have a nice grate on the outside wall. Cutting a 3” hole in soapstone is easy with some old bath towels make a dam around the area and a spray bottle full of water and use a 3” hole saw on slow rotation spray it as you cut. Then you can drop straight down to your 6” air duct.

 

[J Bone]

Thanks very much for the replies. I hadn't even considered running the OAK in the wall. That would make it fairly easy.

 

[doghouse]

Selkerk or Dura-vent, forget which one, has the OAK built-in to the vent pipe.

 

[zrock]

Selkerk or Dura-vent, forget which one, has the OAK built-in to the vent pipe.

Iv seen that pipe can't remember the name eather.. Personally i did not like it as in my opinion it brings the intake air to close to exhaust air.

 

[bags]

If the house is being built get these details worked out stat and plan to have a pipe ran for the OAK. I definitely recommend hooking up an OAK especially in a newer tightly sealed home. I'd use one in an older home too.

Right now it is very easy to do whatever you want or would be required inexpensively. The contractor can even form for a penetration in a poured foundation wall quick and easy. Block wall would be the same or easier while being laid up. Don't let any contractor tell you otherwise. So plan it out and get it included. You could even buy the parts and say I want a hole for this right here....

 

[J Bone]

Thanks very much for the help. I guess this isn't as big of a deal as I was worried it was.

 

[Vognorth]

Selkirk has the OAK built in. It's understandably larger in diameter (somewhere around 7") and you should be able to get a glimpse of it in my signature pic. Works great - had it for approx 6 yrs now with no issues and would recommend.

Selkerk or Dura-vent, forget which one, has the OAK built-in to the vent pipe.

 

[Tonyray]

Hi everybody. I apologize, because I'm sure that this is a very basic question by a noob who is simply clueless about most of this stuff.

We are just about to start building our new home, and I had planned on installing a Quadrafire Mt Vernon pellet stove myself, with a vertical vent going above the roofline. The stove is not against an exterior wall - it is fairly centered in the house.

And the house is being built by a contractor that is VERY strict about house tightness - they even do a couple of negative-pressure tests before they are satisfied with the tolerance.

We have already bought a fairly expensive Soapstone hearth pad (hopefully this wasn't a mistake).

Clearly, I am not an expert on any of this, and I am just now realizing that some installers are recommending an OAK for a tight house.

Since the stove is not against an exterior wall, it seems that I will have to install the OAK into the floor, so the intake is in the crawlspace.

So, here's the questions:

1) Is it recommended to use the crawlspace for air intake?

2) Do you think I need the OAK at all?

3) If it is possible/recommended to direct into the crawlspace, but since there is no way I can cut a hole in the Soapstone (and I wouldn't want to try and risk messing it up), how could I direct the vent to the floor without it looking like crap? I don't want a cheap, flexible metal pipe running off to the side of the hearth pad, looking like a total eyesore in my brand new house.

Again, I apologize if these are ridiculously stupid questions, and I very much appreciate any help.

Thanks!

this is the type that has an outlet built into a thimble for exhaust and OAK.