OAK Recommended

[titanracer]

I installed my stove (Englander 25 PDVC/55-SHP10) 5 years ago that I bought from Lowe's. Before I installed it, I read the directions and followed them 100%. The directions said, a OAK (Outside Air Kit) was recommended. So I installed it with one. I've had no problems with anything since I installed the stove. What I am getting to is, there are 4 to 5 people, at my place of employment, that also have pellet stoves. Just asking around at work, I was wondering if any of them had a OAK installed. All of them have NO OAK's installed on there stoves, with the latest one having there stove installed 2 weeks ago. Everyone of them had them installed by the dealer they bought them from. They were all told by there dealer that they didn't need one do to the fact that there house's were drafty, not air tight. I would think if it was recommended, why would you not won't to have one installed. Is it the fact that the dealers are not taking the time to install the stove's correctly or they just didn't want to take the time to do it. I also bowl with a fellow that just bought a stove and it will be delivered in 2 weeks & installed by dealer were bought. I said to him about having a OAK installed & he told me the same thing, dealer said he didn't need one. Are the stove directions/instuctions that different from stove brand to stove brand or what. They all looked at me like I was crazy when I told them ought to have one installed. My thoughts are if you have one installed, it make your stove a sealed unit. Meaning, there is no way any smoke could ever get out of the unit. The air kit comes in from outside & exhaust to outside there flue pipe. That would atleast make it sealed unit unless you have a leaky gasket somewhere. If the power were to go out, and your exhaust fan were to stop, because you didn't have a backup power source, wouldn't the smoke excape thru the air intake port and fill your house with smoke. If you atleast have a OAK, the smoke would atleast go out thru your air intake to the outside. Am I wrong or what. Just wondering what you guy's thoughts were on this. I'm thinking these guy's didn't get a properly install stove, but they pretty much bought them at all different places and installed by different dealers. What are your thoughts.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Installation of an OAK is no longer recommended by England Stove Works, it is required.

It is recommended by a lot of manufacturers these days.

As for me check my signature to discover on what side of the great ongoing and hotly debated OAK installation question I'm on.

 

[rona]

The easy answer is that installing a outside air intake will take more time and more money. That translates into a higher price quote and quite possibly a lost sale due to competition not including it in their bid.

 

[DexterDay]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

 

[jtakeman]

A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

Ain't that the truth! ;-)

 

[titanracer]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

Nope, no myth, under the correct conditions smoke can and does exit the air intake.

 

[jtakeman]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

Nope, no myth, under the correct conditions smoke can and does exit the air intake.

If your stove is lower than the OAK inlet. Its gonna happen! Ask me how I know! A clue is I have a basement install.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

Nope, no myth, under the correct conditions smoke can and does exit the air intake.

I am NOT fanning the flames here (hehehe) but I have been a pellet burner for nearly 17 years. I never had an OAK on either stove (Harman) and never had a problem. I do however, read with great interest all of the information regarding OAK provided here. As I've said many times, there is a wealth of knowledge here on this forum and it can't be discounted.

 

[checkthisout]

The dealer doesn't install the OAK for cost reasons only.

You don't need one but the whole system generally works better if you have one.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

Nope, no myth, under the correct conditions smoke can and does exit the air intake.

I am NOT fanning the flames here (hehehe) but I have been a pellet burner for nearly 17 years. I never had an OAK on either stove (Harman) and never had a problem. I do however, read with great interest all of the information regarding OAK provided here. As I've said many times, there is a wealth of knowledge here on this forum and it can't be discounted.

Well since you aren't fanning the flames I'll join you by saying get those Harman intake flappers jammed and do a power dump and have some exhaust fans on.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Do a search at the top of the page. Big debate here.

My thought other than the smoke issue, is taking warm air you have already heated and pushing it outside. Then that warm air is replaced by cold air coming in through all the drafty places in your home.
with an OAK, you use outside air and get to keep all the BTU's you have already created. Thereby making your home warmer.

Some people say that the cold.outside air cools the fire/flame. Whether you use 70* inside air or 10* outside air, the fire thats burning over 1,000* does not know the difference. That and the air is somewhat preheated before entering the burnpot.

I

To OAK or not to OAK? That is the question. A search will bring up enough reading material to get you through the New Year.

You did right by installing one. As Englanders dont recommend them, they are Mandatory for a complete install.

EDIT: I type to slow. Beat by Smokey and Rona

I'm sorry for beating the already dead horse. I'm kinda new to this forum with only 20 post & didn't realize there was that many topics on this already. But do you think there is any myth to the smoke thing, backing up & pushing out thru the air intake.

Nope, no myth, under the correct conditions smoke can and does exit the air intake.

I am NOT fanning the flames here (hehehe) but I have been a pellet burner for nearly 17 years. I never had an OAK on either stove (Harman) and never had a problem. I do however, read with great interest all of the information regarding OAK provided here. As I've said many times, there is a wealth of knowledge here on this forum and it can't be discounted.

Well since you aren't fanning the flames I'll join you by saying get those Harman intake flappers jammed and do a power dump and have some exhaust fans on.

I hear ya, but I keep my flapper clean (that doesn't sound very good) and I consider it part of proper stove maintenance.