Old style heatilator (Type) fireplace questions...

[WannaDmaxsub]

#1 Why is there an outside air vent in the ash dump chute under the fire box?

 

[Ludlow]

Combustion air?
I give up. Tell me.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

IDK...I guess I could open the ash dump door and allow outside air in. Just not sure that would be a great idea...The air vent has a damper in it that restricts (best I can tell) the incoming air and is on the side of the dump so no ash "should" and I believe never has gotten into it.
We just bought the place...and I'm still digging into this fireplace.

Note to self...(it is called a crane)

 

[bholler]

Yeah it is for combustion air. But I am sure it is nowhere near big enough to supply enough air to supply a fireplace. It may help a little but pretty pointless.

 

[Ludlow]

My Dad would sometimes prop the ashdump open a little and open the cleanout door down below in his masonry fireplace for combustion air. The cleanout door was outside. Dont know how effective that was. I would think that if you give too much combustion air to an open fireplace it could potentially smoke into the room due to diminished draft through the fireplace opening itself.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Yeah it is for combustion air. But I am sure it is nowhere near big enough to supply enough air to supply a fireplace. It may help a little but pretty pointless.

My concern is more about the location. I don't think I want the dump door open while I have fire burning???

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

My Dad would sometimes prop the ashdump open a little and open the cleanout door down below in his masonry fireplace for combustion air. The cleanout door was outside. Dont know how effective that was. I would think that if you give too much combustion air to an open fireplace it could potentially smoke into the room due to diminished draft through the fireplace opening itself.

The vent is 4", the outside clean-out door is 9"x9" and dump door is 4"x9".
I'm not concerned with smoking the house out and I'm not going to open the clean-out door.

 

[bholler]

My concern is more about the location. I don't think I want the dump door open while I have fire burning???

Why not?

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Why not?

Guess I'm being overly paranoid...I really do like having an outside air intake. Eventually I'll get over my paranoia (over it's location...) and actually use it..LOL
Thanks for the help guys
Question#2 coming in a day or 2, once I get some decent pic's...

 

[bholler]

Guess I'm being overly paranoid...I really do like having an outside air intake. Eventually I'll get over my paranoia (over it's location...) and actually use it..LOL
Thanks for the help guys
Question#2 coming in a day or 2, once I get some decent pic's...

Really a 4" pipe isn't going to make much difference in the air used by a fireplace.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Really a 4" pipe isn't going to make much difference in the air used by a fireplace.

I agree and will add that air will also follow the path of least restriction...which raises the question, why did they put a damper in the outside air vent? There has got to be "more to the story" here...

 

[bholler]

I agree and will add that air will also follow the path of least restriction...which raises the question, why did they put a damper in the outside air vent? There has got to be "more to the story" here...

To close it off when not in use. Your setup is really a pretty common one.

 

[begreen]

I would guess it was to stop cold air infiltration when the fireplace wasn't burning.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

To me, just closing the ash dump door would do both...

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

If a moderator would change the thread title I would appreciate it...
Finally got around to taking the blower covers off and look what I found

 

[begreen]

So it's an old QueenAire. We had a thread on one of these last year.

Putting an insert in a masonry fireplace after removing stone face??

After purchasing our house four years ago, we did a complete remodel before moving in. Part of it was changing the face of the fireplace. After removing the rock, I realized that the steel box inside was not just some sort of a insert/zero clearance fp. An inspection revealed that the clay...

www.hearth.com

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Thanks for the link. Mines a little different in that the hot air exhaust is in the ceiling and the blowers are at the ends of the hearth.
I found this link from 1981 and then got locked out of it.
Oklahoman article
They talked to the son of company founder a little.
Also found on another forum someone stating that they use to install these "back in the day" and that they always recommended small fires and that it was OK to keep the doors closed.
Found a house for sale that has a Queen Air fireplace also LOL

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Did some more exploring/digging/cleaning today.

How long do you think it's been since the blowers have been cleaned? Yes, I cleaned them.

 

[bholler]

Did some more exploring/digging/cleaning today.
View attachment 247896
How long do you think it's been since the blowers have been cleaned? Yes, I cleaned them.

That really isn't to bad. Probably never cleaned just not used much

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Look at the blades, they are packed full. Now I know why I had to stand on a step stool and hold my hand next to the discharge to feel any air coming out. Once I cleaned the blades I could feel it on my face just standing on the floor under it, big difference in air flow. Something is still not right, way to much air noise on one side. Looks like someone did a facelift at some point so who knows what they did with the vent ducts. I don't have time to chase the duct now, but it's on my (Warm) rainy day todo list.

 

[bholler]

Look at the blades, they are packed full. Now I know why I had to stand on a step stool and hold my hand next to the discharge to feel any air coming out. Once I cleaned the blades I could feel it on my face just standing on the floor under it, big difference in air flow. Something is still not right, way to much air noise on one side. Looks like someone did a facelift at some point so who knows what they did with the vent ducts. I don't have time to chase the duct now, but it's on my (Warm) rainy day todo list.

Yeah I see it. I clean several hundred stove and fireplace blowers a year. Yes of course it needed cleaned. All I am saying is that really isn't all that bad.
What are your intentions with this fireplace? Are you wanting just a recreational fire for ambiance or are you expecting to hear the house.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

I did HVAC work for many years and we never saw them that dirty, I think mostly because ours were behind filters.
Honestly, I will be pretending to heat the house. House is all electric so the plan is to use the fireplace to keep the electric bill down. It's never going to heat the house for many reasons, but it should keep the living rm toasty and the kitchen comfortable.

 

[bholler]

I did HVAC work for many years and we never saw them that dirty, I think mostly because ours were behind filters.
Honestly, I will be pretending to heat the house. House is all electric so the plan is to use the fireplace to keep the electric bill down. It's never going to heat the house for many reasons, but it should keep the living rm toasty and the kitchen comfortable.

Just be aware it could very well be a net heat loss for the house. They suck massive amounts of air out the chimney compared to the little heat they put out.

 

[WannaDmaxsub]

Yea, it might not work, I know that, but I've done it in other homes we've owned with fireplaces that had less potential than this one. We like cool bed rooms so that makes it much easier. Moving the thermostat closer to the fireplace helps too, but that's just something that I heard someone say in a bar one night lol

 

[begreen]

Moving the thermostat closer to the fireplace helps too, but that's just something that I heard someone say in a bar one night lol

Leave the thermostat where it is and that conversation in the bar.