Outside Air Kit questions

[slesns]

Hi all,

I am installing a new Regency F1100 freestanding stove in my 550 sq ft bonus room above my garage. The space is being insulated well, including having R4 reflective "tuff" board installed with seams taped, so it's a tight seal (goes under the drywall). Because of that, I'm thinking I'll need an outside air intake. Some questions on that:

1) do I really need it? What are the basic pros/cons?

2) there is an outside air kit option with the Regency F1100, but I can't find any information on it. The place I'm buying it from has very little. I was able to get a rough spec sheet from them (after they got from the distributor) and it's just a pic of a straight pipe and vent cover. The dimensions were: 4" pipe, 6" face plate (for inside wall I assume), and a 5" angled vent cover for outside. The 4" pipe is 11" long for some reason -- seems like that would be cut down quite a bit to just cover the space through the 2x4 wall to the outside. I'm guessing that some flexible pipe travels from the exterior wall to the stove.

Are there other, hopefully better looking, options? Anyone ever seen an outside air kit on this stove (maybe some pics available)?

Thanks for any input.

 

[cmonSTART]

Well, if the stove is going to be in a smallish, tightly sealed space you could very well need it to make your stove perform properly. Some cons are:

Wind induced issues: Wind hitting the side of the house the intake is on can induce some odd characteristics in the stove.
Snow clearance: It needs to be kept clear of snow, bees, birds, etc for obvious reasons.

However, the pros would include a properly function stove - not starving for air and no cold outside air being pulled into the space by the stove.

OAKs are not a cure all, but sometimes they're the better option. Yes, they can be a bit ugly, but painting it with stove paint may help make it blend in.

 

[slesns]

Thanks Pyro...appreciate the input

 

[Wood Duck]

I have an outside air kit, and it seems to work fine (although I haven't tried burning without the OAK, so I can't honestly say how it impacts stove performance). One thing an OAK should do is reduce drafts - air is pulled thorugh the OAK instead of through cracks in the windows or doors. This also can help maintain winter humidity indoors - instead of pulling warm, more humid air into the stove and replacing it with cold and very dry air, the stove burns outside dry air and the warm, moister air stays in the house.

 

[Jimbob]

Yes, they can be a bit ugly, but painting it with stove paint may help make it blend in.

Actually, you can paint them with ANY paint, as they never get hot. Normally, they are colder than room temperature.

 

[MarkinNC]

I like to turn it around and ask what will an OAK hurt besides one's wallet a little? My stove runs great with an OAk.

 

[madison]

I know that wood burning appliances are not approved for inside a garage, but are you certain that they approved for installation above a garage? If there are autos and/or gasoline below, I would double check with your insurance and building inspector before moving forward.

 

[nate379]

Since when? Plenty of shops are heated with wood stoves.

 

[slesns]

Thanks all -- for the feedback on the OAK. Regarding using a wood stove above a garage space (with cars), the contractor and inspector haven't mentioned any concerns...but, I'll be calling the insurance company this morning to be sure we're set. I'd call the garage semi-detached, since only a covered breezeway connects it to the house...but, guess that makes it attached for fire concerns.

 

[madison]

Since when? Plenty of shops are heated with wood stoves.

Garages with auto's/gasoline are what I am refering to, "shops" without gasoline I would agree with you. And possibly since there is a barrier between the garage and the attic "bonus room", may make it OK. Inspector and insurance company would have the last say on the matter.

 

[slesns]

According to my insurance broker, there aren't any issues with putting the stove in this space. From other reading I did on the web, the views vary pretty widely...from not allowed, to having to be some minimum height off the floor (e.g. 18"), to no concerns --- for the actual garage space with the cars, that is. I have not found anything about prohibiting a finished space above...yet anyway. But, given feedback from my gc, inspector and broker, seems like we're ok here in CT anyway. Only outstanding variable for me is completing the insurance company questionnaire, and waiting for any response on that (though it just asks about whether it was professionally installed, inspected, vented). Thanks

 

[Creekyphil]

I'm actually in a fairly similar situation. Finished pool room above the garage, similar size and construction. I've always thought that if I put a stove up there, I would look into running an OAK that could draw from the first floor garage space. That eliminates problems with wind and critters, and I don't care how much cold air will be sucked into the unheated first floor. Thoughts? Maybe there is some reason this shouldn't be done?

 

[slesns]

I'm probably not the best to respond to that, Creekyphil, but I will just because I gave some consideration to that too. My thought was that I don't want any possible disruption in the fire barrier between bottom and top of space, I'm not fully sure that something (like a spark) can't end up coming back through the OAK, and I just like the idea of pulling in fresh rather than possibly fumed air (even though it's going into the stove and not the room. Interested to hear what others think tho.

 

[nate379]

That is what I mean... shop/garage. Place that work on cars is done at.

Since when? Plenty of shops are heated with wood stoves.

Garages with auto's/gasoline are what I am refering to, "shops" without gasoline I would agree with you. And possibly since there is a barrier between the garage and the attic "bonus room", may make it OK. Inspector and insurance company would have the last say on the matter.

 

[Highbeam]

Stoves aren't allowed in garages. That is, anything with a garage door that you can drive into. Stupid rule really since you are certainly able to weld, torch, and smoke cigs in your garage so what's the problem with a woodstove? They, solid fuel appliances, are outright disallowed in the garage. Not to say that people don't install them anyway, just without permits and illegaly. Voids insurance coverage should your garage burn down.

 

[Creekyphil]

Stoves aren't allowed in garages. That is, anything with a garage door that you can drive into. Stupid rule really since you are certainly able to weld, torch, and smoke cigs in your garage so what's the problem with a woodstove? They, solid fuel appliances, are outright disallowed in the garage. Not to say that people don't install them anyway, just without permits and illegaly. Voids insurance coverage should your garage burn down.

I don't think it is quite this cut and dry.My insurance company doesn't seem to have a problem with the idea of a wood stove on the second floor of a detached garage, as long as it passes inspection. I suppose if it is impossible to get this kind of set up inspected, then that accomplishes the same thing.

So, does anyone know if it is possible to get approval for this? Any thoughts on whether or not an OAK would make approval harder to get?