Outside Air Kit

[Chas0218]

We have had our stove for 3 seasons and has been great. During the winter we have watched our humidity in the house dip down in the low 20s upper teens last winter. This is a little concerning as I will burn more wood with low humidity needing that warmer feeling and it isn't really that healthy. I considered my house somewhat tight with new insulation (R38 ceilings R26 walls), even my Father in laws place he had 100% spray foamed and sealed still had low 20s for his humidity with electric heat.

We have one of those stand alone whole home humidifiers that we can run but we were getting a large amount of frost build up in our attic last winter so we stopped running it. I think this was because we had one room without any drywall on the ceiling from our remodel.

Would an outside air kit help keep humidity in the house or would I end up with about the same humidity levels while running the stove?

 

[Dabster13]

Yes, an outside air kit would help.

Currently the stove is using the air in the house which in turn will create some negative pressure. Thus, any tiny cracks in the house will cause winter air to come rushing run to equalize this pressure. This brings all the dryness with it.

Burning straight outside air will remove that process, and you'll be able to keep any humidity that's in your house.

Alternatively you could get a humidifier and run that to pump up your moisture levels. In the winter I vent the exhaust air of my (electric) dryer into my house to boost the moisture level in my house. Works out pretty great. Got a simple $10 part on amazon

 

[Chas0218]

Yes, an outside air kit would help.

Currently the stove is using the air in the house which in turn will create some negative pressure. Thus, any tiny cracks in the house will cause winter air to come rushing run to equalize this pressure. This brings all the dryness with it.

Burning straight outside air will remove that process, and you'll be able to keep any humidity that's in your house.

Alternatively you could get a humidifier and run that to pump up your moisture levels. In the winter I vent the exhaust air of my (electric) dryer into my house to boost the moisture level in my house. Works out pretty great. Got a simple $10 part on amazon

The dryer might not be a half bad idea, the biggest problem for me is that it is in the basement. I'll give it a whirl anyway. I'll also look into an OAK kit and alleviate some of the issue.

 

[Dabster13]

The dryer might not be a half bad idea, the biggest problem for me is that it is in the basement. I'll give it a whirl anyway. I'll also look into an OAK kit and alleviate some of the issue.

Yea that could be rough with the dryer in the basement, ours is on the first floor which is really convenient.

 

[Chas0218]

To piggy back off my original post, would I need to use insulated ducting to keep from getting condensation on the pipe?

 

[Rearscreen]

would I need to use insulated ducting

I guess it wouldn't hurt, in extreme cold I have gotten frost on the outside of the metalflex.

 

[Woody5506]

In the winter I vent the exhaust air of my (electric) dryer into my house to boost the moisture level in my house. Works out pretty great. Got a simple $10 part on amazon

Interesting idea. I would consider this since my dryer is one room away from the stove. I personally dont notice our house feeling overly dry but my wife thinks it does sometimes plus we have a newborn. What is the part you got from Amazon?

 

[Dabster13]

Interesting idea. I would consider this since my dryer is one room away from the stove. I personally dont notice our house feeling overly dry but my wife thinks it does sometimes plus we have a newborn. What is the part you got from Amazon?

I got this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IEMUK/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[Ludlow]

To piggy back off my original post, would I need to use insulated ducting to keep from getting condensation on the pipe?

I used a piece of rigid pipe insulation from Lowes and a larger piece of metalflex around that. Be sure to remove the paper wrap that is on the insulation. There can be no combustibles near the back of the stove, even if it is covered with metalflex.

 

[Chas0218]

I used a piece of rigid pipe insulation from Lowes and a larger piece of metalflex around that. Be sure to remove the paper wrap that is on the insulation. There can be no combustibles near the back of the stove, even if it is covered with metalflex.

Would PVC be considered combustible? I was planning on using 3" metal duct elbow to put it through the floor and use the PVC to the exterior inlet. I am considering using insulated pellet stove pipe but it is a little over kill.

 

[Ludlow]

Would PVC be considered combustible? I was planning on using 3" metal duct elbow to put it through the floor and use the PVC to the exterior inlet. I am considering using insulated pellet stove pipe but it is a little over kill.

I have seen some air kits that use just the vinyl ducting but as far as I think there can be no combustibles within the proximity of the stove. My stove says the ducting must be noncombustible material. PVC would be considered combustible. I think they say that in the rare case of a draft reversal and hot gases puffing out the air intake. Mine was straight out the back through the wall. I used rigid 4" Galv and the pipe insulation with paper removed and then larger metalflex over that and then painted the metalflex with stove black. I was cranking the stove and the metalflex at the back of the stove was cool to the touch so no worries about melting the fiberglass insulation back there.

 

[Chas0218]

I have seen some air kits that use just the vinyl ducting but as far as I think there can be no combustibles within the proximity of the stove. My stove says the ducting must be noncombustible material. PVC would be considered combustible. I think they say that in the rare case of a draft reversal and hot gases puffing out the air intake. Mine was straight out the back through the wall. I used rigid 4" Galv and the pipe insulation with paper removed and then larger metalflex over that and then painted the metalflex with stove black. I was cranking the stove and the metalflex at the back of the stove was cool to the touch so no worries about melting the fiberglass insulation back there.

The metal flex you're referring to is that the flexible gas appliance vent? Below I added a link would that be the stuff you're referring to? I was thinking of that linked and just running it through the floor into our crawl space then out the rim joist to the exterior vent. I wasn't sure if I should use something that is insulated so I don't get frost or condensation buildup.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Selkirk-1-...utlet-Aluminum-Water-Heater-Connector/3736129

 

[Ludlow]

If you are running that far you could just use the aluminum dryervent the whole way and just wrap the first few feet coming in the building with insulation. You are only going to get condensation on the first couple feet anyway, I would think..

 

[Chas0218]

If you are running that far you could just use the aluminum dryervent the whole way and just wrap the first few feet coming in the building with insulation. You are only going to get condensation on the first couple feet anyway, I would think..

My total run might be 4' from the back of the stove to the exterior inlet. I looked at the dryer vent stuff and it isn't UL rated. That being the case it isn't any less flammable than the ABS/PVC. I'm not justifying the use of PVC or ABS as I won't do that but I want something that is UL rated because it will be out of sight under the floor.

My main reason for the OAK is to keep some moisture in the house and I do get some back draft when I open the stove door (chimney is more than adequate).

 

[Ludlow]

There is no such thing as UL rated aluminum flex pipe. Aluminum pipe is not combustible.

 

[Chas0218]

There is no such thing as UL rated aluminum flex pipe. Aluminum pipe is not combustible.

I guess the dryer vent stuff I thought you were referring to was the Aluminum mylar like dryer vent stuff not the aluminum rigid style piping.

 

[Rearscreen]

Metalflex comes in various widths. 3" seems a little small. Originally, in the first location of my Progress I used a 4" for a short run and it worked fine. The Progress OAK is made for 5 inch, so in it's present location I used 5 inch for an 8 foot run. Does the Vogelzang have a dedicated inlet port for an OAK? And, don't make the mistake I made when I had a Hearthstone Mansfield and ran a 20' metalflex to the rim joist and didn't put wire mesh to keep the mice out. I could hear them as the flex made quite a racket as they raced around. It was easy to get them out, I lit a piece of punk where the air entered outside and within seconds the little head would pop out.

 

[Chas0218]

Metalflex comes in various widths. 3" seems a little small. Originally, in the first location of my Progress I used a 4" for a short run and it worked fine. The Progress OAK is made for 5 inch, so in it's present location I used 5 inch for an 8 foot run. Does the Vogelzang have a dedicated inlet port for an OAK?

This is actually for the Summers heat (Englander) stove, the Vogelzang isn't a concern as it doesn't get used much at our cottage where it isn't anywhere near tight.

The inlet port is 3" on the Englander so I can run a 3" dryer vent through the wall with appropriate piping. I didn't realize Metalflex is an actual brand, sorry about that guys.

 

[Ludlow]

I say Metalflex as a generic term for any flexible aluminum vent. I used rigid snap pipe for the actual vent and then the pipe insulation and then metalflex over that and sprayed it black for looks. Removed paper from the insulation.

 

[Chas0218]

I say Metalflex as a generic term for any flexible aluminum vent. I used rigid snap pipe for the actual vent and then the pipe insulation and then metalflex over that and sprayed it black for looks. Removed paper from the insulation.
View attachment 234325

Okay gotcha, I went to lowes and got some 4" rigid aluminum vent, some 4" galvanized duct connectors and a metal exterior dryer vent. My plan is to neck it down behind the stove and run 4" from the vent to the reducer. I have 1 galvanized elbow fitted with a reducer and one straight piece to take it through the floor where I can connect the flex pipe to and the vent. I just need to modify the vent and remove the flappers. It already has the pest shield just need to get some screen on it to keep the bugs out. Just need to get some black spray paint for the piping and some of that fiberglass insulation you posted.

For what I have invested it is about half the cost of the kit from Englander and I think it will work better. Granted their kit was all 3" and I wouldn't need as big a hole through the floor but this will work and feed the stove no problem.

 

[Ludlow]

You could probably keep the paper wrap on the insulation if you are only using it at the far end and under the floor. My run was straight out the back, look at my avatar.
I removed it because it was touching the back of my stove.

 

[Chas0218]

You could probably keep the paper wrap on the insulation if you are only using it at the far end and under the floor. My run was straight out the back, look at my avatar.
I removed it because it was touching the back of my stove.

Yeah better safe than sorry, might just wrap some extra insulation I have laying around from the remodel.

 

[vwmike]

There is no such thing as UL rated aluminum flex pipe. Aluminum pipe is not combustible.

Up here we have UL rated flex. I swear it's identical to the non rated which is $5 cheaper...

 

[Ludlow]

Up here we have UL rated flex. I swear it's identical to the non rated which is $5 cheaper...

Ok..ok. Maybe there is for a gas dryer application. Not sure how they tell the difference once the product wrapper is removed. Is a UL cert stamped in microfont on the ribs? LOL

 

[Nateums]

Just backing up to the original post, you say your house is relatively air tight, then say that one of the rooms in your house has no drywall on the ceiling and your attic is full of frost.

The issue here is that your house is really, really, really leaky. If you do a really good job of air ceiling your house - mean caulking electrical boxes to the drywall, caulking all the holes and where the electrical wire comes in, your humidity issues will go away.

A direct air source to the wood stove isn't going to do anything.