I am in the process of installing a Jotul 500 Oslo. I was wondering how many people use outside air to aid in combustion? My house was built in 2000 so it's insulated pretty good. I was thinking instead of cutting some type of vent from the exterior of the home maybe cut a vent though the floor to a crawl space below the stove. The crawl space is well vented. What have others done? Air source or not?
Outside Air Source
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Your home is fairly new so chances are it is sealed up pretty good, pulling air from a vented craw space will work great. You can get what they call an OAK (outside air kit) for most stoves from the dealer that adapts to 4'" round drier vent pipe to put down through the floor behind the stove. OAK's let your stove perform like it should in tighter homes where running a cloths drier or a gas hot water tank or anything vented could create negative pressure in the house and mess with the draft of the stove. The OAK feeds your stove it's own source of air, just an air vent in the floor behind the stove could be pulled to another vent source and still starve the stove.
We where insulated with foam insulation last year and our home is very air tight now. We used an oak for a time but have discovered on the Jotul F-50 we have no need of the Oak kit at all even being air tight. I would recommend trying it without first to see how it does. If it needs one ( Oaks are rarely a bad idea ) they are an easy thing to add and you can make it out of a dryer vent hose and a 4" gas vent adjustable 90 degree adjustable adapter on the cheap.
Pete
Yes, I have heard good and bad things about the OAK. There are no other appliances that require a draft in the house except the bathroom fans. I'm going to try it first as you suggested to see if I need one or not. I have 25 feet of straight 6 inch chimney so I really don't think I will have a problem with draft. But opinions are always welcome. I was just going to cut a hole in the floor to the crawl space and just use a regular heating register for the OAK. No pipe and no holes though the house and when heating season is over just close the floor register.
Joe
Holy draft batman ! The issue is not always is there enough for the stove its is it enough for your family and the stove to breath. Jotul usually calls for 14 to 18ft chimneys I believe so you should have plenty draft.
Pete
I use an OAK on everything. It can only help and improve efficiency. Whether its an old home or new home.
The stove needs air for combustion. You can use air that you already heated, send it up the flue, and that air is replaced by the leaky spots in your home.
Or you can use an OAK and make your system sealed, and use outside air, keeping ALL your warm air inside (minus secondary air and pituitary/dog house air).
If you do a search here, there is more than enough material/debate to read for about a year or so..
The stove needs air for combustion. You can use air that you already heated, send it up the flue, and that air is replaced by the leaky spots in your home.
Or you can use an OAK and make your system sealed, and use outside air, keeping ALL your warm air inside (minus secondary air and pituitary/dog house air).
If you do a search here, there is more than enough material/debate to read for about a year or so..
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