Outside air supply for Manufactured Home Installation

[Bestr2015]

Hi all,
I recently purchased an older Manufactured home and want to buy a new wood burning stove to replace the old one. I have done some research and found that since these homes tend to be air tight a secondary air supply is needed. Can anyone provide me with direction, videos or reading material on how to property this? I know I need a HUD standard stove, but is installing/creating a secondary air supply pretty straight forward (in stove manual) or not really?
Much appreciate the help, apologize if this is not the right thread group. I am new. Any other precautions i should take as well?

 

[blades]

You can just go down through the floor extending past the belly skirt underneath- piece of 1/8-1/4" screen over intake. I beleive that the outside air intake has become a national code now days on the mfg homes. oh and make sure to seal up the belly skirt around that pipe. current stoves approved for mfg home installation have outside air provisions. Course you have to find a stove that meets crazy Kaliforina clean air rules- comrade.
Last but not least, welcome to the forum.

 

[Bestr2015]

You can just go down through the floor extending past the belly skirt underneath- piece of 1/8-1/4" screen over intake. I beleive that the outside air intake has become a national code now days on the mfg homes. oh and make sure to seal up the belly skirt around that pipe. current stoves approved for mfg home installation have outside air provisions. Course you have to find a stove that meets crazy Kaliforina clean air rules- comrade.
Last but not least, welcome to the forum.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Would a kit like this be sufficient for installing the air supply?
(broken link removed)


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[mcdougy]

That's the basic idea. When you pick out your stove, it will determine more of what's required.

 

[begreen]

You know, unless the insides are shot I'd be tempted to clean up that stove, repaint and try it for a season. Is there a UL tag on the back designating the model and year of manufacture?

Moving to main forum.

 

[Bestr2015]

You know, unless the insides are shot I'd be tempted to clean up that stove, repaint and try it for a season. Is there a UL tag on the back designating the model and year of manufacture?

Moving to main forum.

There is a sticker on the back with the specs. What would you define as “insides are shot”? I’m still very new to everything wood burning stoves. I tried using it this past winter, and it wouldn’t heat the living room it is in.


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[webby3650]

I agree, the stove needs cleaned up but it might be just fine.
Were you using well Seasoned wood last winter when you tried it? I’d hate to see you struggling to run a new stove and the wood was the problem the whole time.

 

[begreen]

There is a sticker on the back with the specs. What would you define as “insides are shot”? I’m still very new to everything wood burning stoves. I tried using it this past winter, and it wouldn’t heat the living room it is in.

What does the label say is the model of the stove? Can you post some pictures of both the stove interior and the label on the rear?

 

[Bestr2015]

What does the label say is the model of the stove? Can you post some pictures of both the stove interior and the label on the rear?

I apologize for it being dirty need to remove the ash. This is the shape it was in when I bought the home

 

[begreen]

It's old but still a reasonably modern stove and a decent sized one too. It can have an outside air supply connected. Actually, that should have been done when it was installed. Is the air deflector in the front top bent or sagging?

Like webby said, partially seasoned wood can lead to poor performance. So can a too short flue system for some stoves. Also, it looks like the air ports at the back are plugged. Cleaned up and repainted you should be able to sell it for $250-300, especially in Sept/Oct.

A few questions for you: How many sq ft are you trying to heat with the stove? How tall is the flue system from stove top to chimney cap? How well seasoned is the wood supply?

 

[webby3650]

I had a 1500 square foot modular home that we could heat super easy. Our Oslo, which looks comparably sized, would blow us out of there! We heated exclusively with wood and only used about 1.5 cords a season.

 

[Bestr2015]

It's old but still a reasonably modern stove and a decent sized one too. It can have an outside air supply connected. Actually, that should have been done when it was installed. Is the air deflector in the front top bent or sagging?

Like webby said, partially seasoned wood can lead to poor performance. So can a too short flue system for some stoves. Also, it looks like the air ports at the back are plugged. Cleaned up and repainted you should be able to sell it for $250-300, especially in Sept/Oct.

A few questions for you: How many sq ft are you trying to heat with the stove? How tall is the flue system from stove top to chimney cap? How well seasoned is the wood supply?

I believe it is bent at a downward angle by design, not sagging. My prefab home is a bit over 1500 sq ft. Honestly would be happy if it heated half of this space. As far as height to the chimney cap, 3-4 ft from above the ceiling. I bought a mixed cord(Im unsure of quality), but will but quality well seasoned wood for next season.
After hearing everyones input, I want to restore this one and give it a season. Am I missing anything.
- add outside air supply
- clean and repaint (aesthetics)
- other than cleaning, anything else I should so on the inside? Replace the ceramic blocks for example?
- During a heavy rain, a very little amount of water came down the flue and dripped on to the top of the stove from the inside inside of the flue. Should I replace my flue?
- you mentioned it looked like the air ports are plugged in the back, where are these? How can I unplug them?

Thank you guys so much for your guys help! I would be at a major loss had I not found this forum.


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[begreen]

If there is only 10' of flue total then I would add a 4' section of chimney pipe. It will need to be braced at 5' above the roof. The rain dripping may be just the chimney cap design or it may be water traveled down the seam on the chimney pipe, If you can get a shot of the chimney and the chimney flashing that may help us to spot something.

The air ports are circled in red. They look like they may be full of ash. Hard to say from a photo, but worth checking. If they are full of ash, gently clean them out with a long thin screwdriver and vacuum. The piece that looks to be at an odd angle is marked with a blue line. Might just be the camera angle, but it looks odd.

 

[JosephWillcox]

Thanks for posting. Very helpful.

 

[maple1]

I believe it is bent at a downward angle by design, not sagging. My prefab home is a bit over 1500 sq ft. Honestly would be happy if it heated half of this space. As far as height to the chimney cap, 3-4 ft from above the ceiling. I bought a mixed cord(Im unsure of quality), but will but quality well seasoned wood for next season.
After hearing everyones input, I want to restore this one and give it a season. Am I missing anything.
- add outside air supply
- clean and repaint (aesthetics)
- other than cleaning, anything else I should so on the inside? Replace the ceramic blocks for example?
- During a heavy rain, a very little amount of water came down the flue and dripped on to the top of the stove from the inside inside of the flue. Should I replace my flue?
- you mentioned it looked like the air ports are plugged in the back, where are these? How can I unplug them?

Thank you guys so much for your guys help! I would be at a major loss had I not found this forum.


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Add in, and put at the top of the list, get seasoned wood stacked & drying NOW. That goes for whatever stove you are using, this one or a new one. Ideally, your wood for this coming winter should have been in stacks & drying this time last year. It pays to not rely on your wood supplier for the seasoned part, and to assume it is not seasoned - handle that part yourself. I would bet most of your issues with trying to use this stove were from unseasoned wood.

 

[Ludlow]

Cant see it in the pic, but there is a metal screen in the vent from the factory. I did remove the damper door that was in there. The pipe is 4" rigid snaptite, wrapped with fiberglass then flex over that and painted. Just to give you some ideas. Got all of it at Lowes or Depot....cant remember which.

 

[zrock]

You can just go down through the floor extending past the belly skirt underneath- piece of 1/8-1/4" screen over intake. I beleive that the outside air intake has become a national code now days on the mfg homes. oh and make sure to seal up the belly skirt around that pipe. current stoves approved for mfg home installation have outside air provisions. Course you have to find a stove that meets crazy Kaliforina clean air rules- comrade.
Last but not least, welcome to the forum.

You never want to pull your fresh air from under the home for 2 reasons. The air under the home is usually stale and nasty with the possibility of mold or other fungus under the home. In the colder seasons you are going to be pulling in colder air from outside making the space under the home colder..

 

[Ludlow]

That stove should easily heat that space. Is the floor insulated well?

 

[blades]

You never want to pull your fresh air from under the home for 2 reasons. The air under the home is usually stale and nasty with the possibility of mold or other fungus under the home. In the colder seasons you are going to be pulling in colder air from outside making the space under the home colder..

forgot to say to run it out past the skirting. 2 ndly the skirting should be vented to prevent mold and fungus growth. ( looks just like soffit venting) spent 7years in one of those after the divorce so have just a little experience- and yes I heated with a wood stove. In mine it was very difficult to move heat to the rear bedroom. it was an old 1980 build- less than adequate insulation found out the hard way the belly skirt was shredded as well.

 

[Bestr2015]

Add in, and put at the top of the list, get seasoned wood stacked & drying NOW. That goes for whatever stove you are using, this one or a new one. Ideally, your wood for this coming winter should have been in stacks & drying this time last year. It pays to not rely on your wood supplier for the seasoned part, and to assume it is not seasoned - handle that part yourself. I would bet most of your issues with trying to use this stove were from unseasoned wood.

Thank you! Will do!


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[Bestr2015]

Thanks guys, my project will be!
- increasing the flue length
- cleaning the inside of the stove/unclogging air inlets
-buying seasoned wood now
- creating air supply vent
-painting the stove


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[begreen]

I'm wondering what your winter temps are like. Where in CA are you? Back high up in the hills or down in the valley?

 

[zrock]

forgot to say to run it out past the skirting. 2 ndly the skirting should be vented to prevent mold and fungus growth. ( looks just like soffit venting) spent 7years in one of those after the divorce so have just a little experience- and yes I heated with a wood stove. In mine it was very difficult to move heat to the rear bedroom. it was an old 1980 build- less than adequate insulation found out the hard way the belly skirt was shredded as well.

Ya those older ones can be a pain i still live in one. Luckily with the position of my stove and the ceiling fan the back rooms are comfortable.. I setup new homes and even with the venting and the vapor barrier we are required to put on the ground i find after a few years you still get the stale/musty air..

 

[blades]

under the gun and lack of cash ( divorce)- it was the best option at the time,with a 60 pound Gordon Setter . most of the complexes that allowed dogs had size restrictions- lap size only and pricy as sin rent wise.

 

[Bestr2015]

I'm wondering what your winter temps are like. Where in CA are you? Back high up in the hills or down in the valley?

I live in the high desert driving to vegas. During the winter it can get down to 10-20 degrees on the coldest days, and note normally 30 degrees


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