wood furnace advice

paul1969f · 10-23-2009, 08:11 PM

hello everyone

im new to this site, an di hope it will be a great one, i have a question for someone, we have just moved fron the uk to canada, and we have a wood furnace in our basement, i hav ebeen told its best to have a window open very slightly to alow air to move is this correct, or am i letting in cold air for no reason

many thanks

paul

tinmanrob · 10-23-2009, 09:07 PM

Welcome to Canada.
Your wood furnace definitely needs an air source.
A permanent ducted combustion air would be the best.

yuri · 10-23-2009, 09:32 PM

The furnace and chimney , especially the chimney needs proper cleaning and inspection by a chimney sweep and the furnace inspected and cleaned. Creosote fires in chimneys have burned down many homes. Where in Canada are you?

paul1969f · 10-23-2009, 10:08 PM

hi

thanks for contacting me, im in nova scotia, the furnace is in the basement, which is half completed, so leaving a window open is a good idea ?

yuri · 10-23-2009, 10:38 PM

The best solution is to have a 6" insulated pipe installed to bring in combustion air for the fire. You would need a 6" hole drilled in your outside wall and the pipe installed near the furnace and dropped down near the floor with a gooseneck trap/like a trap under a sink installed in the pipe. Otherwise you will have a very cold room with the window open and waste a lot of heat and have security issues. Try phone several local furnace or sheet metal shops and ask for what I told you exactly. If they don't know what I said try some others. This is very standard and common practice.

tinmanrob · 10-24-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuri

The best solution is to have a 6" insulated pipe installed to bring in combustion air for the fire. You would need a 6" hole drilled in your outside wall and the pipe installed near the furnace and dropped down near the floor with a gooseneck trap/like a trap under a sink installed in the pipe. Otherwise you will have a very cold room with the window open and waste a lot of heat and have security issues. Try phone several local furnace or sheet metal shops and ask for what I told you exactly. If they don't know what I said try some others. This is very standard and common practice.

Welcome to Canada.
Your wood furnace definitely needs an air source.
A permanent ducted combustion air would be the best.

paul1969f · 10-24-2009, 07:07 AM

hi

ok so the furnace is about 2 feet from my outside wall, so i want to get the straight so i understand, i need to drill a 6 inch hole through the wall, bring this pipe through with some kind of vent guard on the outside, drop the pipe down the wall with a trap shaped at the bottom like one under the sink, ( why a bend like that )

thanks for all the advice

yuri · 10-24-2009, 08:37 AM

The trap/bend slows down the air flow thru the pipe so the wind outside does not blow thru a straight pipe and freeze the furnace room. Air will only flow thru the pipe when there is a negative pressure in the house/fire is on and consuming air. On the outside you use a hood like a dryer vent type except that it should be metal. You can use insulated flex pipe as long as there are NO kinks in it.

paul1969f · 10-24-2009, 10:05 AM

many thanks for that, its nice to understand it all, i will look into getting some pipework, and fittings

thanks again

yuri · 10-24-2009, 10:10 AM

If you want to get the most energy efficiency and are willing to spend some $$ get a motorized damper installed in that pipe:http://www.hoyme.com/

paul1969f · 10-24-2009, 10:12 AM

sorry forgot to ask, after the pipe comes down the inside wall to a bend near the floor, whats the best distance to have , does tis need to be really close to the main furance door ?

thanks
paul

yuri · 10-24-2009, 10:17 AM

Within a foot or two would be good, use a vent hood outside without a damper(not a dryer hood). You may find a natural draft and cold furnace room even with the bend in the pipe. The motorized damper only lets air in when the furnace calls for heat, assuming it has a thermostat. Some people don't mind the draft, I hated it when I had one in my previous house.

paul1969f · 10-24-2009, 10:28 AM

that sounds a very idea, can these be brought in home diy centers

yuri · 10-24-2009, 10:42 AM

No. Try e-mail them and maybe they sell direct. Otherwise you need to find a heating parts wholesaler like Emco/Wholesale Heating. They need a bit of electrical wiring but a smart guy can follow the directions and hook it up. The thermostat energizes the damper. The damper has a end switch/relay which activates the furnace. All low voltage 24 volt wiring which you can get at HDepot.

Here you go:http://www.hoyme.com/NS.page

paul1969f · 10-24-2009, 10:52 AM

would this work

http://www.smarthome.com/307107C/6-I...y-ZC106/p.aspx