Installed an Empress FI two seasons ago. Found it was a tad noisy for my liking and the heat output was not all that great. ( have a block off plate and flex chimmney liner ). Last season I pulled it out, lined 3 sides and blockoff of the fireplace brick with 4" of fireproof rockwool sheets. Inserted 4" on the sides behind the surround trim plate and intake vents. OAK is from the existing FP ash dump ( no connection to total outside air - just left open as is).
What a differance. Very quiet and the heat output was greately increased. I like the idea of building up positive pressure within the house so I won't sway from that.
Trouble is, I'm fine up to and including level 3 burn. Any higher and I lack sufficient air i.e. lazy flame, pellet pot build up. So I'm thinking of cutting a 3" hole in the direct back of the FP brick hoping that will make up for air intake. I'll still have the quiet factor, should be no heat loss from within the house as the front surround will still have 4" of insulation. I'm going to try this no matter because the initial results were so, so good, I just need more air. BUT ??????????
There are 2 motors. The combustion is using the outside air and is not the blower motor doing the same? So where I was heating semi pre heated air and blowing into the room , I'm now
heating much colder air for the circulator. Just thinking if this is defeating the purpose or negligable.
Had to do it over, I'd get an insert made for an OAK.
ps
easier to cut a vent hole in the brick and damper it as some have run a flex pike for OAK down through the FP ash dump.
any toughts?
What a differance. Very quiet and the heat output was greately increased. I like the idea of building up positive pressure within the house so I won't sway from that.
Trouble is, I'm fine up to and including level 3 burn. Any higher and I lack sufficient air i.e. lazy flame, pellet pot build up. So I'm thinking of cutting a 3" hole in the direct back of the FP brick hoping that will make up for air intake. I'll still have the quiet factor, should be no heat loss from within the house as the front surround will still have 4" of insulation. I'm going to try this no matter because the initial results were so, so good, I just need more air. BUT ??????????
There are 2 motors. The combustion is using the outside air and is not the blower motor doing the same? So where I was heating semi pre heated air and blowing into the room , I'm now
heating much colder air for the circulator. Just thinking if this is defeating the purpose or negligable.
Had to do it over, I'd get an insert made for an OAK.
ps
easier to cut a vent hole in the brick and damper it as some have run a flex pike for OAK down through the FP ash dump.
any toughts?