Outdoor Air for VC Encore NC

[Northern NH Mike]

Hello All,

I am considering installing an outdoor air "kit" for my VC Encore NC. I have been running the stove without one for a long time but recently did some reading and YouTubing about OAKs. We live in an 1860s farmhouse that has lots of character and is definitely not "tight" The stove nicely heats the house on weekends and vacation weeks as well as when we lose power. Heat, ambience and even makes a great soup.stew on the cooktop. We gets some frost where the floorboards meet the molding in a few spots and the relative humidity gets real low. I use a fabn on the floor to move some warm up up to the second floor. The run from the back of the stove, through the exterior wall is going to be a straight shot of about four feet. Is it worth the minimal work and materials? Would you add a damper for intake control; those of you with VCs know they can go nuclear? I appreciate the thoughts before I cut a hole in the wall. All the best.

 

[Starbrightsteve]

Hello All,

I am considering installing an outdoor air "kit" for my VC Encore NC. I have been running the stove without one for a long time but recently did some reading and YouTubing about OAKs. We live in an 1860s farmhouse that has lots of character and is definitely not "tight" The stove nicely heats the house on weekends and vacation weeks as well as when we lose power. Heat, ambience and even makes a great soup.stew on the cooktop. We gets some frost where the floorboards meet the molding in a few spots and the relative humidity gets real low. I use a fabn on the floor to move some warm up up to the second floor. The run from the back of the stove, through the exterior wall is going to be a straight shot of about four feet. Is it worth the minimal work and materials? Would you add a damper for intake control; those of you with VCs know they can go nuclear? I appreciate the thoughts before I cut a hole in the wall. All the best.

First, I’d suggest that a damper in the combustion air inlet will not tame an overheated stove if the stoves combustion air controll can’t .
Second, I used to measure air leakage in houses that I worked on. My work involved making houses tighter and better insulated. Most of my work was on old two story farmhouses. My own house was fairly tight, 1600cfm at 50 pascals if that means anything to you. It took a lot of work to make that house tight. It was possible to backdraft the woodstove when the stove was being started from cold. It took the rangehood, a bath exhaust fan and the clothes dryer running. When the stove was burning it could not be backdrafted.
So, if your house is leaky, I think it is a waste of time to provide your woodstove with outside air. Your house is already doing that.
Steve

 

[Northern NH Mike]

First, I’d suggest that a damper in the combustion air inlet will not tame an overheated stove if the stoves combustion air controll can’t .
Second, I used to measure air leakage in houses that I worked on. My work involved making houses tighter and better insulated. Most of my work was on old two story farmhouses. My own house was fairly tight, 1600cfm at 50 pascals if that means anything to you. It took a lot of work to make that house tight. It was possible to backdraft the woodstove when the stove was being started from cold. It took the rangehood, a bath exhaust fan and the clothes dryer running. When the stove was burning it could not be backdrafted.
So, if your house is leaky, I think it is a waste of time to provide your woodstove with outside air. Your house is already doing that.
Steve

Thanks, I appreciate the reply.