outside air kit

[mwolfie]

can someone tell me if i need a outside air kit to hook up my pellet stove.I don,t know if it is to get fresh air into the house or to make the stove burn better

thanks
mike

 

[coreystaf]

This is a topic of much debate, unless you're in a mobile home, then you must use it, according to HUD regs. If your house is extrememly tight your stove may not burn well without the outside air kit, but if its not, some people say that your house needs to breathe naturally so don't worry too much about using it. Out of hundreds of pellet stove insallations, I have only a handfull of stoves with outside air kits. I've never had someone without one request one for any reason.

 

[AlaskaCub]

I just got done installing a P68 in my home and found out quite quickly that I needed an outside fresh air kit. My home is sealed tighter than a popcorn fart and the stove was acting crazy without opening a door or window, lots of smoke in view on light up. I just got done letting it run for about an hour with the fresh air kit and it worked soo much better. Knowing what I know about home construction ( fireman) I'd say its probably not neccessary if your house is drafty (older construction) but with the new 5 star type energy rated homes I'd almost say its a must.

 

[Czech]

Get on it Pook! MW, as mentioned, much material here, do a search of the site. That said, go with oak imho.

 

[AlaskaCub]

I just got done installing a P68 in my home and found out quite quickly that I needed an outside fresh air kit. My home is sealed tighter than a popcorn fart and the stove was acting crazy without opening a door or window, lots of smoke in view on light up. I just got done letting it run for about an hour with the fresh air kit and it worked soo much better. Knowing what I know about home construction ( fireman) I'd say its probably not neccessary if your house is drafty (older construction) but with the new 5 star type energy rated homes I'd almost say its a must.

got an HRV? if house is too tight to allow pstove to burn well=u aint got enough fresh air within to breathe, per EPA . best reason to not have an OAK is that the house is too tight. it aint a woodstove, its a powervented pstove which induces exterior air inflow into house

Yes we have an HRV. It created havoc when we had the wood stove in here instead of the current pellet stove I ust installed, you had to make sure everything that creates a negative draft was turned off (ie hood exhaust for stove, dryer, and HRV). The house would fill up with smoke on start up and shutdown if you didn't.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

This is a Ford vs. Chevy argument here.

After much research and conversation with HVAC Professionals, I have to submit and say to install an Outside Air Kit (God I hate say OAK). Try to keep it neat cause that extra hose looks BUTT UGLY. Please remember you will get condensation from the outside air kit somewhere in the system.

Eric

 

[AlaskaCub]

i thought HRV brought in air as much as it blew out so it shouldnt create negative pressure in house?

It is supposed to do that but most folks up here dont run the HRV all the time. The thing is that with our extreme cold up here I dont run the HRV that much , otherwise I am constantly bringinging in extremely cold air that is mixing with my inside warm air thats being sucked out of the house , it makes it pretty cold in here. Also with high electric bills since they have been adding an ever increasing fuel surcharge to our electric bill for the last year, the last thing I want is the HRV running 24/7. I have an 11 year old that cant sit still, we get plenty of fresh air in the house as he opens and closes every outside door 50 times a day!...grin