We have a built in 'Coonara' woodheater. You can always feel a draft which I believe is the air, coming through the room from windows or doors, that feeds the fire and ultimately goes up the chimney. I have heard that you can install a vent in the floor in front of the heater (we have stumps, bearers and joists) to let air go straight to the fire rather than through and doors/windows. Has anyone done this?
Draught created by fireplace
- Thread starter Graingrower
- Start date
Not specifically, but have put in a lot of ducting to get rid of rangehood fumes/industrial gases etc - can't see too much difference. All you really need to consider is water pooling inside the duct if at ground level (if at ground level, raise the ducting above ground level outside the house then weatherproof it), plus making it verminproof with some mesh or something.
The thing is though that making a new duct isn't going to solve the problem 100%, because air will still be getting sucked under doors/through windows etc at the same time as through the duct (the fireplace itself is negatively pressurizing your room) - imo the only way to get rid of the issue is to use a small fan within the duct to push air into the fireplace, with the duct outlet itself being under the fire to the rear of the chimney (or you'll flood the area with outside temperature air and soot) to thereby make the room air pressure neutral, not blow soot/embers into the house, yet still benefit from radiating heat etc.
Does that make sense or am I talking crazy?
The thing is though that making a new duct isn't going to solve the problem 100%, because air will still be getting sucked under doors/through windows etc at the same time as through the duct (the fireplace itself is negatively pressurizing your room) - imo the only way to get rid of the issue is to use a small fan within the duct to push air into the fireplace, with the duct outlet itself being under the fire to the rear of the chimney (or you'll flood the area with outside temperature air and soot) to thereby make the room air pressure neutral, not blow soot/embers into the house, yet still benefit from radiating heat etc.
Does that make sense or am I talking crazy?
Hi Grainy
Try sealing between the heater and the chiminy with silicone.
It must be airtight. When you belive it is sealed, you can run a cigerete lighter around the edge, the flame will be drawn into the fireplace if anywhere it is not sealed properly.
This may or maynot help.
I have a heat charm in a fireplace. I could not fit a flue because of a dificult chiminy.
I bunged the heater in 20 years ago, got told by the local barman/plumber to seal with silicone. Must be sealed right arount the heater!!
Ed
Try sealing between the heater and the chiminy with silicone.
It must be airtight. When you belive it is sealed, you can run a cigerete lighter around the edge, the flame will be drawn into the fireplace if anywhere it is not sealed properly.
This may or maynot help.
I have a heat charm in a fireplace. I could not fit a flue because of a dificult chiminy.
I bunged the heater in 20 years ago, got told by the local barman/plumber to seal with silicone. Must be sealed right arount the heater!!
Ed
Makes sense to me. I think that these woodheaters should have a sealed off air supply that comes from outside, it seems a bit of an oversight to me. Like you say the heater creates a negative air pressure in the house. If the air that feeds the fire came purely from outside then then the heater would create a positive pressure in the house, (hot air = higher pressure) and keep all the draughts out. Just discovered "Crazy Business Idea No. 3"
