Air inlet for woodstove

[David Meiland]

We installed a woodstove in an existing building with a concrete slab floor and no way to pipe outside air to the firebox. In such situations, code allows air to be provided to the room the stove is in. This *appears* to be governed here in WA by the Washington State Energy Code although there is related language in the IRC with very similar section numbers. The plan-checker photocopied the following and taped it to the plans (that's what they do in these parts... code cites photocopied and added to your plans wherever they feel it's appropriate). http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=51-51-1006

I installed the air inlet about three feet off the floor, because that's where I felt it looks best (and is out of reach of splash-back from rain landing on the slab outside). The building inspector said no, it has to be at or below the level of the firebox.

1. I think he's mis-reading the code cite above. This is not ducted air. I have exception #2.

2. Even if he's not reading wrong, how would the elevation of the inlet matter? We are talking room pressure vs outside. If the stove (or anything else) causes room

Thoughts?

[Marc]

Confusing language. I wonder if the muni himself really understands it.

Without knowing the language of that 'No. 11-Negative Pressure Test', my best guess is that the muni wants you to go through the trouble of doing the test to confirm that the woodstove and accompanying inlet opening in an exterior wall won't leak more then 28 CFM when the pressure in the house is reduced by 8 pascals.

If its over 28 then you need that barometric damper on the fresh air inlet in the exterior wall.

Marc

[John Kogel]

stick an elbow on it and back away slowly. []

[Tom Raymond]

Wait a minute, to heat a house with wood the code requires you to cut a hole in the wall?

Put an HRV on the opposite side of the house. You'll get distribution and combustion air out of the deal.

[David Meiland]

Reads to me that #1 is an install spec for ducted combustion air, #2 is an alternative to use a factory-certified system that passes a lab test, and then the two exceptions are two additional options.