In the UK we love open fires / stoves as they are part of our heritage and also provide a focal point for a home. However they are not really compatible with our new strives towards energy efficiency. We are sealing up our homes to reduce draughts and this in turn starts to starve the fires of oxygen. The answer? In the UK we have regulations that state that if you have an open fire (solid fuel, gas) you have to have the appropriate ventilation to ensure that it is safe with regards to carbon monoxide etc. All very sensible, but many people only use their fires / stoves occasionally so get left with a great big vent that just pulls in cold air and negates any benefit that having a fire might give.
When the fire is in use, this vent is of course useful in preventing carbon monoxide issues for the occupants, but when not in use (and this tends to be most of the time) is just means draughts come whizzing through. Even if the vent were to be covered when not in use it would still represent a major cold spot for the house. When our reliance on stoves has diminished we are still having to allow for their use by making major structural changes (for the worse) to our homes. Are there any easy solutions? Well, sort of!
Many stoves are now available with a direct external air feed. This is effectively a dedicated air intake for the stove, so any air needed for combustion is brought into the stove direct from the outside. No reliance on internal air at all. They come in a couple of forms. Some bring air down the chimney and use the exhaust to pre-warm the intake air, others are pipes that bring air from a wall close by to the intake. So if you are fitting a new stove we would recommend that you insist on a model that has this dedicated air intake. This then allows you to conform to the regulations and maintain a warm home, even if you are only using the stove occasionally. It makes you wonder why all stoves don't come equipped with this really.
The problem remains for those people who have an older stove. The present answer of smashing a hole in an external wall and putting a plastic vent over the top just means cold air is brought across the room in order to feed into the fire - this really is madness. However a more sensible solution is still fairly simple, if more difficult to fit. Basically it still requires bringing fresh air into the house, but we would recommend bringing an air feed to as close to the fire as possible as this will reduce draughts throughout the house. An external vent (with filter to stop insects etc getting in) should be fitted to a point as close and convenient as possible to the fire. An insulated pipe / tube then needs laid to bring the air to the stove. The end of the tube then needs to be located as close as possible to the stove (side of the chimney breast for instance). A closeable metal vent then needs to be installed over the end of the pipe (a plastic one might melt if close to a stove / fire) so that you can still close it off when the stove is not in use. A bit of a phaff, but much better than a whole in the wall!
This type of solution will give you a better solution that you can control, that complies with the regulations (which is always important in the UK), doesn't just create draughts and cold spots in your home and still allows you to draught proof the rest of your home to a level that will cut your fuel bills.
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