Table of Contents
Advertisement
COMBUSTION AIR
When the furnace and the chimney are completely cold, it may be necessary to provide fresh air by opening a door
or a window for a few minutes while lighting the fire.
Take note that a house constructed or renovated in order to be airtight may lack the amount of fresh air necessary
for the proper combustion of a solid-fuel heating appliance.
In such a case, when starting up the fire, do not operate appliances that evacuate air outside the house, such as:
-
Range hood
-
Air exchanger
-
Clothes dryer
-
Bathroom fan
-
Ventilated central vacuum system
A fresh air supply may be necessary to prevent solid fuel units from rejecting products of combustion into the house.
The indications used to determine if an additional fresh air supply is necessary are not appropriate for all the
situations. When in doubt, it is recommended to install a fresh air supply.
A fresh air supply may be needed if:
-
Solid fuel units present anomalies, such as irregular draft, smoke return, bad combustion, and/or
reversed draft (whether there is combustion or not);
-
Existing solid fuel units such as a stove or fireplace release odours, heat badly, cause smoke returns, or
reversed draft (whether there is combustion or not );
The opening of a window, even slightly, in calm weather (windless), eliminates every problem mentioned
-
above ;
-
The house is equipped with a tight vapour barrier and adjusted windows, and/or is equipped with an
interior air mechanical evacuation device ;
-
There is excessive condensation on the windows in winter; and
The house is equipped with a ventilation system.
-
If, according to these symptoms or other similar ones, there is insufficient combustion air, it is necessary to ensure
an additional combustion air supply.
Additional combustion air can be provided following the following methods, provided that they satisfy chapter 4 of the
CSA B365 standard for Canada:
•
Direct connection: solid fuel units can be connected directly to a source of new combustion air only if they
are certified for this kind of installation, which must respect the manufacturer's instructions. The Caddy
Alterna is approved with a fresh air supply connected directly to the unit.
•
Indirect method: in the case of non-certified solid fuel unit for a direct connection with a source of new
combustion air supply, new air is moved into a pipe located within 300mm (12 inches) or less of the solid
fuel unit, in order to ensure its proper operation ;
•
Mechanical ventilation system: if the house is equipped with a ventilation system (air exchanger or heat
recovery), the ventilation system may provide sufficient auxiliary air to the solid fuel unit. Otherwise, the
owner should be informed that the ventilation system may have to be rebalanced by a ventilation technician
after the installation of the solid fuel unit.
18
Advertisement
Table of Contents
