Air tight house with a fireplace
SparkyLamb
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I plan to build as tight a home as possible. An ERV will supply the house with fresh air. My question is will the ERV be enough for the range hood, dryer, bathroom exhaust? PLUS I plan on installing a large fireplace. I’ve read that a tight house won’t draw and that I will have to open a window which I don’t want to do. No it’s primary job is not to heat the house. I love felling trees, splitting wood, and sitting in front of a large fire. I live in Greenville SC which is Zone 3. Thanks for your help.
Replies
Glass doors.
Your fireplace really should have glass doors and make up air ducts to the outside. Otherwise you risk back drafting the chimney.
We live in Minnesota. Fairly tight house, conventional fireplace. We just crack open a window. If we forget the fireplace reminds us.
You can of course install an air intake vent for the fireplace. There are several ways to do this, including fancy fireplaces with a built-in vent.
fireplace
I was planning on running a 4" steel pipe from the outside into the fire box with a screw cap to use as an air valve on the outside. I believe I read an article that was against this idea. I've even thought about using a larger 6" x 6" square tubing and 90-ing into the bottom of the firebox to use as an air supply and to remove ashes. It would be large enough to get a small shovel in from the outside.
Thanks for your help.
Talk to your mason, to see what he's done in the past and what he's comfortable with.