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Old 02-24-09, 07:53 AM   #1
Xringer
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Default oil burner air source mod

I have a forced baseboard hot water by oil heating system. (also can burn solid fuel).



When the burner starts up, it's sucking in the 55 deg air from my basement floor and sending up the stack.

Where does my house get it's fresh replacement air? In the dead of winter,
there is nothing really left open to allow outside air to come in.

My guess is, cold air is getting in from any poor sealing job in the windows, doors, attic stair pull-down & etc.

In other words, I have no control over where this outside air is coming from!

I want to take control of the air input. I don't want cold air coming in from the bathroom window.

My plan is to install a large PVC pipe to bring in cold outside air, right up
next to the left side of the oil burner. An air valve will open when the burner is running and the cold air will be sucked in by the burner.

In theory, the air-pipe should almost eliminate negative air pressure inside the house.
Eliminating cold air leaking into the heated areas!

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This would be a cheap DIY job and it seems like it might save a lot of BTUs over the heating season, so what's the downside?

Comments please:


Cheers,
Rich

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