Comments on: Outdoor Fireplaces http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/blog/2008/07/outdoor-fireplaces/ Home Design Tips and Advice from an Architect Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:31:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/blog/2008/07/outdoor-fireplaces/comment-page-1/#comment-4179 Bill Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:39:05 +0000 http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/blog/?p=28#comment-4179 Marc - With a properly designed fireplace and chimney, you shouldn't need a draft-inducing fan. The chimney needs to be high enough or it won't work properly. The way it works is the hot air from the fire rises (hot air rises and cold air falls) and it travels up the chimney. As it does this, more air is drawn into the fireplace to replace the hot air that has left. This air is then heated and it rises, thus repeating the process. This is called a convective loop. The taller the chimney, the more powerful the air flow will be and the fireplace will draw better. Be sure that your chimney is at least three feet above the surrounding roof and at least two feet above any roof or structure within ten feet of it. If the roof shapes cause the wind to swirl and create a downdraft, make the chimney a few feet higher. One other tip: When you start your fire, warm the air in the flue first to start the air rising. You can do this by rolling up a piece of newspaper, lighting one end like a torch, and then holding the lit end just beneath the damper. If you don't do this, sometimes the cool air in the flue will act as a stopper, keeping the smoke from rising until it warms up. This will cause a bit of smoke to get into the room or porch and the room will smell smokey. Marc – With a properly designed fireplace and chimney, you shouldn’t need a draft-inducing fan. The chimney needs to be high enough or it won’t work properly. The way it works is the hot air from the fire rises (hot air rises and cold air falls) and it travels up the chimney. As it does this, more air is drawn into the fireplace to replace the hot air that has left. This air is then heated and it rises, thus repeating the process. This is called a convective loop. The taller the chimney, the more powerful the air flow will be and the fireplace will draw better.

Be sure that your chimney is at least three feet above the surrounding roof and at least two feet above any roof or structure within ten feet of it. If the roof shapes cause the wind to swirl and create a downdraft, make the chimney a few feet higher.

One other tip: When you start your fire, warm the air in the flue first to start the air rising. You can do this by rolling up a piece of newspaper, lighting one end like a torch, and then holding the lit end just beneath the damper. If you don’t do this, sometimes the cool air in the flue will act as a stopper, keeping the smoke from rising until it warms up. This will cause a bit of smoke to get into the room or porch and the room will smell smokey.

]]> By: Marc http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/blog/2008/07/outdoor-fireplaces/comment-page-1/#comment-4177 Marc Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:27:06 +0000 http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/blog/?p=28#comment-4177 Hi Bill, great tip on the masonry insert. I'm planning a wood burning fireplace on my porch. The biggest concern I have is smoke backing up out of the fire place and into the porch living area. Can you recommend a fan or blower system that will provide constant draft. The unit I saw was $1,200.....seems steep for a fan. Thanks, Marc Hi Bill, great tip on the masonry insert. I’m planning a wood burning fireplace on my porch. The biggest concern I have is smoke backing up out of the fire place and into the porch living area. Can you recommend a fan or blower system that will provide constant draft. The unit I saw was $1,200…..seems steep for a fan.

Thanks,

Marc

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