Random pic thread.

[Noel]

Last minute ride to bama for a jeep for a buddy.

 

[awheelterd]

When I built this house, I went with spray foam for the entire envelope and it’s been fantastic. However, it has one downfall, which is the house is too tight for having a wood burning fireplace, so we have to open a window or two so it draws well and doesn’t smoke up the house. That’s fine for an ambiance fire on a 55 degree night, but sucks when it’s 20 degrees out and you want to be cozy. So I’ve been wanting to add a “make up air” vent of sorts behind our fireplace for years. My theory is that putting a vent in the outside wall behind it will allow the air to come in all around the firebox without pulling cold air through our living space. And it’s on an obscured corner of the house where no one ever goes, but also within the screened porch so there won’t be any bugs. Only problem was the wife thought it would be “unsightly”

Anyway, thanks to the impending icemageddon she finally realized how wise I am and said ok.
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I then realized that we also have lights on the porch and I don’t have to work via headlamp haha!
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Based on construction pics, I was 98% sure where the studs were, but I cut a small hole and felt around just to be sure.
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Dang, 67” instead of 66.5”, close enough!
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Also knew that wire was there so kept the saw shallow. Cutting through masonry board got suckier as the blade dulled, but it got er done with a bit of red glow haha.
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Amazing how much foam volume comes out of this 14x25” space.
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Her “unsightly” looks good to me.

Most importantly…
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First fire we’ve ever had in this house where we didn’t have to open a door or window, the living room is actually warm, and not even a hint of smoke!

She asked me how long ago I bought this grill, I said “I dunno, probably 4-5 years ago”
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Yeah make that over 6 years ago haha. We moved in August 2019 and we have been dealing with drafty cold fires for 6.5 years! So the moral of this story is: if your wife says don’t, do it anyway!

Holy smokes! You need to go back and add back 80% of what you took out . As you know, Im rotting my roof deck via open cell foam as well. Unlike you though, I had a makeup air vent built into the chimney. Its a 3" pipe with a sloppy fitting slide door. After experimenting with it over the past 6yrs, I now only open it halfway to get the fire started and after it gets hot I can close it completely. After the chimney gets hot it draws well enough to get the smoke out with minimal makeup air coming in.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Holy smokes! You need to go back and add back 80% of what you took out . As you know, Im rotting my roof deck via open cell foam as well. Unlike you though, I had a makeup air vent built into the chimney. It’s a 3" pipe with a sloppy fitting slide door. After experimenting with it over the past 6yrs, I now only open it halfway to get the fire started and after it gets hot I can close it completely. After the chimney gets hot it draws well enough to get the smoke out with minimal makeup air coming in.

I’m surprised to hear that. Mine has a 3” makeup pipe too but it’s never been even remotely enough. Is your house on a crawl space, and if so, is it 100% sealed up like my basement is?

 

[awheelterd]

I’m surprised to hear that. Mine has a 3” makeup pipe too but it’s never been even remotely enough. Is your house on a crawl space, and if so, is it 100% sealed up like my basement is?

Yes and yes. Professionally sealed crawlspace. The backside of my chimney is outside so the pipe is only the thickness of the masonry itself. Is your vent the dryer looking hose in the picture?

You sure your wife hasn't had the dryer on when you've been starting fires? I know a guy who took a shower once after starting a fire and absentmindedly turned on the fan.... That guy set off ALL the smoke detectors.