oil/wood

[Kevin McMahon]

Is it permisible to have oil and wood burning appliances use a common chimney flue? Or is it more of a AHJ specific?

I have not found anything in our state regs stating that it's not allowed, but an insurance company not allowing it.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Kevin McMahon

Is it permisible to have oil and wood burning appliances use a common chimney flue? Or is it more of a AHJ specific?

I have not found anything in our state regs stating that it's not allowed, but an insurance company not allowing it.

Well, it's a bad idea. The flue for the wood burning appliance will almost certainly need to be quite a bit larger than the flue for the oil appliance. At that size, there's a good chance that the oil appliance won't draw well. The gases could flow back into the wood burner and into the indoor air.

Check out NFPA 211 "Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances."

Section 6-7.12 A connector serving a gas or oil appliance shall not be connected to a chimney flue serving a factory built fireplace.

Exception: Where the gas or oil appliance is listed for such installation and is installed in accordanc with the listing.

Section 6-7.13 A connector serving a gas or oil appliance shall be permitted to be connected to a masonry fireplace flue, provided the fireplace opening is sealed or the chimney flue that vents the fireplace is permanently sealed below the connection.

Exception: Listed gas or oil appliances shall be installed in accordance with the listing.

Section 6-8.2 Unless listed for such connection, solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be connected to a chimney flue serving another appliance.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Chad Fabry]

There are several manufacturers of boilers that are fueled by oil burners and wood burners. they're rated for indoor use and acknowledge that the same flue will be used for both fuels.

Just the same, I'd clean the chimney twice a season to be safe.

http://www.woodboilers.com/home-heating-systems.asp

[Bill Kibbel]

Chad, I see quite a few of them here but they are considered a single appliance. As Jim's quote states, and from other sources, it is prohibited to connect any other appliance to a vent or chimney flue serving a solid-fuel-burning appliance.

At least three times a week I see a retrofit oil fired system that has the flue connector tapped into an existing, active fireplace flue.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Yeah,

My Dad had one in the last house he had. It was a Buderus. Made in Germany. Once helluva beautiful piece of work. He could stoke it with coal or wood on Monday, it would burn down by Thursday and then the oil burner would kick on and heat the home until he re-stoked it.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike