Airtight Homes Need a Smart Wood Fire

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How do you supply combustion air for a wood fire in an airtight home? Ethos Woodfires has the answer.

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Ethos Woodfires

As building trends change in New Zealand, more and more people are looking into the benefits of airtight homes. Modern buildings that meet the European Passivhaus Standard have a range of advantages, especially when it comes to the energy saving and effectiveness of the heating solution. However there are some new challenges to overcome, like how to provide combustion air to a wood fire from an air tight home.

Fire needs air to live, so what happens when a traditional wood burner is installed in a modern airtight home? A large amount of the combustion air is drawn from inside the home and cannot be replaced due to the passive nature of the building. This creates a negative air pressure which greatly effects the performance of your wood fire.

If you can't provide your fire with a constant supply of oxygen, it stops working. We have heard stories of home owners opening their windows in the middle of winter, just to keep the fire going. Or of another family who's huge, glowing wood burner would go out every time they turned on the range hood. So what's the answer? Ethos Woodfires EconAir induction flue system works wonders in airtight homes.

Ethos Woodfires EconAir Induction flue system consists of two flue pipes which extend from the firebox all the way above the roof line. This flue is bi-directional, and draws all its combustion air from outside via the flue outer layer. You can maintain the integrity of your airtight home and meet the Passivhaus Standards, while still enjoying the benefits of a roaring wood fire thanks to Ethos.

The patented Ethos system has numerous other advantages:

Eliminates cold drafts in the home
The bi-directional airflow makes lighting an Ethos easy. No need to leave the door open while the wood ignites. Set the fire and close the door.
Incoming air is pre-heated by the exhaust gases to over 300°C creating greater combustion, higher efficiency and reduced emissions
No backpressure and quieter operation in windy areas
The fire burns brightly, for greater ambience