[TheForge] forge flues

[Peter Hirst]

One more thought if you can stand it.  Something to watch out for: 
"positive ventilation".  I had a fire and health inspector come by recently 
who asked me if my forge was positively (power) vented (it isnt).   There is 
no specific standard in this jusridiction for forges (as there is for coal 
stoves, wood stoves and everything else), and the concern was that the flue 
gases  are NOT HOT ENOUGH to draw well.  Just like over a stove or gas grill 
in a commercial kitchen, the heat from an open fire mixes with a lot of 
ambient air on its way toward the hood, and  is not very hot at all as it 
travels up the flue.  That's why commercial kitchen hoods are POWERFULLY 
positive vented.  With a coal forge,   this usually means that significant 
smoke escapes the hood and the least back pressure stops the draft 
altogether.  How many of us with coal forges have shops as smokeless as a 
commercial kitchen?  Or as any room with a properly vented wood stove? 
Anybody?  I didn't think so.

So I would soft pedal the idea that the flue gases don't get very hot.  This 
could work against you and lead your inspector to conclude that the forge 
should have a high powered exhaust fan.  Which it probably should, but why 
press it?

pgh




 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "john ortery" <bluestoneforge at gmail.com>
To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 7:36 PM
Subject: [TheForge] forge flues


> Thanks guys,This seems to be the thought all around.  Most of the people I
> talked to seem to think that as long as you have double wall pipe at the
> exit point and are insulated from any combustible material all should be
> well.
> Thanks again Allen Ortery
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