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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Safety question (oxygen)
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Ann
Member
# Posted: 3 Nov 2011 09:49
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If you have a woodstove and a couple of candles burning (things that consume oxygen) in a tiny, well-insulated cabin, is there any danger whatsoever of asphyxiation?

PA_Bound
Member
# Posted: 3 Nov 2011 23:13
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I think you pretty much answered your own question. I believe that any time oxygen is consumed in a "tiny, well-insulated" (a.k.a. tight) cabin you should always assume there is an asphyxiation danger, and probably a CO danger as well. Be sure to take measures to restore the oxygen as it is depleted and remove the CO as well (and keep good batteries in your detectors).

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 4 Nov 2011 10:16 - Edited by: Malamute
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I've had problems in my small log cabin. Have awakened to feeling very stuffy and nauseous a number of times, opened the door and felt better. Finally used the air intake setup on the Blaze King stove. It has a fresh air intake tube that can be connected to a 3" vent duct. I ran it through the floor to the crawl space, it made a world of difference. I never have that choking stuffy feeling any more, even with a hot fire in 20 below weather.

If your wood stove doesnt have the air intake thing incorporated (I belive they were intended for mobile home use), you can run an air intake in and simply have it open next to the intake of your wood stove. You can put a damper on it to close it off when not needed. I wrapped a piece of metal screen wire over the end of mine to keep bugs out.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 4 Nov 2011 10:42
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I am a big fan of the fresh air inlet for a wood stove. It not only brings an element of safety as malamute points out, but my personal experience has been that the stove performs better.

A good working CO monitor is still needed.

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 4 Nov 2011 11:54 - Edited by: TomChum
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Quoting: Ann
in a tiny, well-insulated cabin


A tiny cabin the size of a "dodge van" would not have enough air to support one person breathing AND a fire. Not that I know what size is safe, but 20x24 is considered to be a small cabin nowadays. Agreed that if the cabin is "tight" that the stove should have its own fresh air inlet.

What size is your tiny well-insulated cabin?

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