seeking advice on Improving masonry fireplace
This fireplace was built in the early 70's. Has an 8x12 clay tile flue, a large ash pit with exterior clean out door, the hearth is ~9 inch thick concrete. It's placed on an exterior wall with most of the sides of the firebox outside.
My family enjoy the open fire , smores, and environment it creates and won't accept an insert.I've been trying to improve the heat we get from it, or at least reduce heat loss...
One challenge apparent to me is the lack of exterior combustion air. If we attempt to operate this fireplace without nearby door cracked it will pull smoke down our furnace/hot water heating and smoke up the basement.This means a cold draft into the room from nearby door.I've combated this to a degree with propping open the ash dump, but this strikes me as "bad" for a few reasons.(coals get down in ash pit, placement of the ash pit opening is right where fire should be, air from ash pit blows towards the opening and can cause smoke in the room)I'm thinking about how I may retro in exterior air supply, saw a few examples here and other places of Air-a-lator or other hatched intake in the center front of the hearth. I worry in my case though about compromising the hearth if i attempt to drill one in.I'm considering more favorably adding air intake on the side, maybe both sides to have even flow.
I added vertical rack and backplate to try to get more heat out in the room, but I'd also like to go further with some kind of air exchange. I've looked at some of the pipe gates. Have my eye on airculator, which i think might be better as I could possibly go with ceramic glass in future which could work with that.
so, questions...1: what's the easiest way to get better combustion air in. down through the hearth? out through the side(s)? how big a supply for this 8x12 flue.2: how can i get some more heat exchanged into the home? is airculator good? alternatives?
