How does my oven breathe ? Modular Refractory Oven Installation Discuss How does my oven breathe ? in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I have modular oven, I see no air intake for it, and the exhaust, (chimmney opening) is out side the ...

[jukenut]

I have modular oven, I see no air intake for it, and the exhaust, (chimmney opening) is out side the oven door. How does the oven Breathe. A fire needs oxygen, with the door closed I would I susteian a fire ? with door open.
Sorry if a silly question.

Thanks

[Breven]

You fire your oven with the door open. I think the only time you would use your door is after the fire is out, jsut to help keep the heat in and make it last longer (like for baking bread the mornign after you cooked pizza). Of course, the other time would be when your oven is not in use to keep the critters out.

[thebadger]

Breven is right.

The cool air comes in at the bottom of the opening, hits the fire goes to the back then works itself around the dome and out the top to the chimney.

You don't want to put a door on a live fire - ever see the movie backdraft?

I only use my door to keep the heat it after I'm done.

Good luck
Dick

[CajunKnight]

if you intend to smoke with a small fire at low temps you can build a door with a vent near bottom that fits outside before chimney. only small smoldering fire when using like this. you are producing smoke not heat. never put door in place with large fire, remember backdraft as mentioned earlier. never seal completely withy fire burning ever.

[nissanneill]

jukenut,
there is nothing like a silly question, only a silly answer!
All has been said so nothing to add. When you light your fire with the door(s) open, the top half of the opening allows the smoke to escape whilst the fresh air is entering in the bottom.
It looks strange to see the point where both hot/smokey air is escaping and fresh/clean air is entering your oven. Close your doors to extinguish your fire, no oxygen, no fire!

Neill

[Rivernook]

I have no idea what the movie Backdraft is???

But I have once put a decent log in my oven at night, closed the door, opened it next morning to a woof of smoke, then flame going again on a good bed of coals. I basically treated it how I use our slow combustion wood heaters in the house. Is the implication doing this could be damaging or dangerous in a wood oven?

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by Rivernook

Is the implication doing this could be damaging or dangerous in a wood oven?

Yes. When you seal off a compartment (room, building, oven, etc) that has an extremely hot fire, you starve the fire of oxygen and the flames go out (we all know that).

The super heated flammable gasses remain in the sealed compartment. As long as the combustible gasses (fuel) are above the flashpoint temperature, when oxygen is added, they can ignite with exciting and dangerous results. In other words, you open your oven door back up 15 minutes later and WHOOSH!

Do a YouTube search for "Backdraft" there are some exciting videos there!

[thebadger]

Jukenut

Sorry if anyone took my reply the wrong way. Like everyone said you don't want to put a door on a roaring fire.

Sometimes I date myself when I mention movies from the early 90's or even 80's. It was actually a pretty good film about two fireman brothers directed by Ron Howard.

Thanks
Dick

[james]

A good way of learning about how wood ovens work is by reading the FB Wood-Fired Cooking eBook. There is some pretty good theory there -- maybe there should be more. :-)

You can download it (for free) from here:

Wood-Fired Cooking e-Book (pdf) :: eBooks & CD ROMs :: Forno Bravo Store

James