Why Your Wood Heater Might Be Gasping for Air (And What to Do About It)

AKA: What the heck is an Outside Air Kit and why should you care?

If you’ve ever fired up the wood heater and felt a chilly draft sneak under the door, or noticed smoke creeping back into the room when you open the firebox — your heater might be doing its job too well.
But don’t worry, it’s not broken. It’s just hungry for air.

Let’s break it down.

Wood Heaters Need Air – And Not Just the Warm, Fuzzy Kind

Your wood heater burns wood. To do that, it needs oxygen. In older homes, there were enough gaps and drafts for that air to sneak in without you noticing.
But modern homes? They’re sealed up tighter than your uncle’s wallet. Which means your heater is pulling air from somewhere — under the doors, down the hallway, or even through the gaps in your windows. And that can cause a few issues:

• Struggling to get the fire going
• Smoke rolling out into the room when you open the door
• Exhaust fans making things worse by sucking air (and smoke) backwards
• That weird cold breeze around your ankles while you're trying to stay warm

Sound familiar? Then it might be time for an Outside Air Kit.

So, What Is an Outside Air Kit (OAK)?

Think of it like a dedicated snack tunnel for your heater.
Instead of pulling air from inside your home, an Outside Air Kit gives your wood heater a direct line to fresh air from outdoors. This means:

• Cleaner burns
• Better performance
• No smoky surprises
• No more drafts dragging icy air across the lounge room

Do You Really Need One?

Honestly? If you’re in a newer or well-sealed home — yes, you probably do. But there are a few other dead giveaways too:

• You’ve got range hoods or exhaust fans running while the fire’s on
• Your heater struggles to draw properly or feels sluggish
• Smoke leaks out when you open the door
• You’ve got a multi-storey home, and airflow feels all over the place

An OAK fixes all of the above by balancing the pressure and giving your fire what it needs — a proper air supply from outside.

What About Safety?

Top priority, always. A properly installed Outside Air Kit not only improves performance, it reduces the chance of smoke spillage or backdrafts caused by negative pressure in your home.
Just make sure it’s fitted by someone who knows what they’re doing (cough cough – us).

The Takeaway?

If your heater’s not quite behaving, or your cosy nights by the fire come with a side of smoke and suspicion — it’s worth looking into an Outside Air Kit.

They’re not expensive. They’re not complicated. But they do make a big difference to the comfort, efficiency, and safety of your wood heater setup.

Got questions? Pop into Mowerland & Heating. We’ll talk you through it without the fluff — and maybe even show you a few tricks while we’re at it.

Stay warm out there.