Inside or Out

[firetech]

I've not been on the board as of late but my oven project is coming close to the start. But I would like some in put from folks already using thier ovens. Why do so many of the ovens go outside and why? What are the disavantages of an oven inside. We have built a pole barn and I would like to place the oven completely inside the barn for year round use and to sell productes for extra income for my early retirement years. There is already a class A stack up and thru the roof,concrete floor (6 inches thick in the area of the oven site)and perminent,electric,water and septic. I'm concernd about heat build up in the summer but I think an exhaust fan would help with that. I would like some feed back before I make a big mistake. Thanks Herb

[Nic The Landscaper]

Re: Inside or Out

The primary reason people on this forum locate them outside is for code, safety and ease of construction reasons. It can be difficult for craftsmen with limited experience to construct these ovens to function well and meet code requirements in doors. Also if your smoke chamber and flue height and diameter ratios are not spot on to the oven size you will smoke up the structure very fast. My last thought on this is that these ovens take up a lot of room.

But if you have the space, the flue, and the skills go for it!

[dmun]

Re: Inside or Out

Here are the three reasons people are hesitant to build ovens inside:

1) Building code
2) Building code
3) Building code

The enforcement of building code is entirely a local matter, so your mileage may vary, but generally speaking, if your oven is inside you have to pull a permit for resale or insurance reasons. There are also big fines if you don't, and get caught. Outdoor ovens generally fall within masonry barbeque regulations, but inside ones have to be built to masonry fireplace codes, including a lot of things like full, below frostline footers, clearance to combustibles, firestopping between floors, make-up air supply, and whatever else your building inspector may dream up on an off day. That's if he lets it go under the existing masonry fireplace code: he may decide it's non-conforming and you may have to get in a structural engineer. He may drag in the fire department. If he gets wind that you have a commercial use in mind, he will most likely get the health department in on the fun. You get the idea.

That said, there are serious limitations to an outdoor oven. You don't always know whether it's going to rain when you plan a party, and there's a good six months of a year when it's not so nice outdoors.