Wood stove radon reduction system

Abstract

A combination of a wood stove and radon collecting system. A radon collection tube located in the basement of a building is connected via conduit leading into the combustion chamber of the stove. Burning wood within the combustion chamber is operable to normally cause radon within the building to flow into the radon collection tube, through the combustion chamber and then out through an exhaust tube. In the absence of burning wood, a lighted candle is placed in the combustion chamber tube to cause the radon within the radon collection tube to flow into the combustion chamber and then out through the exhaust tube.

1 . A stove for reducing radon gas in a building both when the stove is in a first condition heating the building and in a second condition not heating the building comprising:
 a stove main body located in a building and having a combustion chamber and an opening leading into said chamber;   a door mounted to said stove main body and movable from a first position uncovering said opening to a second position extending across said opening;   a radon collecting tube mounted to said stove main body and having a proximal end opening into said chamber and a distal end opening into the building;   a burning wood located in said chamber when the stove is in a first condition heating the building and gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said tube into said chamber; and,   a burning candle located in said chamber when the stove is in a second condition not heating the building to heat gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said tube into said chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The stove of  claim 1  wherein the building has a basement and wherein:
 said radon collecting tube extends from the basement; and further comprising:   a fan;   a radon expelling tube extending from the stove main body to external of the building; and,   a fresh air conduit leading from external of the building into said basement with said fan forcing outside fresh air through said fresh air conduit into the basement providing external air into the building and replenishment of air with radon expelled from the building through said radon expelling tube.   
   
   
       3 . The stove of  claim 2  wherein:
 said radon collecting tube extends between said door and said stove main body into said opening when said door is in said second position extending across said opening.   
   
   
       4 . The stove of  claim 3  wherein:
 said door is spaced apart from said stove main body when in said second position forming gaps leading to said opening; and further comprising:   metal strips mounted to said stove main body at said opening and extending over said gaps when said door is in said second position to limit flow of air through said gaps.   
   
   
       5 . A stove for reducing radon gas both when in a heating condition with burning wood therein and in a non-heating condition with a burning candle therein comprising:
 a stove main body forming a combustion chamber with an opening;   a stove door mounted to said stove main body adjacent said opening and movable from a first position whereat said door is away from said opening so wood or a candle may be inserted through said opening into said combustion chamber to a second position extending across said opening;   an air spout mounted to said stove main body at said opening, said air spout having an open proximal end extending into said chamber and a distal end;   a first conduit connected to said distal end of said air spout and extending away therefrom to collect radon gas, said first conduit having a proximal end opening via said air spout into said chamber and a distal end opening into said building wherein gas within said chamber is hotter than gas within said first conduit to draw radon gas from said first conduit into said chamber both when the chamber has burning wood therein to heat the building and gas within said chamber and when only a burning candle is located therein to only heat the gas within said chamber while not heating the building.   
   
   
       6 . The stove of  claim 5  and further comprising:
 a second conduit extending from said first conduit; and,   a controllable valve associated with said first conduit and said second conduit to direct gas flow through said first conduit and said second conduit.   
   
   
       7 . A stove for reducing radon gas in a building both when the stove is in a heating condition with wood burning therein and a non-heating condition with a lit candle therein comprising:
 a stove main body for heating a building and having a combustion chamber and an opening leading into said chamber;   a door mounted to said main body and movable from a first position uncovering said opening to a second position extending across said opening;   a radon collecting tube removably mounted to said stove at said opening and having a proximal end opening into said chamber at said opening and a distal end opening into said building, said tube being sized to position said door at said second position whereat said door extends over said opening but is spaced partially away from said stove main body forming gaps therebetween and wherein said door and said stove form a recess into which said tube extends;   a burning wood located in said chamber when the stove is in a heating condition heating the building and gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said tube into said chamber;   a burning candle located in said chamber when the stove is in a non-heating condition not heating the building but heating gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said tube into said chamber, and,   magnets for removably holding said tube at said opening.   
   
   
       8 . A method of reducing radon in a building comprising the steps of:
 providing a stove having a combustion chamber for burning wood with an opening leading into said chamber, a door movable from a first position whereat said door uncovers said opening to a second position extending across said opening, a radon collecting tube having a proximal end opening into said chamber and a distal end opening into said building, and an exhaust tube leading from said chamber to external of said building to exhaust gas within said chamber to external of said building;   moving said door to said first position;   placing wood through said opening into said chamber;   lighting said wood located in said chamber heating the building and gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said radon collecting tube into said chamber;   moving said door to said second position;   allowing any wood within said chamber to cool to a non-heating condition;   moving said door to said first position;   placing a candle through said opening into said chamber when said chamber is cool and void of wood;   lighting said candle within said chamber to heat gas within said chamber to draw radon gas from said tube into said chamber; and,   moving said door to said second position.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  and comprising the additional step of:
 exhausting gas including radon from within said combustion chamber via an exhaust tube to external of said building both when said wood is burning therein and when said candle is lit.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  and comprising the additional step of:
 forcing air from external of said building into said building to replace gas exhausted from said building via said exhaust tube.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein:
 said forcing step includes the sub-step of activating a fan to force air external of said building into said building.