The last thing you want on your patio baking genuine Italian pizza is smoke filling out the air. The culprit? The lack of the right flue.
Venting your pizza oven with a chimney is as equally important as venting your home chimney. The fumes are kept out of the way, and your oven burns evenly and efficiently. And most importantly, your pizza is never tainted.
So, we’ve established that the chimney is pivotal for your pizza oven, but there is still a missing piece that can make a huge difference. We’re talking about the flue pipe!
This guide discusses how you can select the right flue and properly install it. Stay tuned!
What Pizza Oven Flue Do You Need?
Your pizza oven needs a flue for various reasons, which we will discuss later. Now, let’s focus on what flue you need to upgrade your oven.
The type of flue you need for your oven should be the one that ensures the air inside remains warmer than the air outside. The temperature difference matters because it causes the flue to rise, creating the draw for proper ventilation.
So, the hotter the air inside the flue, the stronger the draw will be—this means better efficiency and safety. That’s why a twin-wall flue is a well-insulated option designed to maintain higher internal temperatures. A twin-wall pizza oven flue is an excellent choice for a furnace fueled by gas and wood.
DIY a Twin Wall Flue Project for Your Pizza Oven
Do You Need a Pizza Oven Flue Extension?
Whether you need an extension will depend on the location of your pizza oven. If it is installed indoors, then a pizza oven flue extension will be highly recommended. If outdoors, an extension would be advisable in a tight place or in a place like a gazebo or patio.
A flue extension is installed to improve the safety of your oven. What it does is extend the flue in order to allow sufficient air circulation and the draft of cool air that pushes out the hot air with smoke. In short, a pizza oven flue extension boosts your oven’s performance – hence, it shortens the time required to bake your pizza.
Moreover, since the extension promotes air circulation, it protects your food from smoke, thus improving combustion efficiency and lowering the chance of your pizza tasting smokey.
How to Install a Pizza Oven Flue
To install a pizza oven flue, you may need our twin wall flue kit – a fully customizable kit that includes all the components you need to install:
- 1 x Wall Support 50 - 75mm
- 2 x Straight length 1000mm with locking band
- 1 x Telescopic wall sleeve 175 - 330mm
- 1 x 45º TEE with 2 locking bands and cap
- 2 x 45° Oval Trim Collar
- 1 x 45º elbow with locking band
- 1 x Base support 50 -150mm (flue to wall)
- 1 x Rain cap
You can provide us with measurements and wait for the shipment to arrive at your doorstep. Note that if your pizza oven is not in close proximity to combustible materials, you opt for a single wall flue sized either 6 inches or 5 inches – both include all the necessary parts and are suitable for multifuel stoves. Nonetheless, be sure to read the manual from the pizza oven producer to check the right size of the wall flue first.
Once you’ve got the equipment and parts ready, it is time to upgrade your oven. Here is what you need to do:
- Prepare the hole for the flue: Your pizza oven may be working, but it needs a spot of the right size where the flue will be installed. You may need a fixing plate where the flue will fit tightly.
- Use Adapters: This step is optional. If you need to transition your oven from a single to a twin wall flue, you will need to install an appropriate adapter.
- Assemble the flue: Take the parts from the kit and connect the flue sections, securing each section with locking bands. It’s easier to start from the collar and work upward. Ensure each part fits snugly.
- Install the Rain Cap: Attach the rain cap to the top of the flue with a fixing ring to prevent water ingress. In some cases, it may be easier to install a rain cap before placing the flue in the oven.
- Seal Joints: Apply high-temperature sealant to all joints to ensure there are no leaks.
- Test the Installation: Light a small fire in the oven to check the draw and ensure smoke exits properly through the flue.
Need Help? Consult Our Technical!
Why Get a Flue for a Pizza Oven?
There are a few reasons why you may need a flue for your pizza oven:
- Boost oven’s efficiency: The obvious reason why your pizza oven needs a flue is because it doesn’t maintain the temperature or it burns too much too quickly.
- Keep your foot tasty: A flue protects your food from all the nasty fumes and smoke from spoiling your dinner.
- Improves ventilation: With a flue for your pizza oven, cool air can be drawn in to feed the flames, and hot air and smoke can be blown outdoors.
- Increases safety: A pizza oven flue was not only designed to bake your pizza perfectly crispy, but its other goal is to keep your family safe. It does it by preventing the toxic fumes from accumulating.
- Extends oven longevity: A flue provides safety for your family and shields your oven from damage resulting from poor ventilation.
- Even heat distribution: A pizza oven flue improves combustion efficiency, thus providing better burning and even heat.
Is Pizza Oven Any Different from Traditional Chimney?
Although a pizza oven works in a similar way to a traditional stove, there is a slight difference. The flames in the oven raise the temperature while the cool air outside causes an imbalance in pressure, known as the “draw.”
A chimney, on the other hand, directs the hot air and smoke upward through the flue. Unlike in the oven, the air is prevented from being trapped inside and is pushed upwards to the outside. The cool air can then enter from the front and feed the fire.
Why Does My Pizza Oven Oversmoke?
Having your oven spit smoke at you while you’re cooking is unpleasant, to say the least. Let’s imagine you already have a flue attached, so there is another reason for that to happen. As a matter of fact, two things can cause your oven to overstock: the downdraught and fuel type.
Type of Fuel
The type of fuel you’re burning is as important as its condition. You need wood for your pizza oven, but it has to be dry with a moisture content below 20%. If you keep your logs unprotected, it’s natural for them to absorb moisture. However, moist wood burns slower and creates smoke.
Another type of wood fuel you should avoid is softwoods – they burn slowly and create smoke similar to wet logs. Instead, invest in quality dry wood for your pizza.
Downdraught
If fuel type is not a problem, then you might be dealing with the downdraught. Your pizza oven may be constructed on the spot where the wind or air pressure is coming down the flue. If your oven is portable, try moving it to a different place and seeing whether it will work.
If not, you will need a pizza oven flue extension or a draft booster chimney fan – either of the components should prevent the cool air from flowing directly down the flue.
Chimney Extension
Draft Booster Black
While an extension is a cheaper solution, in some cases, it may not fix the downdraught problem. A draft booster fan is an investment that you can rely on – it handles temperatures of up to 250°C and ensures any oven or stove can be lit without a hassle. In addition, it is easy to install, not to mention how easy it is to maintain the draft booster fan.
Final Thoughts
Installing the right flue for your pizza oven is crucial for enhancing its performance, safety, and longevity.
A properly vented pizza oven ensures efficient burning and even heat distribution and keeps smoke and fumes away from food – exactly what you need to bake crispy yet delicious Italian pizza.
Whether you're setting up your oven indoors or outdoors, choosing the appropriate flue and installing it correctly will make a significant difference. At Flue Pipes, we help homeowners DIY their projects without breaking the bank by hiring someone.
Many DIY enthusiasts purchase our flues and other components because of how easy it is to cut the excess, assemble the parts, and install them by yourself. You don’t have to be a pro when it comes to flue pipes – and if you do get stuck, our experts will be happy to help you!
Buy flue for your pizza oven at Flue Pipes – invest in quality materials and benefit from great customer support and lifelong warranty. Enjoy perfectly baked pizzas without the hassle of smoke or uneven cooking.
