Do you want a fireplace in your home? If so....

Imagine your dream house in Japan that you are thinking of.

Does it have a fireplace or wood stove?

If the answer is YES, you might want to think & plan well ahead.

In Current Japanese building standard law and regulations, the building must meet certain airtightness and heat insulation level. Especially, airtightness is as tight as 24 hours ventilation system is also required.

*24 hours ventilation system performance should be the indoor air will be changed once in 2 hours.

It means, in the building meets the regulation, if you burn fire, oxygen won't be enough. If you were not aware of this, the conscience will be .... you know... life threatening.

You might think that it is just matter of having a chimney.

But if you just put a chimney, it won't meet the airtightness regulation.

It is not easy to build a house followed by laws & regulations as well as having a fireplace or wood burning stove.

BUT there is a way.

We need to get a certain type of chimney and ventilation system.

What you need to do is tell your architect first "I want a fireplace!".

But not afterward, then the plan must be changed drastically.

And before going for the fireplace, check the place of firewood.

So,

whatever you do,

Plan ahead!!