smokey wood stove advice

[Highland Forestry]

Had a similar problem with mine a few weeks back... it was the throat plate all bent up and distorted with a build up of soot and residue on the upper side... new plate cost me £22 and she's burning a good'un again!

[Jellystock]

Where is the smoke coming in from? the stove itself or through the registration plate?

If its the plate then re-seal it, all sealants break down in time and need re-sealing.

Was it a vigorous sweeping? did you loosen the sealant?

 

Sounds like you aint got enough air feeding the stove. what Kw is the stove?

Big stove in a small room aint good as there wont be enough air to feed it.

 

first thing I'd do after re-sealing is to fit an airbrick as close the stove as possible.

Then I'd fit a spinner on the chimney pot.

It should draw even through a cold chimney.

 

I cant see how wind direction would make a difference, which ever way it blows it still does the same thing. As air passes over the pot its pressure is less than that in the chimney thus sucking the smoke out, bit like the lift of an aeroplane wing.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jellystock.

[County4x4]

I'n not sure how it works but I think wind direction can make a difference in some cases. Probably due to turbulence over the roof tops or something.

 

As far as ventilation goes, I think that all stoves over 5kW should have an airbrick in the room as a matter of course - certainly if they have been installed by a HETAS outfit. Under that output you should have enough from the room.

 

Again, I'd suggest lining the flue - you should get a much better draw on the stove as there'll be a higher exhaust velocity in the stack, plus it will be a little warmer than an open chimney, and therefore and tars etc in the smoke should make it out of the flue rather than condensing inside it.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[welwell]

Thanks peeps. Some sound advice there. Much appreciated.

[welwell]

Oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR

[muldonach]

Before you start lining chimneys etc just have a check that the flue is actually clear - it is not unknown for a piece of clinker to fall off post sweeping and partially obstruct the airway.

 

Did you sweep it yourself or get someone else to do it - we have had problems in the past with sweeps failing to remove all the residue and leaving a partially blocked flue.

 

Also if you have a damper in the flue which is removed for cleaning make sure it is reattached and opening properly.

 

Regards

mac

[Zenfordinner]

I have learnt to never underestimate the amount of ventilation required for our open fire (in an old, draughty cottage), as it quickly becomes apparent if not enough fresh air is available.

 

A few things I have learned about indoor fires etc:

 

Make sure chimney is properly swept- the brush top should extend the top of the chimney.

 

The colder it is outside the better the draw; the hotter the fire, the better the draw.

 

Burning wood consumes more oxygen than one thinks.

 

We put up a taller chimney pot when we relined our chimney to lessen the effects of turblence on the fire. Sometimes, we get a bit of back-draught but usually because fire needs stirring and room needs air.

 

Wood burns better on a bed of ash. (You probably have a solid grate in your stove if not, worth considering filling the gaps. I used shards of fallen roof tiles).

 

[Dean Lofthouse]

We live ontop of a hill and only get back drafts when the back door is opened on a windy day and the living room carpet hovers with the draft coming through the floor boards

[County4x4]

Wood burns better on a bed of ash. (You probably have a solid grate in your stove if not, worth considering filling the gaps. I used shards of fallen roof tiles).

 

 

I just leave off emptying the ash pan so regularly when we're burning wood so it soon has a decent bed built up.

 

Andy

[kipperfeet]

We had that problem in a small stove we had in the tipi over new year. The chimney was well chogged up with black gunk and bellowing smoke in side.

 

Took the chinamans hat off the top and it was an amazing difference.

The draw was 100% better and it burned a treat after that.

 

May be chimney pot change might help?