Avoiding a smokeout

[aurelius wood]

By God spudulike, I can see where your neighbour's coming from!

My flue is powder coated black so if I do the same, maybe it'll be less dalek and more vadar. Given recent events, I'm not sure how much faith we should have in German emission claims either!

Those advising newspaper are missing the point a bit, making smoke beneath a flue that won't draw it away is the issue, and would leave my living room looking like the Iranian embassy following a cold call from the SAS.

I've tried the tea light method tonight, (for 15 mins, not the suggested hour) and all went very well but as mentioned, it was fairly random so I'll continue with that method and report back.

[Vespasian]

after reading some of the suggestions on here I thought I'd give my old rayburn another go..

didn't do anything to it just seen if it would work as it sometimes does..

 

lit a bit of cardboard in the fire, threw on a bunch of kindling, two minutes later couldn't see a thing for smoke....

back in the middle room with the open fire when the smoke cleared...

 

Seems like I need a new set up.....

[scbk]

Talking of firelighters/newspapers, the owner/my boss gave me a right slagging off spending petty cash on firelighters and newspapers to light the fires in the big house. Apparently only women use firelighters. And newspapers you can scrounge from other tenants.

 

Turns out you can find loads of newspapers by the roadside. Once a fortnight. Just get there before the council lorry!

 

 

 

(I also light fires in the big house)

[Marko]

If this was the case then the ventilation required for a fuel burning stove of any kind couldn't have been adequate. I had some friends who had double glazing installed and were quite impressed that if they closed the front room door then the wood stove used to visibly start to go out; they were completely unaware that some thing like this could possibly be a killer.

They soon had a couple of air brick ventilators put in.

 

Fire was Hetas installed. The problem is that the extractor is a big commercial cooker hood over a big range cooker. If you switch it on full it will shut all the doors in the house. Sounds obvious now but it took a long time for the penny to drop.

[cornish wood burner]

after reading some of the suggestions on here I thought I'd give my old rayburn another go..

didn't do anything to it just seen if it would work as it sometimes does..

 

lit a bit of cardboard in the fire, threw on a bunch of kindling, two minutes later couldn't see a thing for smoke....

back in the middle room with the open fire when the smoke cleared...

 

Seems like I need a new set up.....

Cardboard burns too slow. What you need is a rush of heat from quick burning newspaper. You may still have a problem but try paper. My Rayburn doesn't draw well if it has not been used for a while but a good amount of paper gets the gasses going. Damper and bottom door wide open for a couple of minuites then its fine.

[billpierce]

i went to buy a rayburn from someone how had similar problems, when i looked the flue damp was rusted shut! i think they are still using it!

[Essexlogman]

Hello aurelius wood try it this way we were told a couple of days ago and thought it was a right wind up at first but got home Wednesday and tried it and it works I can not guarantee it will cure your particular problem but may help you or other people who have similar issues "build your fire upside" down put all large logs at the bottom followed by smaller logs then your dry kindling then the paper held down with a small a few small pieces of kindling when you think about it does make sense, the paper warming the flue quickly igniting the kindling then working down to the larger logs as a fire burns from the surface saving the need to keep opening the log burner door to top up until up to temperature let me know how you get on

 

Cheers Essexlogman

 

 

 

Hi all,

Every now and then, I suffer a smokeout when trying to light the log burner (Clearview 400p) and I'm trying different methods to avoid ending up with the Windows open and being even colder!

I have good pine kindling, newspaper and natural freighters, plus the odd pine cone.

My theory was the flue is cold and consequently, there is no draw, so my latest theory was lighting a single firelighter to promote warm air rising before adding paper/kindling etc, but still getting mixed results.

I've watched every you tube video and read the odd book so I know I'm not do I'm not doing anything daft, and before anyone asks, yes my logs are seasoned ( 11% average)

It's quite random, the same technique will work on Monday, but Tuesday gets a smokeout. I'd be interested to know if anyone has perfected a technique to avoid said problem

[aurelius wood]

Hi Essex, I have heard of this method in the past, but it didn't occur to me it may help with this problem. I'm going to stick with the tea light method for at least a few goes to eliminate the random factor but if it doesn't work out, I'll try the upside-down method.

 

Thanks for the feedback

[cornish wood burner]

Hi Essex, I have heard of this method in the past, but it didn't occur to me it may help with this problem. I'm going to stick with the tea light method for at least a few goes to eliminate the random factor but if it doesn't work out, I'll try the upside-down method.

 

Thanks for the feedback

 

The Essex suggestion uses the same principle as mine on page 3 of this thread. Some paper on top to provide a quick burst of heat. It works try it.

[Commando]

I use a cheap blow lamp, the type powered by those £1.5 camping gaz canisters, to gently warm the flue from the inside of the woodburner before lighting the kindling to avoid this.

 

 

 

Thats the way to go providing the flue is clean. Check for downdrafts, these occur when wind blows over the top of a taller building or trees or over the top of a hill. If you have downdrafts an anti down draft cowl on top of the pot should help.

 

 

 

A

 

 

Yep way to go👍 Belt and braces option is buy a Grenadier Electric poker or heat gun and warm the stove for a couple of minutes. Basically the cold flue is not drawing, get it warm and you'll be away!!

Cdo