Avoiding a smokeout

[njmusk]

 

 

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

 

Got a grenadier, been in the cupboard since the missus bought it 4/5 years ago, forgot all about it

[njmusk]

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)

 

They don't recycle in this part of D&G:thumbdown:

 

Probably got 3 fires to clean out and relay each day for a week now as we have a holiday let as from yesterday

[Magic rat]

I get it very occasionally with mine,when there is no wind at all.

I open every vent and door and light a bit of newspaper to warm the flue.

Blowtorch is a good idea never thought of that.

[Alycidon]

Am I right in thinking or have seen somewhere that you can get a fan gizmo thing to fit on top of the chimney pot. Or am I dreaming.

 

Yes you can, very costly and you need an electrical supply laying in to them.

 

Or a wind driven rotary cowl will increase updraft but wont really stop a severe downdraft and of course on a very still day then totally ineffective.

 

A

[will562]

In the morning after a fire open up your vents to keep the draught flowing, also you should keep them open in the summer to allow any condensation to dry out and prevents the stove rusting. And / or you can leave the door ajar too to help the flow. But i will say as mentioned earlier on by vespasian, sometimes the flow reverses and I too had put this down to atmospherics, either to do with pressure or humidity.

[cornish wood burner]

In the morning after a fire open up your vents to keep the draught flowing, also you should keep them open in the summer to allow any condensation to dry out and prevents the stove rusting. And / or you can leave the door ajar too to help the flow. But i will say as mentioned earlier on by vespasian, sometimes the flow reverses and I too had put this down to atmospherics, either to do with pressure or humidity.

Temperature is a more likely cause. When the temperature in the chimney is colder than the room then you could get a reverse flow. Our modern chimney on the cold outside wall of the house is more prone to smoking than the old one nearer the centre.

Edited October 18, 2015 by cornish wood burner

[Woodcrafter]

I'd go with the draw not being good enough look into extending your flu or something that helps the draw.

If you using dry kindling and paper or a firelighter you shouldn't be having this problem. If the wood was wet you could understand but it just sounds like there's not enough air movement.

[cornish wood burner]

You have two opposing forces at work. Basicly you need to make your flue draw better than your house. A warm house with an upstairs window or attic hatch open, the house being taller than the chimney, big cooker extractor fan are a few examples of things that could cause the house to have a good draw. Cold chimney, wind blowing down or blocked with soot will reduce chimney draw. Any of these could tip the balance the wrong way and cause smoking, the trick is to find which is your problem.

[Adamam]

Just put a sheet of newspaper FLAT on the top when you light the fire and light it as you retreat from lighting the normal paper/lighters whatever.

 

The sudden WOOMPH of the flat sheet going up should be enough to start the draw. Works for me anyway, and we had this a few times.

[Gillsgardening]

I've installed two twin wall chimney systems this week same problem! This is due to negative pressure in the chimney with it being external the flue is cold, this causes the stove to smoke back as others have already said in this thread! The key is finding what works best for you blow torch,tealights work but what a faff!

 

Normal paper I find still produces some smoke, so I use about 10 sheets of kitchen roll lightly scrunched up, this gives a good bast of heat to shift the cold air, then your away.