Wood stove & draft

[NateDN10]

We bought our house in May of 2012, and this winter I've gotten to using our wood stove. We really like it - it heats the whole house fairly well. Still due to convenience we generally only use it on weekends for about 6 hrs at a time.

There have been a few situations, though, where there's a really strong cold air draft down the chimney, and the kindling isn't able to reverse it, so smoke comes pouring into the house when I light it up. The stove manual suggests lighting a couple pieces of newspaper in this situation, to start the draft and warm the chimney, but that hasn't worked. The only thing to do is wait until the next day when there's no draft, and then the fire starts right up.

Anyone else experience this? Got any suggestions?

 

[getnpsi]

Cardboard burns hotter and gets going as fast as thin paper. After xmas there's always some to get rid of.

 

[VicVinegar]

I've used the paper method you describe with success. Not on a wood stove, but on a fire place. Take a good hunk of newspaper, light it, and hold it up near the top near the chimney and an updraft will start.

 

[eljefino]

Is your kindling cold? I know many like to keep their wood outside but it's better to stay an armload ahead of the fire. Warm wood lights off a little better. Same with newspaper-- keep it in your attic for a year to dry it out. Bundle it tight/ box it to keep squirrels out.

I redneck start my woodstove with a propane torch, have to be pragmatic. Don't want to sit around waiting for newspaper to catch.

Unconventional kindling works pretty good: cardboard egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, anything that has pockets of air.

Presume you've checked out hearth.com forums.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Presume you've checked out hearth.com forums.

I have not. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Smokescreen]

What is your chimney exit set up like?

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: VicVinegar
I've used the paper method you describe with success. Not on a wood stove, but on a fire place. Take a good hunk of newspaper, light it, and hold it up near the top near the chimney and an updraft will start.


That usually works at our cabin, but sometimes a strong wind will kill the "thermal". I bought a propane torch to blow the cold air out and get air moveing upwards through the chimney. Get the kindling all good to go under some big logs, and I stick the torch into the area near the open damper and let it rip for about a minute, then light the kindling. Seems to do the trick.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
What is your chimney exit set up like?

Straight up through the ceiling. No 2nd floor in this part of the house, so it's about 15 feet tall, maybe less.

 

[supton]

That sounds good. My chimney is uninsulated, outside, and in the basement. Basically worthless. Anyhow, when I did try to use it, to get it to start I had to open the basement door to the outside. I tried the window above the stove, but that did not work--I think air had to get into the basement from a lower point. That, or opening the door 2-3 inches let in far more air than did the window at 2-3 inches. Due to the natural movement air in the house, namely, hot air rises, the house was pulling air from the most convient place: the chimney. I had to break that action by providing some other easier source. Perhaps in your case opening a door or window might break the backdraft.

 

[Smokescreen]

Originally Posted By: NateDN10
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
What is your chimney exit set up like?

Straight up through the ceiling. No 2nd floor in this part of the house, so it's about 15 feet tall, maybe less.


Do you have a chimney cap?

 

[stockrex]

use a gel type fire starter,

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: supton
That sounds good. My chimney is uninsulated, outside, and in the basement. Basically worthless. Anyhow, when I did try to use it, to get it to start I had to open the basement door to the outside. I tried the window above the stove, but that did not work--I think air had to get into the basement from a lower point. That, or opening the door 2-3 inches let in far more air than did the window at 2-3 inches. Due to the natural movement air in the house, namely, hot air rises, the house was pulling air from the most convient place: the chimney. I had to break that action by providing some other easier source. Perhaps in your case opening a door or window might break the backdraft.


supton beat me to it. I have been told anecdotes of new homes built so air tight that their furnaces had problems running. If your house is tight, maybe supton's idea or if your gas furnace is running, you might have a negative draft situation in your wood stove. Just a wild guess, but don't rule it out.

I've been helping my daughter with her new wood stove this winter. She didn't hold back, and bought a nice ($$) Jotul. Lucky her.

 

[jeepman3071]

We had a similar issue at my old house with our wood stove. My dad used to stick a hair dryer up the pipe and run it for a minute or two. Worked every time.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I fixed the same problem with a new chimney cap: its partially enclosed on the side facing the prevailing wind, so the natural venturi effect pulls smoke out.

 

[Blaze]

After our remodel a few yrs back we could turn on the kitchen hood fan and reverse the wood stove draft and smoke out the house...to rectify we vented the wood stove to draw outside.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Originally Posted By: NateDN10
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
What is your chimney exit set up like?

Straight up through the ceiling. No 2nd floor in this part of the house, so it's about 15 feet tall, maybe less.


Do you have a chimney cap?

Yes. It's round and open on all sides.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Originally Posted By: supton
That sounds good. My chimney is uninsulated, outside, and in the basement. Basically worthless. Anyhow, when I did try to use it, to get it to start I had to open the basement door to the outside. I tried the window above the stove, but that did not work--I think air had to get into the basement from a lower point. That, or opening the door 2-3 inches let in far more air than did the window at 2-3 inches. Due to the natural movement air in the house, namely, hot air rises, the house was pulling air from the most convient place: the chimney. I had to break that action by providing some other easier source. Perhaps in your case opening a door or window might break the backdraft.


supton beat me to it. I have been told anecdotes of new homes built so air tight that their furnaces had problems running. If your house is tight, maybe supton's idea or if your gas furnace is running, you might have a negative draft situation in your wood stove. Just a wild guess, but don't rule it out.

I've been helping my daughter with her new wood stove this winter. She didn't hold back, and bought a nice ($$) Jotul. Lucky her.

I had that thought as well, but last time it happened it made no difference whether or not the furnace was running.

 

[mechtech2]

A taller chimney pipe will help. Often a foot or so will make a difference.
A friend just fixed a chronic problem like this by an extension of the chimney.
It may be easy or involved - who knows what you have.

 

[rjundi]

Short chimneys are tough.

Leave your woodstove damper and door open for at least an hour before starting a fire. It will draw the heat from your home up and hopefully creating draft in the process. I have a short chimney also but a really tight stove(Jotul) and rarely experience this except on warmer days.