Cathedral ceiling draft problems

Well I just had this beautiful cabin built. Yeap I had them follow the plans the the woodstove is definitely NOT in the right spot. It is a Lopi Republic. Yes I burn wood that has been cut split and stacked properly to 2 seasons (oak).

Wood stove has a directly connected combustion air vent to the outside under the deck.

Fires start up ok but even when I get it rip roaring, open the air control all the way and crack the door open for a while, I can't add wood with at least a little smoke pouring in once I open the door (even with the entry door adjacent to the stove open). Had the extra 3 feet of chimney added this summer. It didn't seem to make much if any difference.

Short of moving the stove to a spot between the doorwalls, which due to the fieldstone surround and slat the stove sits on would be very difficult, is there anything I can do to improve my draft? From what I've been reading the extra 3ft up top might have actually hurt me as now I probably have as much pipe out in the cold as I do inside. Also, since it's double walled pipe all the way up, wouldn't that retain some heat between the two walls and tend to help me once I really get it going?

That does help (loading with coals), but isn't always possible if I've left it burn overnight and there isn't much left. Too add to my information, my problem doesn't seem to vary too much based on wind speed or direction. It may be a little worse when it is warm outside.

begreen said:

It sure looks like it should draft fine. And I suspect there will be a noticeable improvement when it's colder. I know it will be a bear to get up there, but have you checked your cap screen? If possible, try running for a couple days with no cap to see if that is part of the problem.

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There is no cap screen. One less thing to plug up and cause a problem. The chimney was cleaned by myself late this summer by disassembling the inside pipe and using a rod from inside.

I've looked at the owners manual and don't have the installation instructions. Can anyone point me to where this baffle brick and rear baffle plate can be inspected on this stove.

madison said:

What is the actual complaint/issue? Is it: " I can't add wood with at least a little smoke pouring in..."

Typically you will not be adding wood while the current load is "rip roaring" and producing smoke. I know if I open the air control prior to opening the stove door with a "rip roaring" fire going, I will get some smoke in the room just because of the glass air wash and circulation patterns within the stove. I solved this by not opening the door until the load is burned and by not "pokin' and stokin'" and burning fire.

If you can get a "rip roaring" fire going, draft/or draft obstruction is not the issue. It just may be the air patterns in your "rip roaring" stove.

BTW -- Cool looking cabin

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Yes and no..... my complaint is that I really cant ad wood at all without getting some smoke in through the door. This includes just after starting a fire with kindling and wanting to get some bigger stuff in. I can set the air control wide open and crack the door for a while to let things equalize but no matter what I get smoke spill back into the room. That includes doing so with that green door you see wide open.

It is more of a problem when the outside temps aren't super cold. But I'm always going to have that inside/out differential at least when I start a fire because it's typically cold in the cabin when I get up there and try to start a fire. It takes a very long time to get a fire established with the air control wide open and the door cracked open.

Backwoods Savage said:

Welcome to the forum wacnstc and that is a beautiful cabin.


Some are at a loss here but I am not. You answered your question to the problem already. I have put it in bold and especially the 2 seasons in red. That is your biggest problem.

You say it has been cut, split and stacked properly but we do not know what you mean by that. If it was done properly, that would have been cut and then split right away. Then stacked in the windiest spot on your place. In the sun would be nice but wind is the most important. Oak, stack for sure in single rows if you plan on burning it soon. And we do not know how large your splits are either. Did you cover the wood? Hopefully top cover only. We like to leave it open that first summer and fall before top covering before snow piles up.

However, the biggest problem is the 2 years. We have found that 3 years is the time to start burning oak. We've tried in 2 years and that just is not enough time. Oak is indeed top quality fire wood but it gives up its moisture very reluctantly and that is why we recommend 3 years.

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I am not a first time wood burner. The oak is immediately split, cross stacked, and covered only on the top. Yeap, 2 years. I do not think that is the problem. I can get smoke spill and limited draft even if I put paper and cardboard in there. Dry wood will cure a lot of ills, but not this one.

Backwoods Savage said:

Perhaps it will not cure the entire problem and we realize this. However, I will stand by my recommendation on the oak. Seen this happen too many times.

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Heck I've had the problem after I've started a fire with 100 year old cedar shakes from a building that was torn down. Is that dry and old enough?

Backwoods Savage said:

That should do the trick!

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Reminds me of the Microsoft solution for everything,.... CTRL/ALT/DEL.

Well as it turns out, the dry wood solution did not work. I found the problem. It was bad installation. The fire bricks at the top of the stove were not properly suspended from the top, they were jammed against the top of the stove and air could not get past them. All is well.