Bizarre problem w/wood stove, need some ideas

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heffergm

Member
Nov 24, 2009
162
South Shore, MA
So I have a VC Encore (non-catalytic). I've burned without issue for the last 2 or 3 years. This year, it's like I'm in another dimension. I can't even get paper to burn in the firebox... literally. I get absolutely no draft, and I can't get a fire going at all. The best I've managed is getting the stove up to about 200 degrees, but it's just a smoldering mess. Any attempt to reload results in smoke just pouring into the house. I've checked the chimney (it's capped and fully lined) and there is no obstruction. It's like the the outside air pressure is massively higher than inside, but the house is hardly air tight, and opening a window had no effect.

Any suggestions?
 
You might try pre-heating the flue with a hair drier or a heat gun.
 
Another thought would be to check for a gunked-up screen on the chimney cap.
 
no draft is the chimney's fault especially if the unit burned fine in the same flue before.

check the cap,

check the flue ,

if recently swept check the cleanout

also, have you done any "home improvements which may have tightened up the house since last season? new windows added insulation or something like that?

EDIT re read the OP's post but im leaving the above for general info.

gonna be a restriction in the exhaust pathway, or "mis-appropriation of air" as in the flue receiving air from another source, the clean out is the most common entry point especially if its not that long from a sweeping.

dry wood matters too but to be frank if you normally have a solid draft and no negative pressure issues the smoke shouldn't be belching out at you regardless of the woods moisture content. methinks the flue has forsaken your stove for a new supplier of air. find the air leak in the system seal it and all should be well again.
 
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I agree with everything said. 90% of the time when I see this issue I go up top and the cap is clogged to all get out. Then when I pull the cap off, I will see 1" of soot lining the entire chimney. This can stop most if not all EPA stoves dead in their tracks and if it hasn't yet it will.

Check the chimney and see how dirty it is, you might be amazed. At that point in time it is also good to evaluate your wood pile and your burning practices.
 
I agree there's probably something up with the chimney, but it's not the cap. I was up there yesterday and the cap is clear. I emptied the clean out today, and it was rather more full than expected, but it had no effect. If there's a restriction, it's not from normal burning... I keep things hot and the wood is over 3 years old at this point, but as I mentioned, it's irrelevant. At the moment I can't even burn paper. As soon as I start a fire in the box and close the doors, it smolders and then smoke starts seeping out of every joint in the stove. I'd like to think something climbed into the chimney and died, but with the cap that's not going to be the case.

I'll have someone come check out the chimney.
 
Could be deterioration in the chimney itself if there is no liner. Good to have it checked.
 
Baffling. Have you checked the stove itself to see if the refractory has broken down badly or collapsed?
 
It's the secondary combustion package for the stove. It could be the stove just needs a good cleaning. Do you follow the spring maintenance recommendations?

Capture.JPG
 
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Sounds like a plugged cap, pipe or some blockage....when was the last time it was cleaned?
One thing you keep saying is that you can't burn paper too. So maybe if there no blockage, you may have a cold air block, do you feel any cold air coming in the stove? If so, heat the stove up with a torch or hair dryer see if you can brake the lock first, then once it's warmed up open a window light a fire. Keep us posted, good luck!
 
Your range hood, furnace or boiler isn't running and destroying the draft, is it? Otherwise I'm going to vote for a blockage also.
 
begreen said:
It's the secondary combustion package for the stove. It could be the stove just needs a good cleaning. Do you follow the spring maintenance recommendations?

View attachment 120304
Click to expand...
Yes, I vacuum that area out, but this is way more fundamental. I have to figure the chimney is blocked, but as I mentioned it's no the cap (I was just up there), nor is it immediately under the cap (poked around with a rake). It was swept semi recently, so I'm befuddled, but I'll have it swept and see if they find anything.
 
Bump for the home improvement air sealing question. New doors, new windows? Does cracking a nearby door or window help?

TE
 
Describe the flue pipe from stove to chimney cap in detail. .
 
A possibility could be that the elbow has accumulated soot build up in it.
 
combination of soot build-up, semi recent cleaning, and I'll bet if you check the elbow area you are gonna find a blockage.
 
I hate when there's no conclusion...
 
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