Does anyone else open your door when.......

I just discovered doing this during this really cold winter we've had. If I want to get the coals burned down quick so I can reload, I'll open the door for about 10-15 minutes. I sit in the rocker in front of it and soak up all that good heat. I never open the door to get the fire going. I can open the door wide open and never get smoke in the house.

I tend to agree with Backwoods. I would think its the same as a fireplace.. creates a draft and while the radiant heat feels warm, you are probably losing heat from other areas of the house. I dont see how or why this would be any different than that, but I've been wrong before.

My chimney system is blah due to an offset box so it sounds like my concerns were legitimate.

We do it when we need the coals to burn down faster for a reload-pretty much when it was -20 wind chills outside.

I just look at the thermometer on the wall. When it drops and I feel a chill I open the side door and chuck some more wood in the stove. It aint rocket science. I got 500 pounds of cast iron with a flame inside of it. I'm pretty sure the stove don't know the difference but I do.

Yeah, I do it because hickory seems to build up massive amounts of coals, and I want to burn 'em down in volume so that I can get more wood in the stove, or so the ashes are not too hot to empty. The problem is, the stove's not putting out all THAT much heat during this phase, so I try to time it fro relatively warm couple of days.

Jags said:

Well...yes, but the flip side to that is you don't have to see smoke for Carbon Monoxide to be present. I state this because I don't want anyone to do a take away of "No smoke = No CO".
The safe/unsafe argument really comes down to the draft of your system. Will it vent the CO or will it spill into the living area. This will be unique for each install/ stove/ day of sooon phase.
I sure as heck wouldn't be doing it without a properly operating CO detector close.

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+ 1 ... I could not have said it any better.

As for the original question ... nope. When I am down to coals it is time to reload and get even more heat. On the rare occasion that I have too many coals ... often a result from reloading more frequently or earlier in the calling stage due to colder than normal temps ... I will open up the air control and toss on a single split ... usually some pine or other e r softwood. In about a half hour the coals are typically half from what they were before in terms of size.

I've thought about it too as well, but again the CO2 thing freaks me out. Plus I get just about as much heat from the stove after 15 minutes when all the wood from the reload is caught and the stove top is up to 500-600 degrees.

Charles1981 said:

I've thought about it too as well, but again the CO2 thing freaks me out. Plus I get just about as much heat from the stove after 15 minutes when all the wood from the reload is caught and the stove top is up to 500-600 degrees.

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I would be more concerned about the CO vs. the CO2 . . . those tiny bubbles aren't all that harmful unless you end up burping the beer/soda up your nose.

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:

Ok, so some ore questions, there are wood stoves that have screen capability where you take your door off and enjoy a more real feel of the fire. What's your opinion on that? What about open fire places, isn't there some similarities?
Just asking.... Also, I have co/smoke detecter about 22 ft away in sae room that I heat with it, thanks for the replies......

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I note that in the time I have been a member here, and a couple years lurking before joining, very few owners actually used or messed with the "burn with door open" screen after a couple uses. And many reported it was the worst "stove" money they had spent.

IMHO, it turns the heating appliance into an ambiance device. It (again, IMHO) HAS to turn the stove into just a fireplace as far as heating goes, and we know they are quite often, if not always, net bTu losers. Now, if that was all I wanted, I would still have that crappy builders grade box in the wall.

I have found I like the fruits of my labor to be more than ambiance..

On a side note, I wouldn't want to have the door open without a screen in front of it at all, I have seen "pop's and "sparks" that were pretty impressive, at all points in the burn cycle..

my stove advertises a screen so you can open the front and enjoy it like a fireplace. It is a downdrafter,,,don't know if that makes a difference.

I also see advice on here a lot to open the door if overfiring, as a way to cool the stove.


Bad advice? Should we report them?

dafattkidd said:

My chimney system is blah due to an offset box so it sounds like my concerns were legitimate.

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Hey man I am getting ready to order my Osburn 2400. Do you have any pics of yours burning. I want to extend mine out as far as I can. Also how much clearance do you need above it so the blower can work. I think I will have to cut out one set of bricks above it so I have clearance. Thanks

you could open your door when there are flames and smoke. If the flames and smoke continue up the chimney,,,i would think the CO went too. I don't see why it would be any different when only coals exist. Draft is draft.

I have 3 doors, being a top loader or a front loader(3rd is ash door). It would make major draft on my stove,,just like when i open the top loading door. Flames leap up the flue as soon as i open it . I do that all the time when loading and making a new fire since it makes flames climb the logs to the top on a "stuffed full" load,,,shortening time to AB lighting.

I have the CO thingys. Where do you want me to place it? Remember I have a downdraft. Test might not count on mine????

begreen said:

Remember there is a huge variation of installations even here on hearth.com. What works for one does not mean it will work for all. It's risky business to suggest this as a common practice for many.

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yes, that is why i thought if you try it with flame and smoke on your stove first,,and it drafts fine with the flame and smoke,,,which you can see visually,,,that same setup should also have draft with the coals,,,when you cannot see the draft, due to no flame or smoke.

Will the draft be different when only coals exist? Possibly cooler and slower?

Just because they sell it doe's not mean it's safe.