Stove pipe is leaking smoke into the house.

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jay17

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Jan 6, 2015
10
north carolina
Hi all new here and I have an issue with my stove pipe and it just started 2 days ago. The stove is a hearthstone manchester and is brand new since thanksgiving. Its been doing great up until two days ago when I was smelling more and more smoke throughout the day. It got better and starting up the next day is was constant stream of smoke coming out of the joints from the top of the stove to where it exits the wall to the outside. I thought the chimney might be clogged but when I inspected it, everything was fine. I need some help trying to figure out what is going on because after yesterday I can't start up again as the house filled completely of smoke and had to open all the doors and windows with it being 35 outside.

Thanks
 
Sconnie Burner said:
Did you check the chimney from the bottom or top? Is there a cap that is clogged up on top? Definitely sounds draft related.
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Checked from the bottom access. Not the top yet due to it being so high and on a 12 pitch A-frame roof. I just don't understand how it has run perfectly up until the other day...
 
Something's botched your draft. Anything changed with the house recently?
 
The cap is the coolest section of the system and the most prone to clogging. Once the clogging gets to a certain point it can go down hill fast making it seem like it happened all at once. If you can't get on the roof try checking w/ binoculars.
 
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I would guess the top of the chimney or cap has closed up on you from creosote build up. Unless you have something venting in the house such as a dryer or bathroom vent. Crack a window open next to the stove and see if that helps.
 
jay17 said:
Can it clog that easily in just a month of use?
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Depends on your wood, your burning practices and the inherent qualities of the install (draft characteristics).
 
I have burned some wet wood but not a lot and logs that have had an ant colony in it. When I look up the stack outside I don't see any light at the top. I know there is a cap but it should let light in somehow correct?
 
jay17 said:
I have burned some wet wood but not a lot and logs that have had an ant colony in it. When I look up the stack outside I don't see any light at the top. I know there is a cap but it should let light in somehow correct?
Click to expand...
Ants have a high moisture content.

Seriously, what kind of wood are you burning? Wood needs to be cut, split and stacked until the moisture content is around 20%. Generally, for softwood 9-12 mo for hardwood 18-24 mo.
 
jay17 said:
Hi all new here and I have an issue with my stove pipe and it just started 2 days ago. The stove is a hearthstone manchester and is brand new since thanksgiving. Its been doing great up until two days ago when I was smelling more and more smoke throughout the day. It got better and starting up the next day is was constant stream of smoke coming out of the joints from the top of the stove to where it exits the wall to the outside. I thought the chimney might be clogged but when I inspected it, everything was fine. I need some help trying to figure out what is going on because after yesterday I can't start up again as the house filled completely of smoke and had to open all the doors and windows with it being 35 outside.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Your chimney is clogged
 
jay17 said:
Checked from the bottom access. Not the top yet due to it being so high and on a 12 pitch A-frame roof. I just don't understand how it has run perfectly up until the other day...
Click to expand...

It wasn't "running perfectly" up till the other day. It was "running sufficiently." The clog grew to the point where it wasn't "running well at all."
 
jay17 said:
Can it clog that easily in just a month of use?
Click to expand...
If it is not running hot enough, and especially if the cap has a small mesh screen. I had 5/8" mesh on our cap and plugged it up soil a few years ago with our old Garrison "smoke dragon" I could see the blockage from the ground with a pair of binoculars.
 
Forgot to mention too, I did go out once I noticed how much smoke was pouring out of the sections of pipe inside the house and looked at the top of the chimney and there was still a good amount of smoke leaving the chimney as well. If it were blocked or clogged wouldn't the amount be limited coming out of the top?
 

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OK, what's your explanation? The fact that there's a lot of smoke suggests you're burning dirty and making creosote. Whether it's because you're not burning hot enough, have lousy wood or both, clogged cap is the most likely the problem and the first thing to rule out.
 
jatoxico said:
Ants have a high moisture content.

Seriously, what kind of wood are you burning? Wood needs to be cut, split and stacked until the moisture content is around 20%. Generally, for softwood 9-12 mo for hardwood 18-24 mo.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately that's not practical for most people to do, especially when starting out. Most of the wood I am burning has been laying around the property for about a year. Maples, oaks, sweet gum, some cedar. When we had an actual fireplace at our old house we never had this issue. Seems like stoves have a higher maintenance than I thought. Thanks for all the input though.
 
You smoke pipe is backwards - the male ends are suppose to point down to the stove so if you get creosote liquid, it can drain back into the stove and not into your house. You may have some drainage going on right now and its smoking off into your living space, let the stove cool off and flip everything around, it will be easy.
 
jatoxico said:
OK, what's your explanation? The fact that there's a lot of smoke suggests you're burning dirty and making creosote. Whether it's because you're not burning hot enough, have lousy wood or both, clogged cap is the most likely the problem and the first thing to rule out.
Click to expand...
Alright thanks
 
jay17 said:
Unfortunately that's not practical for most people to do, especially when starting out. Most of the wood I am burning has been laying around the property for about a year. Maples, oaks, sweet gum, some cedar. When we had an actual fireplace at our old house we never had this issue. Seems like stoves have a higher maintenance than I thought. Thanks for all the input though.
Click to expand...

You might consider buying some real seasoned wood right now, or even Pres-To-Logs. They will be dry. Don't load more than two at a time though. I almost learned that lesson the hard way last weekend

You do need to install the pipe properly and check the flue and the cap. Just because there was some smoke out of the cap doesn't mean it is not significantly obstructed.

Wood stoves to take a lot more care and maintenance than a fireplace, but they also put off a significant amount of heat for the amount of wood going into them.
 
kennyp2339 said:
You smoke pipe is backwards - the male ends are suppose to point down to the stove so if you get creosote liquid, it can drain back into the stove and not into your house. You may have some drainage going on right now and its smoking off into your living space, let the stove cool off and flip everything around, it will be easy.
Click to expand...


looks like double wall, thats the way it is...
 
I think that's single wall, the adjustable elbow gives it away, correct me it I'm wrong but double wall you can only get 45 deg elbows, judging the pic it looks like single wall due to the distance between end to end, but I could be wrong, and have been wrong in the past
 
I've got Ultra Black double wall and the joints come in 15, 30 & 45.
 
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