Stove pipe issue - stove pipe putty/cement?

Joe and I just went all over the stove again....flashlight test proved no light was allowed to go past where the soapstones are butting up to one another or anywhere around the stove or door, so I don't really think our Hearthstone is leaking due to a crack in soapstone or faulty door. We just did the match test with the Exhausto fan on high and we definitely found that where the stove pipe is joined together the flame is drawn in to the seams.

Is there a flue cement or putty or something that you can seal the joints with?

Thanks, does Lowe's or Home Depot carry that stuff or do you need to go to a woodstove/fireplace place?

jtp10181 said:

Furnace or Stove cement works

Have you had the chimney cleaned and cap cleaned / inspected at all?

Most smoke back problems that have not always been there are from a clogged cap or chimney.

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My husband cleans with a wire brush at the end of every burn season. He never gets an excessive amount out, I think the stove burns pretty clean. We had to have the entire set up inspected by an installer last year when we changed our insurance to AARP's Hartford of Conneticut. The man who came out to inspect it told me later that he was dreading the inspection because he has yet to pass one homeowner installed woodstove. He had a big smile on his face and told me that my husband installed the stove better than most professionals. My husband used to be a volunteer fireman and I trust him pretty much with this sort of stuff. He is a mechanical designer and designs heating and cooling systems. Actually did a pre-design and quote for a local school thinking to switch over to cornstoves in their schools.

Thanks again for the Rutland info on the cement.

jtp10181 said:

Do you get a lot of smoke out of the cap when burning?

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We do get a fair amount of smoke out of it on occasion. I thought it was more when the air is what I call heavy, not sure if that is when the humidity is high or not. Joe said he doesn't think the air has anything to do with it and he says it is only when he loads the stove. I do know that there are times I can tell when he has loaded the stove because I will be in my office and sometimes the doggie door will allow the smoke to come in. The smoke will stay low in the air and congregate under the awning over the dog kennel - I think on the night the air is thick. Again this doesn't happen all the time and I do think it is related to the air, but if Joe doesn't think the air has anything to do with it, then maybe he thinks it is the quality of wood he may have used on that night.

There are many night that the dog goes out and comes in fine, but other nights that she goes out and comes back in smelling of smoke. Usually we can see smoke coming out of our stove, but not always, usually it is a light opaque smoke, but sometimes heavier/thicker.

BotetourtSteve said:

For sealing stove pipe or other joints, I find the high-heat caulk to be the easiest to use/apply if you can use a caulking gun at all. Just point and squeeze! I have used the DAP product which is readily available in the big box stores. Much easier than trying to slop putty out of a bucket.

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Joe just replaced the siding and eaves on our house and yep, he used a caulking gun. We might have a couple of them around here. He caulked around the front door and I could not believe how the smell of that entered the house, smelly stuff that caulk is for trimming doors/windows.

Thanks for your tips.