Should a pellet stove vent produce draft?

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johnsgunworks

johnsgunworks

Member
Dec 11, 2008
40
Southwest MI
I have a Cumberland Stove Works pellet stove. It is a corner installation. Here is my exhaust setup:

45 through the wall, into a tee with cleanout, up the outside wall about 4 ft to a 90 with a horizontal termination.

When I lose power, smoke will spill into the house through the airwash at the top of my viewing glass. Is this normal? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
I have the exact same venting configuration. I haven't lost power yet, so I don't know, first hand, but when I was chatting w/ the guy at the stove store, he said that you can still get smoke in the house, even w/ this setup. Which, to me, says that there ain't no point in going to the bother. I put the rise in, anyway, because the parts were already bought and paid for.

One question, though: do you have an outside air kit on your stove? that could make a difference. In a tight house, the stove might be able to "force" air out of your house with its fans, but the draft alone may not be strong enough to overcome very much resistance...like there might be if the house was fairly tight.
 
9 feet of vertical pipe is the norm to cure Smoke back

Each 90 creates more restriction
 
.

I do not have an outside air kit but think I am going to add one. I have an older house (built in the 40's and not airtight at all). Even if an OAK wouldn't help with the smoke spillage during a power loss, it sounds like there are other benefits including increased efficiency.

I think we did right by putting in the vertical rise though. It will prevent a reverse draft from strong wind from blowing straight into your exhaust.
 
So five more feet of pipe should do it.

I'm glad to hear it! Thanks hearthtools. I was beginning to think that maybe smoke spillage during power outages was normal for pellet stoves.
 
We explain to customers that with out the vertical rise its very probable that you will get smoke in the house if you loose power. With the vertical rise there is much less of a chance. Also normally the power loss occures when there is a windy storm so the rise will help avoid air being forced directly back into the stove possibly helping cause a burn back.
 
Is the purpose of the rise only to prevent air from being forced into the exhaust or does it also help create an actual draft as in a wood stove?
 
Is your rise on the exterior also, pellet0708?
 
hawgcooker said:
Has anyone ever tried a power vent on a pellet stove? With the back drafts and flue problems a power vent seems like a possible solution.
Click to expand...

Putting a draft inducer in the vent would be scary for me. If you needed to add draft. Go vertical. It would be dangerous to have that inducer fail on you and Not have the draft needed.

I would not recommend that.

jay
 
hawgcooker said:
Has anyone ever tried a power vent on a pellet stove? With the back drafts and flue problems a power vent seems like a possible solution.
Click to expand...

You already have a power vent on your stove.. it's called the combustion blower.
 
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