How to stop smoke

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
V

vrojkov

New Member
Sep 8, 2009
9
central CT
Most likely this was discussed before but I cannot find info here.

I do have Scan 60 stove, which is front loader and has "air washed" door glass.
So airflow in my stove designed to come forward to front door glass and then
go back to a chimney. Every time , when I open the door to load wood a smoke
come out of the stove.
I guess it should be a problem with this type of air flow design and not just with
my exact stove model.

Any solution to my problem? Or at least advise how to minimize smoke leakage
during a load?
 
vrojkov said:
Most likely this was discussed before but I cannot find info here.

I do have Scan 60 stove, which is front loader and has "air washed" door glass.
So airflow in my stove designed to come forward to front door glass and then
go back to a chimney. Every time , when I open the door to load wood a smoke
come out of the stove.
I guess it should be a problem with this type of air flow design and not just with
my exact stove model.

Any solution to my problem? Or at least advise how to minimize smoke leakage
during a load?
Click to expand...

On my Lopi Liberty before we open the door we open the by pass and the air control before opening the door.

Page 20 of your manual explains what to do before refueling or opening the door.

Zap
 
Most newer stoves have a front airwash and no smoke problem. If those above mentioned steps of clearing excess smoke from the firebox don't work, you may have a draft problem or flue blockage. What size is your flue, and is it clean? Do you get smoke even when down to coals, or is it just when some splits are still smoldering? Is it just a wisp or a real cloud? Has the smoking gotten worse or has the problem been the same since day one?
 
vrojkov said:
Most likely this was discussed before but I cannot find info here.

I do have Scan 60 stove, which is front loader and has "air washed" door glass.
So airflow in my stove designed to come forward to front door glass and then
go back to a chimney. Every time , when I open the door to load wood a smoke
come out of the stove.
I guess it should be a problem with this type of air flow design and not just with
my exact stove model.

Any solution to my problem? Or at least advise how to minimize smoke leakage
during a load?
Click to expand...

Shallower stoves may have a tendency to smoke a little more when the draft is weak. This can be due to warmer temps outside, a tight house or weak flue design.

Can you describe the flue starting with the connection to the stove and up to the top cap? How tall is the total flue system? When was this system last cleaned?
 
BeGreen said:
Shallower stoves may have a tendency to smoke a little more when the draft is weak. This can be due to warmer temps outside, a tight house or weak flue design.

Can you describe the flue starting with the connection to the stove and up to the top cap? How tall is the total flue system? When was this system last cleaned?
Click to expand...

Let me clarify my case:
1. I read the manual. :)
2. I cleaned Chimney/pipes
3. Stove smokes when I open the front door even in a coldest winter night.
4. House is ranch and stove installed in the main floor. The flue is completely straight. It comes from the top of my stove stove (6 ft inside the room ) , then through the small attic (2 ft) and has about 5 more ft on top of my roof. ( about 13-14 ft all together )
The pipe is 6 inches in diameter , double wall , no dumper.

5. I simply put my pipe on top of the stove. I did not use any screws or silicone and I cannot see any smoke or air leakage here.

Maybe you right and a draft is weak? What is the simplest way to measure it?

If nobody here had experience with Scan , I can post a picture or maybe simple drawing diagram of the stove design to give you a better idea of the
air flow.
 
you need a manometer to test for draft. Add another two feet, it might make a world of difference. What is the minimum that scan recommends? I seem to remember 15'-16'. If your draft is that sluggish, you might need to inspect your cap often. They tend to collect creosote and plug making the problem even worse.

Is the glass sooty? is your wood good and dry? do you own a moisture meter to check?
 
MountainStoveGuy said:
you need a manometer to test for draft. Add another two feet, it might make a world of difference. What is the minimum that scan recommends? I seem to remember 15'-16'. If your draft is that sluggish, you might need to inspect your cap often. They tend to collect creosote and plug making the problem even worse.

Is the glass sooty? is your wood good and dry? do you own a moisture meter to check?
Click to expand...

Wood is and was well seasoned and dry. Only negative most wood has a bark on.

As per manufacturer recommendation min 15'. I'm just a bit short of 15' and I better check draft before I will add 2' to my chimney.
Because it will cost me 2 feet of chimney pipe + it will require to install extra support. So project will cost me about $250 and support
will be an ugly addition to my house look.
Btw, draft is all right when the stove door is closed. I just easily started my stove couple weeks ago when an outside temperature was
at 70+.
I will check the draft , but I doubt that that's the cause of my problem.

Thank's for your reply anyway.
 
Its not expensive to check draft. Just get yourself a 2' length of regular single wall and put it on top for the check. Its a good chance that will fix your problem if not just take the single wall off. You will only be out a few bucks for the test. Also you do not need another support bracket. They are for every 5' and it looks to me your only about 5' now so adding 2' does not need a new bracket.
 
Draft is what pulls smoke up a chimney. If smoke is entering the room then you are either opening the door too fast and overcoming the draft momentarily or you have insufficient draft with that chimney which is "slightly" below the bare minimum required for the stove. Being able to start a fire when it is seventy outside has nothing to do with it.
 
snowtime said:
Its not expensive to check draft. Just get yourself a 2' length of regular single wall and put it on top for the check. Its a good chance that will fix your problem if not just take the single wall off. You will only be out a few bucks for the test. Also you do not need another support bracket. They are for every 5' and it looks to me your only about 5' now so adding 2' does not need a new bracket.
Click to expand...

Snowtime, thanks. It will be very good , simple and inexpensive test.
I will temporarily add 2' of a single wall and post update about a test results.
 
full air.. crack door.. count 5 Mississippi.. open door slowly.
 
Like Bart said, if you have smoke that is not going up the flue, then by definition you have a draft problem. Draft is related to flue height, diameter, and flow rate. Flow rate is temperature sensitive, and pressure sensitive if you have a tight house, or are running a dryer or other exhaust fans when the stove door is opened.

I haven't heard any mention in the thread of flue temps - do you have a thermometer? Also, when I installed my insert last year, the best way I found to avoid the smoke issue was to not open the door until I had a bed of coals. Light a fire using the top down method, and let it complete it's burn. Then the flue is warm and drafting well when you reload.

Check out the fire lighting link in my signature for more on getting the flue working.

If you have a thermometer, let us know how hot you are running the stove. If not, recommend you get one and see what it says. Cheaper and easier than the pipe extension mentioned.

As for the single wall extension - I doubt you will get much improvement given that it will cool really quickly and condense creostote on it (if you have smoke, then you have unburnt fuel in the chimney - that will condense on cold surfaces and give you creosote. If you are looking to extend the flue, recommed you get another section of the chimney system your flue is built from.

Try a search on here for "smoke spillage" and see what others have found to cure thier problems.
 
vrojkov said:
snowtime said:
Its not expensive to check draft. Just get yourself a 2' length of regular single wall and put it on top for the check. Its a good chance that will fix your problem if not just take the single wall off. You will only be out a few bucks for the test. Also you do not need another support bracket. They are for every 5' and it looks to me your only about 5' now so adding 2' does not need a new bracket.
Click to expand...

Snowtime, thanks. It will be very good , simple and inexpensive test.
I will temporarily add 2' of a single wall and post update about a test results.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen,
It was long time since I've visited this forum.

Just want to let you know that Snowtime's idea to add 2' worked perfectly. I did a test with single wall and ordered 2' double wall pipe and installed it.
That was the fix to my problem.
My second mistake was that temperature I maintained in the stove was low for a Scan stove.

Thanks all for your help.
 
Glad to hear that you fixed the issue! I am debating getting another section of pipe myself. I some times have smoke but I think that's because of my air tight basement. I usually have to crack a window open before opening the damper and stove.

Andrew
 
cmonSTART said:
Isn't it amazing what a difference adding a couple feet can make?
Click to expand...

Kinda proves the old addage "The Longer It Is.........The Better It Is".................................
 
BrotherBart said:
Draft is what pulls smoke up a chimney. If smoke is entering the room then you are either opening the door too fast and overcoming the draft momentarily or you have insufficient draft with that chimney which is "slightly" below the bare minimum required for the stove. Being able to start a fire when it is seventy outside has nothing to do with it.
Click to expand...



Do you are anyone else know anything about the caps, or birdscreen, that are supposed to increase draft, I ran into these while shopping for a new one that maybe would keep hard rains out better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

K
Thread #2 - Outdoor Stove
Replies
30
Views
1K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
Kustrud
K
A
Unusual Fireplace
Replies
8
Views
908
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
EbS-P
EbS-P
Jotel me this
How to cure Stove Bright paint/not hot enough?
Replies
3
Views
999
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
RockCastile
R
B
3 Sided Fireplace smoking
Replies
9
Views
977
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
EatenByLimestone
EatenByLimestone
G
Draft Help
Replies
9
Views
352
HearthStone
garjess
G
Top Bottom
Back