wood insert howls... is this normal?

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par0thead151

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Jul 26, 2009
494
south eastern wisconsin
just curious of it is normal to hear the wind howling when the stove is not burning.
or when starting a fire it also makes the howling noise...
not a complaint really, just curious if this is the norm.
thanks
 
give us some more info. what insert? Liner? conditions outside? chimney cap? where does the howl sound like its coming from?
 
Did you seal the connection between the liner and the stove? I had a whistle with my stove until I sealed the connection with some furnace cement.
 
What brand of insert are you burning?
Is it a newer, clean-burn unit?
The howling when it's NOT in use may be a harmonic caused by something that is
vibrating from the wind, like a thin piece of metal in the cap.
If you're getting the harmonic when it's burning, it may be what is known
as the EPA hole. On the Regency inserts, it's about 3/8" dia. & located in the lower right
side of the firebox, but you hafta remove the surround to get at it.
We've found two fixes for this issue.
One is to get into it with a rattail file & remove the burrs -inside & out - left by the guy
who drilled the hole & didn't deburr it after the machining operation.
The other is to simply block it off with a goob of furnace cement...
The cement doesn't seem to have any negative effects on the operation...
We've never had a call back after we used one method or the other...
HTH
 
Daksy,
I have a couple of questions about finding the EPA hole. If I take off the surround, will I see the hole easily, or will I need to pull the insert out? Is there a special tool to take the surround off?
Thanks!
 
hilly said:
Daksy,
I have a couple of questions about finding the EPA hole. If I take off the surround, will I see the hole easily, or will I need to pull the insert out? Is there a special tool to take the surround off?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

There's a Phillips panhead screw at each the lower ends of the trim piece around the surround.
If you remove them, the three-piece trim will lift off as a unit.
Then the top panel of the surround will lift straight up & off.
The side panels are held in place by Phillips head screws, as well, but you'll need a
LONG Phillips screwdriver to access them.
There are slots near the top & bottom of the side panels which are there for accessing these screws.
Remove the screws - and you should only hafta remove the right side (as you face the insert).
You'll see the EPA hole...
 
par0thead151 said:
just curious of it is normal to hear the wind howling when the stove is not burning.
or when starting a fire it also makes the howling noise...
not a complaint really, just curious if this is the norm.
thanks
Click to expand...


HMMMM. Does it sound like a wolf? Could have to do with the day :roll: :lol:
 
hilly said:
Daksy,
I have a couple of questions about finding the EPA hole. If I take off the surround, will I see the hole easily, or will I need to pull the insert out? Is there a special tool to take the surround off?
Thanks!
Click to expand...


Just curious, why do you want to find it?
 
All right, last post here. My old shop stove would howl in the middle of the Summer. Constant directional winds and no cap. It was sort of like blowing across the top of a pop bottle (only when a kid, now I use beer bottles). I tried one cap, but it just made a different noise. Bought a spendy one with swirls and baffles at the top. Took more to clean, but no more wolves.
 
hilly said:
Daksy,
I have a couple of questions about finding the EPA hole. If I take off the surround, will I see the hole easily, or will I need to pull the insert out? Is there a special tool to take the surround off?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I have a regency i2400 insert and had the howling problem also. But I didn't have to take the surround off, only the optional blower assembly which pulls out.
The hole on the right is directly opposite of the hole for the air control rod on the left side. Don't know why it's there but it sure howls. Plugged it with hi temp caulk and all is quiet!
 
Dieselbreath said:
hilly said:
Daksy,
I have a couple of questions about finding the EPA hole. If I take off the surround, will I see the hole easily, or will I need to pull the insert out? Is there a special tool to take the surround off?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I have a regency i2400 insert and had the howling problem also. But I didn't have to take the surround off, only the optional blower assembly which pulls out.
The hole on the right is directly opposite of the hole for the air control rod on the left side. Don't know why it's there but it sure howls. Plugged it with hi temp caulk and all is quiet!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think I'll try this before removing the surround... at least I know how to get the blower off.
 
It worked!
I removed the blower assembly and found the hole described by Diesel but instead of caulking I used a magnet. I realize the heating and cooling may kill the magnet, but I wanted an easily removable solution before I went with something a bit more permanent. It is fantastic not having the stove resonate like a giant wind instrument and I don't think the plugging of the hole affected the burn.
 
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