And Then It Happens To You...

[BrotherBart]

Ya spend six or seven years giving maybe fifty or more people a year advice about flue reversal starting up a wood stove. And it hasn't happened to you in years and years.

Then one day, oh say today, ya decide to finally light off the first fire of the season. Same old drill as always. Two medium splits of rock hard two year dried fresh cut pine N/S with a quarter of a Super Cedar between them and three smaller ones E/W on top. Light the Super Cedar and leave the door cracked a bit. When the SC starts and the flames are licking the smalls on top, step out to the deck and into the back yard to watch the ritual first smoke of the year from the chimney.

WTH?!! No smoke. Zip back inside to moisture covered glass in the door and smoke pouring out of the cracked door and the stove primary inlet and the kitchen and den full of smoke. Grab the gloves and ash bucket, warn the wife upstairs that the smoke detectors are going to go off and don't worry about it, Pull the wood out of the stove because it ain't burning yet anyway and haul it outside. Open the doors and windows after securing the indoor cat and go sit on the deck and think about it.

The chimney ain't plugged. Ya cleaned it two days ago. Ya just hit the perfect storm. Cold stove and chimney with firebricks that soaked up moisture this summer. Dead still outside with a high pressure front that has stalled overhead for two days. 60 degrees outside with a stove colder than that hooked to the bottom of that liner. Whoops!

Let the SC keep burning to warm the flue, put the wood back in. Get'er burning and close the air down two thirds and go take the outdoor cat for her nightly walk

And remember the next time somebody posts the question that it can happen to anybody smart guy. >:-(

 

[BrowningBAR]

I'll keep that in mind. I've never experienced that... yet.

 

[jeff_t]

Yep, whether it needs it or not I start with the loose sheet of newspaper if the stove is stone cold.

 

[BrotherBart]

What caught me by surprise is that I have started fires in the stoves here in July or August smoke checking changes and draft has always just taken off.

Some of that not doing what I tell people to do stuff got me. The high pressure system and no wind never crossed my mind.

 

[wkpoor]

WOW! Thanks for the heads up. Never seen it myself but there is a first time for everything.

 

[Milton Findley]

Twice so far this year. :sick:

I have been testing it with a stick of incense. If it ain't drafting, I ain't burning. I have also learned to close the door to the upstairs, which tends to reverse things a bit. The top roof vents are taller than the chimney.

 

[pen]

Yep, once this season.

Closed the stove door, ran and grabbed an old hair dryer, stuck it in the OAK hole for primary air and let the thing rip. Only took a moment to get things going the right way again.

Wouldn't work for BB w/ a fireplace install, but for someone who can access the back it may help.

pen

 

[Milton Findley]

I did a similar thing Pen, I cracked a window, shoved the nozzle of my 5 horse Rigid vac in it, shut the doors and turned it on. I did not hear my ears pop, but the smoke started going the right way.

We need a coughing smiley.

 

[pen]

I did a similar thing Pen, I cracked a window, shoved the nozzle of my 5 horse Rigid vac in it, shut the doors and turned it on. I did not hear my ears pop, but the smoke started going the right way.

We need a coughing smiley.

Good idea, the shop vac in reverse probably wouldn't have had the wife asking as many questions.

pen

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Don't feel too bad BB, it also happened to me this year and I think that is the first time I've ever had it happen. Stuff just happens sometimes.

 

[jminacci]

Rarely have a draft problem here, but tonight was one of those rare nights. Lit up the chunk of super cedar expecting things to take off....and no such luck. Smoke started pouring out. Quickly lit a piece of newspaper and got her going. Annoying as hell though. I feel your pain.

 

[nate379]

I WISH it was 60* here. I haven't seen warm temps like that in a couple months.

 

[Battenkiller]

Never had that happen in over twenty years here, but the first fire this season had the laziest draft I ever remember. I'm lucky to have a real good natural draft that seems to overcome any conditions I've encountered. Still, it took a good ten minutes that day before I got enough heat up that flue to top off the kindling fire with some larger splits. Funny thing, I'd just got done bragging here about how easy my stove was to get up to temp, so I went downstairs to prove it. :red:

 

[BrotherBart]

If I had done it top down it wouldn't have happened. I just got too used to starting with bigger stuff and Super Cedars. That is the thing I love about those paper bows and top down. Negative draft ain't gonna happen.

 

[bogydave]

Yep
After a few times of basically the same as you described;
Newspaper in the bottom of the flue to get the draft then start the fire.
Look at the Good Side; you tested the smoke detectors. Did they work???

 

[bigguy0602]

Sounds so familiar. First fire of the season last week. Super Cedar, some pine kindling, two maple splits e-w and a couple maple splits n-s on top. Same routine as always. Light it up, leave door open a crack and go on to other things. Check the stove a couple minutes later and smoke in the house. Damn, forgot about the dryer running which I know is a no-no.

Al least it is out of the way and I am ready for the winter.

 

[Jags]

And if its going to happen, nine out of 10 times, it will happen when you have some place else to be.

It hasn't happened in a couple of years, but I keep an old Grainger catalog (about 2500 VERY thin pages) close, so that a few torn off pages can be tossed in to accelerate the fire/heat output if I suspect the stack ain't gonna start suckin'.

Just goes to prove: it even happens to Moderators/Administrators. :lol:

 

[Beer Belly]

Thats the one thing I never do....and I told the Wife....never walk away from the fire with the door cracked open.....latched only....if you need it cracked, stay with it.....but I tell ya what....that would have scared the ba-gee-bees outa me...never had it happened

 

[Chettt]

I don't start burning wood till the end of November but I've had the same problem when I get stupid on a rainy spring day and not remember how warm it was supposed to be outside.

 

[backpack09]

I am a part time burner and have this happen almost every night when lighting the stove. I loosely place a couple pieces of newspaper on top of the baffle and let them burn to reverse the draft, then get the rest of the fire going.

It happens to me because I keep my house cold when no one is home (thermostat set at 50*) so the chimney draft reverses during the day with the stove cold.

 

[begreen]

Indoor cat?

 

[Jags]

Indoor cat?

He,he,he - I noticed that too, but wasn't going to shed light on it.

 

[GAMMA RAY]

Indoor cat?

Spill it BB.....what's that one's name????? :cheese:

 

[BrotherBart]

Indoor cat?

Spill it BB.....what's that one's name????? :cheese:

Snoops. My wife's seventeen year old house cat. A Tom. Me and that old fool have somewhat tolerated each other for a long time. He is the reason Michelle came to live here to replace him when he croaks. Which he keeps refusing to do and even after three years he tries to tear the deck door down to get at her. So she has to live outside and in the basement.

 

[epd166]

I had that oh crap moment a few days ago after putting in the new wood stove. I lite the fire, left the door open slightly, and walked away. When I came back into the room a minute later the smoke was pouring out the opening. I hollered at my wife letting her know the smoke detectors would be going off and then realized what happened when I went into the kitchen. My wife was baking cookies and had the oven fan on so the chimney was down drafting. Now when I lite the fire I make sure the oven fan is off or open a window. She was not too keen about the stove but now I find her cuddled up to it.