And Then It Happens To You...

[ROYJ24]

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.

Sounds like u have to be a weatherman to start a fire.

 

[madrone]

Happens to me at least once a year. (Cold starts every day for me.) I don't burn newspaper anymore, unless that happens.

 

[fossil]

...I lite the fire, left the door open slightly, and walked away...

OH...no, no, no! :shut:

 

[tfdchief]

Dang, after 40 years of burning wood, I'm not superstitious, but I am not going to say it (it has never happened to me) No, I didn't say it. :coolgrin:

 

[mecreature]

I am still a newb so I can understand it happening to me.
On the other hand being a newbie I still find it very interesting and stay around and watch it start up.

I have a tall chimney and stiff winds 98% of the time.
But I thought you always used a wad of news paper to kick the draft up a bit.

but there have been a few dead still nights when the draft did act weird.
Had to keep the door open for a long time to keep things right.

 

[fran35]

Yeah, this happened to me last year a few times as a newb. With 30+ feet of Class A, if that thing gets cold it really needs some convincing to get rid of the downward draft. I tried the newspaper at the base of the flue, but that still left the room full of smoke. I think I have it down now with the propane torch. If the ESW 30 is cold, I put in the propane torch for a few minutes to get the heat running up the flue. That really does the trick for me. Still get a few puffs of smoke in the room, which freaks the wife out.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

This happenes to me once a year as well...have learned my lesson I think now.
Now, when I open the door to a cold stove, I just use my little butane fire starter to see if I have a draft going up or coming down the chimney....if its coming down, I usually have good luck by opening the door to the screen porch a tad (about 6 feet away) and then I just crack the stove door open for about a minute.....don't light anything yet.....after a minute or so, I check the draft and it usually starts drafting up the chimney.

 

[madrone]

Ha! Happened this morning. 40 °F , overcast, still. Not really cold enough for a fire, but I'm sitting around recovering from surgery and needed something to do. I often burn at this temp and it's usually fine. Today I opted for opening the window by the stove instead of stuffing in paper. Cleared up the problem in 10 seconds.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

i used to take a hairdryer to the stovepipe above the stove just sit it on the stove and let it heat the pipe itself for a while usually that was enough to make the flue start to move a little , then a firestarter block in the stove then kindling and its off to the races

 

[maverick06]

Been there, had it happen. Any temp above 50 is high risk, 45-50 is medium risk.

Have to open up the doors and toss in a few sheets of burning news paper to get it drafting. Of just let it go out and light up the whole house fan. Neither is good.

 

[James02]

Just happened to me....loaded up, left to wash up and it was like a fog machine....someone posted up a few days ago, what safty eqpt to have.....fire ext...quick blast...look on hearth.com....find BB post and proceed....thanks BB! Hope that's my only issue!