Do you guys have any tricks to prevent smoke from escaping out the door when opening it? It doesn't happen every time, but more often than I would like. I bet you are going to tell me I don't have a hot efficient fire burning so smoke is created. If that is the case it is hard to always have the perfect fire going. For example in the morning when first adding wood on top of the overnight coals. I do usually open the air control wide open and crack the door for a few seconds before yanking the door all the way open.
Anyway to stop smoke escaping out the door when opening on NC30?
- Thread starter dboone
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Right after I posted this I read "Wood smell or Insulation?". My 4 year old daughter frequently says she doesn't like the smell of the fire. Is it realistic to not smell anything? I kind of like the smell of the fire, but don't want it to be overwhelming, spread to every corner of the house or be a health concern.
Todd
Minister of Fire
Sounds like you may have some negative pressure in your stove room. Try cracking a window near the stove before refueling and see if that helps. Is your house tight? You might want to look into outside combustion air?
oconnor
Minister of Fire
dboone
I am assuming that your stove has always done this. If it is a new issue, you may have found some wet wood in the pile or had some creosote build up in the flue. If it is new, check there first.
You are going to get some smell, but if you set up is working well, cleaned regularly, and you don't have the usual suspects (wet wood, dryer running, stack effect causing depressurisation) then you shouldn't get smoke in your face. I have a poor setup, as I have a 5" liner on my insert (long story, but it was a bad idea by my installer, waiting for him to change it), and I got smoke alot at first. I started to burn really hot , small softwood fires whenever the stove was cool until it got real hot (750F on the stovetop guage - yours may read differently, but in the end, take it to the high end of normal). Then I started cutting my splits down to no bigger than 6" across the widest spot, and most at 3" (wrist size). With that, I have been able to run the stove with way less smoke in the room.
Once the flue is warmed and the stove is warmed (1-2 hours later) I can load in some big stuff, and turn the air down, and let it idle along. That said, idling on my Kennebec is 600-700 degrees.
The other thing I changed was how I lit the fire. I started the "top down" technique, and found I didn't have to open the stove after I lit it until it was down to coals, so I didn't give it a chance to smoke at me.
If you check out the Guide link in my signature block, there is a section that covers smoke etc. Give it a read. Let us know what techniques you change, and pass on what you learn
I am assuming that your stove has always done this. If it is a new issue, you may have found some wet wood in the pile or had some creosote build up in the flue. If it is new, check there first.
You are going to get some smell, but if you set up is working well, cleaned regularly, and you don't have the usual suspects (wet wood, dryer running, stack effect causing depressurisation) then you shouldn't get smoke in your face. I have a poor setup, as I have a 5" liner on my insert (long story, but it was a bad idea by my installer, waiting for him to change it), and I got smoke alot at first. I started to burn really hot , small softwood fires whenever the stove was cool until it got real hot (750F on the stovetop guage - yours may read differently, but in the end, take it to the high end of normal). Then I started cutting my splits down to no bigger than 6" across the widest spot, and most at 3" (wrist size). With that, I have been able to run the stove with way less smoke in the room.
Once the flue is warmed and the stove is warmed (1-2 hours later) I can load in some big stuff, and turn the air down, and let it idle along. That said, idling on my Kennebec is 600-700 degrees.
The other thing I changed was how I lit the fire. I started the "top down" technique, and found I didn't have to open the stove after I lit it until it was down to coals, so I didn't give it a chance to smoke at me.
If you check out the Guide link in my signature block, there is a section that covers smoke etc. Give it a read. Let us know what techniques you change, and pass on what you learn
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Also, before opening the door, open the draft full and wait 2 or 3 minutes before doing anything else. The heat of the coals will start the draft in the chimney much better. Then, open the door just a crack; hold for a few seconds then open the door all the way to reload the stove. This might make the difference.
btw, even setups with good drafting one should open the draft full and wait instead of just opening the door right then. That has been a habit with me from my youth and I've been amazed watching others just open the draft and then opening the door of the stove. Usually, they have smoke entering the house...
btw, even setups with good drafting one should open the draft full and wait instead of just opening the door right then. That has been a habit with me from my youth and I've been amazed watching others just open the draft and then opening the door of the stove. Usually, they have smoke entering the house...
There is a good chance it's not the stove, but the flue system instead. Can you describe it in detail?
Or it could be the wood. If you've been burning that punky softwood then it could be that something is starting to plug up. This would be a good time to check the top of the flue (interior) and the flue cap for creosote.
Or it could be the wood. If you've been burning that punky softwood then it could be that something is starting to plug up. This would be a good time to check the top of the flue (interior) and the flue cap for creosote.
bren582
Member
In my case if i wait until the fire cycle is down close to coals and I crack the door first which evacuates any smoke from the firebox in seconds and than open the door slowly I get no smoke puffing back in the room. I also noticed the need to turn off the blower before doing this. My blower, "Clydesdale Insert" is bottom front located and really draws a good amount of air. A few times I noticed a smoky smell blowing out the top vents after opening the door with the blower on, turning it off cleared this issue.
On the subject of good smell, i love the smell of oak (Especially red oak) and Cherry, but not so much the harsh burnt smoke smell. I noticed that opening the door as described above and then leaving it open for a few minutes imparts a nice odor into the room from the Oak and Cherry.. No smoke mind you and it doesn't have a burnt smell at all. just a nice odor.
On the subject of good smell, i love the smell of oak (Especially red oak) and Cherry, but not so much the harsh burnt smoke smell. I noticed that opening the door as described above and then leaving it open for a few minutes imparts a nice odor into the room from the Oak and Cherry.. No smoke mind you and it doesn't have a burnt smell at all. just a nice odor.
SlyFerret
Minister of Fire
I use the suggestions in this thread...
Open the air to full, wait a little bit... Crack open a window in the room an inch or so... Open the door slowly...
That usually does the trick.
-SF
Open the air to full, wait a little bit... Crack open a window in the room an inch or so... Open the door slowly...
That usually does the trick.
-SF
Thanks for all the suggestions. I am sure it is going to take some time to figure this out since there could be a lot of things factoring into this. Makes it even more difficult since I don't have this problem all the time. I have only had this stove for about 2 months so I am definately a newbie. It pretty much has been a problem since day 1. I have also struggled to get good seasoned wood. Today I split up a nice big and dry oak tree and am hoping that will make a difference. Due to the poor quality wood I have probably ended up messing with the fire and opening the door more than you would want to. I will start giving it more time at full air before yanking that door open and will also try cracking a window. I would say our house probably is pretty tight. Not exactly sure how I would know this, but on cold windy days I don't feel cold air coming in around doors and windows. Here is a description of the flue. There is a dual clay tile flu in a brick chimney. On for a regular fireplace on the main floor and the other running to the basement where the wood burning stove is located. This flue running to the basement previously was caped and never had been used until I installed the wood burning stove. I have a 6" pipe coming off of the NC30 which runs into the 6"x6" tile. The 6x6 runs somewhere betweeen 30-35'. The chimney runs through the garage and probably has 15-20' above the roof line.
oconnor
Minister of Fire
There is the word I was looking for - basement! Didn't see it in the signature block the first time.
dboone - your stove is in the negative pressure zone of your house. This isn't bad, but something to be aware of. If you find the window opening trick helps, then you are getting some stack effect or other depressurization going on, in addition to the other factors mentioned above that can weaken your draft.
Again, give the Guide to Residential Wood Heating in my signature block a read - pay attention to basement stove issues and depressurization. These may not be the only issue you have, as that 6 x 6 clay flue isn't going to draft as well as 6" round stainless liner, especially when cold. Run it hot, have the flue looked at/cleaned, open a window when loading, and do some research on here about Outdoor Air Kits (these can help with draft in a basement install, as well as other issues).
Looks like you have some reading and research to do. Let us know what you find out/learn about your system.
dboone - your stove is in the negative pressure zone of your house. This isn't bad, but something to be aware of. If you find the window opening trick helps, then you are getting some stack effect or other depressurization going on, in addition to the other factors mentioned above that can weaken your draft.
Again, give the Guide to Residential Wood Heating in my signature block a read - pay attention to basement stove issues and depressurization. These may not be the only issue you have, as that 6 x 6 clay flue isn't going to draft as well as 6" round stainless liner, especially when cold. Run it hot, have the flue looked at/cleaned, open a window when loading, and do some research on here about Outdoor Air Kits (these can help with draft in a basement install, as well as other issues).
Looks like you have some reading and research to do. Let us know what you find out/learn about your system.
When you first start the stove, is it a bit hard to get a draft going? It would seem with a long cold chimney that this would be the case. I'd try getting some very good, dry kindling for initial fire starting. Lumber and cabinetry scraps, hardwood floor scraps and cutoffs are excellent. Try to get a good hot fire going to warm up the chimney before adding splits. And if at all possible, get dry wood for burning. The combination of a long cold chimney and damp wood greatly increases the possibility of a lot of creosote accumulating in the flue.
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