Back....with a question: does this gimmick work?

[Swedishchef]

Hey guys

It has been a while. The past few months have been extremely busy. My down time consists of sleeping and catching up with the family.

Today I was out and saw this: http://www.atschimneysupply.com/servlet/the-77/Draw-Collar-Draft-Enhancer/Detail

Does this thing work? IT's $300!

Happy New Year in advance!

Andrew

 

[Lumber-Jack]

I have no idea, but for $369.99 you could extend the length of you chimney by quite a bit, and that would work for sure.

 

[mellow]

From what I have read from other peoples reviews it works, it eats up electricity so put it on a timer. Once you get your draft established then you can turn it off.

If you are having draft issues you might want to look at your chimney setup.

 

[FyreBug]

From what I understand it does work but is not allowed in Canada. Check for ULC or CSA and if it aint there its a nogo.

 

[rwhite]

It may work but it is just masking a problem. Solve the draft problem and it's not needed. How are going to burn when the power goes out?

 

[Joey]

I have no idea, but for $369.99 you could extend the length of you chimney by quite a bit, and that would work for sure.

+1

 

[LLigetfa]

It may work but it is just masking a problem. Solve the draft problem and it's not needed. How are going to burn when the power goes out?

+1

 

[Hanko]

It may work but it is just masking a problem. Solve the draft problem and it's not needed. How are going to burn when the power goes out?

+1

its called a generator. doesnt everyone have one?. says it draws 500 watts. if you ran it 24/7 figure on KWH every two hours at average12 cents.

 

[rwhite]

It may work but it is just masking a problem. Solve the draft problem and it's not needed. How are going to burn when the power goes out?

+1

its called a generator. doesnt everyone have one?. says it draws 500 watts. if you ran it 24/7 figure on KWH every two hours at average12 cents.

If I'm home and the power goes out then yes. But I don't want my house filling with smoke while I get the generator out and set-up.

 

[rdust]

If I'm home and the power goes out then yes. But I don't want my house filling with smoke while I get the generator out and set-up.

The house isn't going to fill with smoke, this is to help the draft get started on reloads and cold start ups. If someone needs to run this while a fire is burning the chimney needs a lot more help than this gimmick.

As others have said addressing the problem is a better solution than this gimmick.

 

[Hanko]

If I'm home and the power goes out then yes. But I don't want my house filling with smoke while I get the generator out and set-up.

The house isn't going to filling with smoke, this is to help the draft get started on reloads and cold start ups. If someone needs to run this while a fire is burning the chimney needs a lot more help than this gimmick.

As others have said addressing the problem is a better solution than this gimmick.

you got that chit right

 

[LLigetfa]

Solve the draft problem and it's not needed

+1

its called a generator...

You must have missed what I bolded. I'm not supporting the power outage point. AFAIK once the stove produces it's own draft, the draw collar probably would not be needed. If it was still needed with hot flue gasses, then I can only emphasize that the house really needs fixing.

A lot of people that buy the draw collar are part-time wood burners that have trouble starting a fire because of a cold flue reversal. Some folk use a hair dryer, heat gun, electric BBQ lighter, or a torch to get the flue drawing right and may tire of the ritual.

 

[seeyal8r]

Looks to me you could just wrap your pipe with a heating pad. Of course you'd need to remove it.

 

[rdust]

Looks to me you could just wrap your pipe with a heating pad. Of course you'd need to remove it.

I'm thinking the bottle warmer I have for my nitrous bottles would work.

 

[snowleopard]

Hello, Andrew.

I don't think any of us can answer your `does this thing work' question with any authority because none of us in the thread so far have used one. There are simpler solutions to draft problems, as well as more complex and expensive ones. What the posters above have been saying is that if you need one of these in the first place, something is wrong. It would be wiser to address the problem and solve it than to try to put a $370 band-aid on it.

If your house is filling up with smoke in the process of starting a fire, you may have a dirty chimney, offsets and elbows, adverse weather conditions, a chimney that is located on the windward side of your house, a chimney that isn't long enough, trees or buildings affecting your draft, etc. You state that you're drying wood in the greenhouse. Have you put a moisture meter on it to see how that's working?

If you were to give more information about the set-up you have, and explain the circumstances under which you feel you need this, someone here might be able to help you solve the problem.

I would be uneasy about adding something like this to my stovepipe/chimney setup for a variety of reasons. I wouldn't want to be dependent upon it; I wouldn't want to fire up a generator just to run this; I would be concerned that it might be a creosote trap; I would be concerned about having wiring that could burn through that close to my stove; the list goes on.

Often the KISS solution is the best one.

 

[Swedishchef]

Hey guys

I agree, I would rather solve the draft problem than buy this. The only reason I was questioning it's use/efficiency is because I saw it at my local hardware store today (in fact, it is for sale right beside a BK stove...lol) and felt it was odd and quite pricey! I was just wondering if anyone here has used it.

I don't have draft problems other than the fact that I need to open a window in my basement; it's too air tight. I need to re-calibrate my air exchanger to create more +ve pressure in the basement. I spray foamed my walls and rim joists = air tight like heck!

Happy New Year to you all!

Andrew

 

[LLigetfa]

If you want to really get some heat up a stalled or reversing cold flue, a BBQ lighter can make quick work of it. They put out way more heat than that draw collar.

This Looftlighter is 1800 watts. Once you get the flue warmed up, it will also start the fire.

http://www.looftlighter.com/looftlighter/