Last night I had a meeting and just before I left the house I loaded up the stove, let it get pretty warm, then shut down the air and went to my meeting.
I came home, everything being fine, loaded up the stove again, got the fire hot and shut down the air to my 'normal' mark - perhaps just a little more than usual.
In about an hour, I walked into the kitchen and smelled smoke (curing paint smell from pipe). I ran downstairs to see my 6' run of single-wall black stove pipe billowing off smoke. Without thinking, I cut the air off and then ran outside to see if I had a chimney fire.
Well, I saw no evidence of that - perhaps because I had already killed the air?! I pointed a fan at the stove pipe for just a few seconds and the temp dropped dramatically. I felt the brick above where the pipe enters the chimney, and it was warm, but not overly hot. I could keep my hand on it indefinitely.
I'm leaning away from chimney fire, but I can't figure out what went on. My stove top temp was around 400f and my stove pipe surface temp was 600f. 600f doesn't sound too high, but considering that when my stove is at 400f my pipe is typically at 200f, this gives me cause for concern.
I can think about the variables that changed: a little more air, windy night, ... that's about all. I've also burned my stove when it's been much more windy without any adverse affects.
Now I don't feel safe enough to burn the stove while sleeping or leaving; I don't feel like I know my stove anymore. Any thoughts or suggestions?
I came home, everything being fine, loaded up the stove again, got the fire hot and shut down the air to my 'normal' mark - perhaps just a little more than usual.
In about an hour, I walked into the kitchen and smelled smoke (curing paint smell from pipe). I ran downstairs to see my 6' run of single-wall black stove pipe billowing off smoke. Without thinking, I cut the air off and then ran outside to see if I had a chimney fire.
Well, I saw no evidence of that - perhaps because I had already killed the air?! I pointed a fan at the stove pipe for just a few seconds and the temp dropped dramatically. I felt the brick above where the pipe enters the chimney, and it was warm, but not overly hot. I could keep my hand on it indefinitely.
I'm leaning away from chimney fire, but I can't figure out what went on. My stove top temp was around 400f and my stove pipe surface temp was 600f. 600f doesn't sound too high, but considering that when my stove is at 400f my pipe is typically at 200f, this gives me cause for concern.
I can think about the variables that changed: a little more air, windy night, ... that's about all. I've also burned my stove when it's been much more windy without any adverse affects.
Now I don't feel safe enough to burn the stove while sleeping or leaving; I don't feel like I know my stove anymore. Any thoughts or suggestions?