Holy Smokes!

[szmaine]

Got the leftovers of that Nor'easter last night, it poured and the temps are in the 50's.
No need for a fire but the kitchen tends to be cool so we decided to fire up the old cook stove for the first time this year.
Thick gray smoke began billowing out of every joint - cook plates, support I's and T's, firebox and ash drawer -Yikes! (cough, cough, cough)
After some initial panic and running for fans, opening doors we decided there was nothing to do but let it burn out.
So I decided the most reasonable thing to do next would be to take a picture -unfortunately, by the time I found batteries that weren't dead the thing finally decided to draft. Bummer.

 

[szmaine]

Ahhhhh. It brings back such fond memories....camping-the smell of of woodsmoke and burnt marshmallows.

After the morning drama I took a quick ride to the store and came back to all the doors flung open once again.
The haze of sweet smelling smoke everywhere and a large deposit of bubbling black substance on the cookstove.
Turns out one of the maple syrup jars that was way up on the warming shelf (a full 16 ounces -ouch that hurts) had ruptured it's bottom and emptied everywhere.

It is funny - I usually think most thing like this that turn out well are funny.

But it turns out that my husband, out in the barn, didn't know about it when I went out to laugh with him over it.
My 11 yr old, after seeing us deal with the smoke issue this morning, flung open every door and went back on the computer!
We had to have a serious talk about getting out of the house and getting me or Dad ASAP if she find smoke. And I plan on bringing it up more often - I thought she already knew this - so it is a good thing that a minor incident tipped me off.

 

[begreen]

Bummer about the maple syrup loss. Good that you can laugh about it. Did you check that the flue damper and oven bypass were open before starting the cook stove?

 

[szmaine]

I wondered the same, but we were both scrambling to check and all was set. It is the weather I'm sure- what's that called - pressure inversion? Never saw one that bad though - went on for a good 10 min of billowing smoke before we had some draw.
Before it did we wonder if we had a plug somehow,

 

[begreen]

Yes, when it gets above 50 and the pressure is really low, I have to be careful with our stove or I will get smoke spill when I open the door. I can imagine that it would take a bit of patience to get draft going in an oven during those conditions.

 

[Corey]

Especially in the rain - humid air is light air. Light air is bad for draft.

 

[edthedawg]

indeed - poor ol' syrup and we can't find reason to stay lit here for nothin'. kids are sleeping half naked, the stove's gone cold... went to middle-west MA today and the artists' mill was all wide open, fans blowing, etc... downright HOT at times today!

nutso weather

 

[myzamboni]

Especially in the rain - humid air is light air. Light air is bad for draft.

wouldn't humid air be heavy as it is holding moisture?

 

[begreen]

Odd, but humid air has more hydrogen which is the lightest element.

 

[woodgeek]

the humidity displaces the other gases--and water vapor has low density due to its low molecular weight.

 

[Corey]

It does seem strange, but water as a gas is lighter than air...

In 'atomic mass units' amu:

Hydrogen = 1
Oxygen = 16
Nitrogen = 14

Water (H2O) = 1+1+16 = 18 amu

Air (21% O2, 78% N2) = .21(16 x 2) + .78(14 x 2) = (.21 x 32) + (.78 x 28) or about 28.5 amu

 

[szmaine]

Apparently, the correct term for the phenomena is a temperature inversion.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(meteorology)

Edit - I have no idea what is wrong with this link - a search for temperature inversion leads to a great article but the link wont go there...

 

[firefighterjake]

. . .My 11 yr old, after seeing us deal with the smoke issue this morning, flung open every door and went back on the computer!
We had to have a serious talk about getting out of the house and getting me or Dad ASAP if she find smoke. And I plan on bringing it up more often - I thought she already knew this - so it is a good thing that a minor incident tipped me off.

Chaulk this experience up to a great teaching moment . . . one that could prove important some day.

 

[Jotulover]

My friend told me about a product that just came out a few months back that primes the flue with heat before starting a fire. I have used my draw collar for a couple months now and love that I don't need to worry about inversions or extreme cold temps in the flue anymore! Love it!

 

[szmaine]

My friend told me about a product that just came out a few months back that primes the flue with heat before starting a fire. I have used my draw collar for a couple months now and love that I don't need to worry about inversions or extreme cold temps in the flue anymore! Love it!

$399 !

Think I'll put it towards next years firewood, thanks anyway.

 

[Jotulover]

My friend told me about a product that just came out a few months back that primes the flue with heat before starting a fire. I have used my draw collar for a couple months now and love that I don't need to worry about inversions or extreme cold temps in the flue anymore! Love it!

$399 !
Think I'll put it towards next years firewood, thanks anyway.

It sure beat the $350.00 cleaning bill for the smoke damage that happened a couple years ago! Plus my room stays a lot warmer by keeping the cold air out of the house when the stove is not lit.
It was a bit pricey but it has been worth it for me Draw has been a major issue for years for me!

Chin

 

[szmaine]

Smoke damage? What happened?

Where are you anyway? I don't recognize the name of the place you have listed.

 

[Jotulover]

Uintah Basin Utah

All the drapes needed cleaning. They smelled like campfire.

Chin

 

[Metal]

He forgot to tell you that he sells the draw collars and that the reason the cold air doesn't come down the chimney is because all the hot air from in the house is being lost up it.

 

[Ratman]

He forgot to tell you that he sells the draw collars and that the reason the cold air doesn't come down the chimney is because all the hot air from in the house is being lost up it.

uhhhh...no
cold air can come down the chimney