NEED HELP .... ASAP

[Boozie]

I guess I didn't get the flu drafting/warmed up before lighting some firestarters and sticks underneath my pile of wood. I now have a firebox full of SMOKE. I have closed off all the dampers to keep the smoke from seeping from the firebox into the room ..... bypass damper and primary air controls. WHAT DO I DO NOW?????

Barb

 

[jtb51b]

If you can get to your pipe warm it up with a hair dryer (or torch) it will start a draft. Good luck.. try getting the windows open and opening the door REALLY slow, just a 1/4" can get it flowing.

JAson

 

[jtb51b]

and open the bypass damper so it can go straight up the chimney, then try SLOWLY opening the primary air.. or door, with a pressurised air source close by?

Jason

 

[Boozie]

I can't get to the pipe. It's inside masonry chimney. What controls should I open before opening door??

 

[Boozie]

What kind of pressurized air source?

 

[Boozie]

Jason, are you still there?

 

[jtb51b]

Yeah, I mean anything that you can use to displace air.. Even a fan.

 

[jtb51b]

You need to open the bypass damper. The one you use to engage the cat, you will be wanting the cat NOT engaged.. Then open the primary air SLOWLY to let the air into the firebox and up the chimney.

 

[jtb51b]

if the smoke trys to spill out the bottom when you open the primary air they use your fan or anything that blows air to coax it in the other direction.

Jason

 

[Dix]

Barb, you need to get that fire burning to create a draft up the chimney. Try crumpled news paper... just don't breathe in while you have the door open

I don't know the controls on your insert, but open the air control wide, best chance for good draft.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Barb, ya got any of those long match sticks? Starting a cold stove right? Open bypass, have your air control at Med. or lower and crack the door open a hair. Let the room air draw through the stove and up the by-pass, it will clear quite a bit in a few seconds. Then hit the base of your pile with the long match. Something in there is hot enough to create smoke, just starving for air. Add a little flame to it and it should take off. Leave the door cracked until you have a good draw.

 

[ROBERT F]

Propane torch handy? crack the door and let the flame fly!. you need flames to quench the smoke and get the air moving up the flue.

 

[Boozie]

OK, I bit the smoke and got it taken care of. I had rolled newspaper ready at hand and lighter in other hand. I had bypass damper open, cracked the door a tad, quickly lit the newspaper and stuck it in there to get the draft going. Got more newspapers going to keep it going. The smoke went up the chimney quite quickly. The long match would have been a good idea .... and I did have some there, but the long lighter worked OK too. Thanks to all who responded. I R-E-A-L-L-Y appreciate your help.

Barb

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Good job. Doesn't the smoke smell just kind'a add to the whole experience? :lol:

 

[Boozie]

Well if I don't smarten up soon I'm going to invest in a smoke mask. I've got it going good now .... up to 1300 degrees. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to get heat up to the first floor. I have the heat vents turned off in the family room downstairs (where the stove is) and the furnace fan is "ON". I also have a box fan at the entrance to the stairwell that comes upstairs ..... blowing air upstairs. I guess it's working as I had turned the furnace down to 67 and it's now 68 up here (here .... computer room, upstairs).

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Barb, spend the money on Super Cedars instead of a mask. As far as your air flow goes, post a diagram of your floorplan, and you'll be amazed at the input. Gentle flow of cooler air aimed AT the stove(floor level) will help heat the reat of the house. Weird.

 

[Boozie]

"Super Cedars" .... is that a fire-starter? I'll work on a drawing of floor plan for air flow. You are the second person now who has said to direct COLD air to the HOT. Must have merit. It does seem odd though.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Barb, when you do your floorplan, you'll freak at the advice until you try it. As far as "Super Cedars" go, do a quick search and become a believer. Seriously, sliced bread for the masses, Super Cedars for the chosen.

 

[Boozie]

Re: Super Cedars. I think I saw some of these at Mennards. I'll have to try them.

 

[John_M]

Beetle-Kill gets an A+ for his suggestion re: Super Cedars and moving the heat around. John_M

 

[SpeakEasy]

The deal on moving the cold air toward the stove is that as you do so, the warm air has to move in to replace the cold air. Generally the cold air will be at floor level and the warm air will be at ceiling level. So, all in all it is easier to move the cold air.

 

[RED FRONTIER]

I had the same problem with cold starts. I now use my propane torch to preheat my stove to establish a draft.
Just another tidbit of advice I got from here.

 

[KarlP]

A little late perhaps, but next time put a fan in a nearby window blowing into the house. If you pressurize the room, the air finds an escape route up the chimney when you crack the stove door.

 

[ispinwool]

I guess I didn't get the flu drafting/warmed up before lighting some firestarters and sticks underneath my pile of wood. I now have a firebox full of SMOKE. I have closed off all the dampers to keep the smoke from seeping from the firebox into the room ..... bypass damper and primary air controls. WHAT DO I DO NOW?????

Barb

Sorry to "piggy back" on your post....but this helps me with my question....you were able to close off all the smoke
and keep it from seeping out of your firebox...Hmmmm.
Hubby tried to start a fire the other day; he also didn't get the flu hot enough fast enough---but when he
shut the door to keep the smoke in, the smoke came pouring out of the rear underside of the unit.
Ours is a Hearthstone Heritage--anyone out there with a HH know how so much smoke can escape when everything's
supposed to be airtight? Or isn't it airtight?

 

[begreen]

If the flue is downdrafting because it is too cool, the smoke has to go somewhere. If the stove backpuffs, the pressure will force smoke out of every seam. This is a bad situation of either wet wood, a poorly drafting flue or both. Next time try using dry kindling and the top down fire starting method. Leave the door ajar until the fire has started burning well.