This is going to take a minute to explain. I think I know what caused it, but want some opinions on hot to prevent it.
A couple of days ago, I was going to lite my fire in the Quadrafire 2100I insert. When I opened the door, I noticed a good breeze of cold air flowing in. Figured it was some cool air flowing down the chimney from the door being open. I started the fire and closed the door as usual,and all of a sudden, smoke came pouring out the bottom where the air intake is. I had both air controls open to feed the fire, but smoke came out. I tried several different configurations between the controls and the insert door and all that happened was smoke poured out. Could stop it by closing the controls, but then fire would go out. I finally had the wife open the house door, and that slowed the smoke down and eventually got the chimney to draft.
This is what I think caused it: The day before my wife let the fire burn out and I didn't get home till late and the insert was cold so I just went to bed. It is a brick chimney that I have a piece of single wall pipe sticking up into it part way(I bought the house this summer and that is how the previous owner had used it.) That night it got down to 0 and the next day warmed to the 20s. The chimney is on the north side so it didn't get any sun on it. I think when I went to lite the fire that evening the chimney was colder than the outside air, so the cool air was falling down the inside of the chimney into the insert, causing the smoke to come in until enough hot air started flowing up.
Does that sound right, and if so, how do I prevent it in the future? Other than that one time, all fires have been fine.
A couple of days ago, I was going to lite my fire in the Quadrafire 2100I insert. When I opened the door, I noticed a good breeze of cold air flowing in. Figured it was some cool air flowing down the chimney from the door being open. I started the fire and closed the door as usual,and all of a sudden, smoke came pouring out the bottom where the air intake is. I had both air controls open to feed the fire, but smoke came out. I tried several different configurations between the controls and the insert door and all that happened was smoke poured out. Could stop it by closing the controls, but then fire would go out. I finally had the wife open the house door, and that slowed the smoke down and eventually got the chimney to draft.
This is what I think caused it: The day before my wife let the fire burn out and I didn't get home till late and the insert was cold so I just went to bed. It is a brick chimney that I have a piece of single wall pipe sticking up into it part way(I bought the house this summer and that is how the previous owner had used it.) That night it got down to 0 and the next day warmed to the 20s. The chimney is on the north side so it didn't get any sun on it. I think when I went to lite the fire that evening the chimney was colder than the outside air, so the cool air was falling down the inside of the chimney into the insert, causing the smoke to come in until enough hot air started flowing up.
Does that sound right, and if so, how do I prevent it in the future? Other than that one time, all fires have been fine.
This will create draft (and creosote) problems.
