Smoke leaking from side door when front door is open

[FrankP]

Hello all.

Had something weird happen to me tonight and not sure if its just something I never paid attention to or the result of a possible problem....

I own a Hampton H300. Been running it for 10 years now. Tonight as I was loading wood into it through the front door with the side door closed, smoke was leaking out the side door. I already comprehend the wood stove wasnt hot enough yet for the baffle to be all the way open. But just out of curiosity, what would make that smoke leak out the door that was closed and not come out the door I had open? I realize i might want to replace gasket but my curiosity is more towards what made the draft go that way.

 

[begreen]

I already comprehend the wood stove wasnt hot enough yet for the baffle to be all the way open.

Greetings. Can you explain. I'm not following this.

 

[KimiBwoah]

I'd start with the gasket. I'm still new to stoves but my thought process is it may not be a new behavior of the stove...it just may be a worn gasket showing up.

 

[FrankP]

Greetings. Can you explain. I'm not following this.

Just the part you quoted? It's my understanding my unit needs to reach a certain temperature before the (baffle?) opens up? Like when the fire and stove are at peak heat you can open the stove doors and get no smoke. So what im trying to say is I fully expected to get smoke when opening door but was curious as to why it was leaking out of the closed side door while front door was open. Im actually confusing myself as I type this lol.

 

[begreen]

The baffle assembly in the H300 is fixed in position. It does not move. I'm not sure why the smoke spillage from the side door but checking the gasket is a good place to start. Do the dollar bill test by closing the door on a dollar bill, then pulling it out. There should be some tension when pulling it out. If loose then the gasket is not making a tight seal.

 

[FrankP]

The baffle assembly in the H300 is fixed in position. It does not move. I'm not sure why the smoke spillage from the side door but checking the gasket is a good place to start. Do the dollar bill test by closing the door on a dollar bill, then pulling it out. There should be some tension when pulling it out. If loose then the gasket is not making a tight seal.

Yah looking at it, it probably could use replacing. I think the thing that confused me most is when I shut the front door all smoked stopped leaking from side door.

 

[begreen]

Here's a guess. With the door open you are breaking the vacuum of draft in the firebox. Then smoke will linger and fill up the firebox, especially if draft is weak due to a very short chimney or a couple 90º turns in the flue path. When the door is closed draft will again start pulling smoke out of the firebox.

 

[FrankP]

Here's a guess. With the door open you are breaking the vacuum of draft in the firebox. Then smoke will linger and fill up the firebox, especially if draft is weak due to a very short chimney or a couple 90º turns in the flue path. When the door is closed draft will again start pulling smoke out of the firebox.

But why did smoke not come out of the front door that was open and decide to take a route that was obviously tighter then the front door open? Lol this whole thing is purely out of curiosity. Well and making sure there isn't something im missing here.