Smokey and no draft

[ayeronnie]

I hope this has not been asked before, but I am at a loss here.

I have an older Timberline wood stove. Don't know the exact age, but my parents put it in long time ago. Think it has to be a good 30 years old. And still in great shape.

Anyways, it's always been a really good stove. With good wood, it can heat you out the house.We've burned a ton of wood in this over the years, the set up has always worked very well.But the last week or so, it's like there is no draft. Even with the flue open all the way, you can't keep the door open more than a 1/2", or smoke comes out.

I thought the chimney might need cleaning. My mom said a furnace guy took the elbow off a few years back and said it looked okay.

So, the last two days I've taken all pipe off from the stove to where it goes into the ceiling, in the basement, into what I think is a double wall SS chimney unit setup, no brick or masonry. The chimney had some soot, but did not look terrible. There was also some stuff in the pipes I took out.

I bought a chimney brush and cleaned it up all the way to the chimney cap. I also replaced all the pipe from the stove to the main chimney with brand new stuff. Cleaned out the stove as well. I did not inspect the chimney to carefully, from what I could see, but it looked okay, from what I could see, and I remember seeing light at the top by the cap. Nothing to obstruct that I can see.

So, we try a little test fire and sure enough, smoke comes out the door and even at a joint in the new pipe I put in.

It's like it's not getting any draft. But this stove has always had a great draft, long as I can remember, you could open the door a few inches and see the fire glowing, it could easily see it was getting a great draft.

What could be wrong? Nothing has changed. It was smoking before I put in the new pipe, so it was an existing issue. Nothing else has been done on it and nothing really new in the house. I've read online that it might be a leak in the chimney lining?

Just don't get it. We have a bedroom in the basement where the stove is, so a fire would really be nice, it gets a little chilly down here. Not to mention we hate to buy more gas

Any thoughts? Anything would be greatly appreciated! Sorry for the long post, just trying to be as detailed as possible.

 

[begreen]

Often this turns out to be the chimney cap screen is plugged. Or could there be plugging so bad up top that the brush didn't make it all the way?

 

[GENECOP]

Start at the top and work your way down....

 

[ayeronnie]

Thank you for the replies!

Like I said, I did not inspect the chimney carefully. But it's a 10" SS chimney lining (inside) and there was only a slight coating, maybe 1/8" on the walls, soot, creosote, ect. I brushed it real well from top to bottom, felt when I bumped into the cap. Actually it looked real good after we were done. Course I could not see close all the way to the top. But I scrubbed it pretty good.

I wouldn't think it was the cap, as it has a pretty good opening, but I'll should check it. My parents had replaced the cap in the past a couple times over the years, but that was just because the caps rusting out.

Just so odd that the stove has always had a great draft and burned well for so long. Least 25 years.

I've read that you need to start a good hot fire to heat the pipes up to help draft. But we've never had that problem and I worry that if I tried it now the house would be full of smoke. I could keep the door closed, but one of the joints was leaking too because the draft was not there. Thought about finding metal tape for the joints, but that would be just a bandage, there is obviously another issue.

Again, thanks for the replies, I'll take a look at the cap.

Actually I was thinking about using a helmet cam we have, to put up the chimney. Should be able to see a leak, or problem, no?

Sure hate to pay some one a bunch of money only to say we need a new lining.

 

[claydogg84]

I'm a little confused by your posts. Is this chimney pipe all the way to the cap, or is this pipe into a mason chimney? I agree with Begreen either way, check the cap.

 

[ayeronnie]

I'm a little confused by your posts. Is this chimney pipe all the way to the cap, or is this pipe into a mason chimney? I agree with Begreen either way, check the cap.

Sorry if I was confusing. It is chimney pipe all the way up to the cap. No masonry. Course part that goes through the house walls is double wall SS. Looks like there is sheet metal along the walls as well.

Roof is icy right now, but I'll see if I can check the cap some how.

 

[coaly]

Make sure there is no clean out cap or other opening into chimney flue open. Cool air will rush in killing draft.
If there is a screen at top, that is the first thing to plug since cold air and wind allows creosote to build up on it the most.