Sparks from vertical vent pipe

[SparksFly]

I know you've covered this topic before but I'm looking for potential solutions to sparks/embers coming from my vertical vent pipe. I live in a crowded neighborhood just north of Boston and every year since I've had my stove (7 years) I get at least one doorbell from a "concerned" neighbor about the "sparks" coming from my vent. Initially I had a direct horizontal vent until after the first doorbell about three weeks after the install of my stove. I then switched to a 90-degree elbow with about a 3-foot vertical rise and then another 90-degree elbow and another 1-foot of horizontal before the termination cap. I had this for the last 6 years and still had embers occasionally with at least one visitor a year. Well last year my neighbor two doors down decided to call the fire department. So I had a visit from two engines just afterbmy daughter went down for a non-existent problem. My stove at the time was on low so imagine the confusion of the fireman when he demanded to come in only to find a barely existant flame! They were kind enough to clean my vent pipe though So this year I switched the vent pipe to go directly vertical up 4-feet past my roofline on my two-story home figuring that would solve the problem. It didn't. Just tonight another "concerned" neighbor rang the doorbell to tell me that I had sparks coming from my chimney. I know in rural or unpopulated areas the sparks aren't a concern but I need to find a solution to this in my populated area. I went to the local nursery today to buy a couple of bags of different brands of pellets to see if that might help. Any other suggestions? Spark arrestors? Etc? Thanks...

 

[DexterDay]

Maybe you need to kindly inform the neighborhood that you choose to stay warm throughout the Winter and do so much cheaper than them. Honestly there is almost nothing you can do. If you already extended the vert, then adding more is about the only option.

What brand of stove do you have (unrelated but we like to know).

If you read enough into "Sparks", then you probably read about Slickplant and her comical thread? If not, prepare for the comments

 

[P38X2]

Oh jeez. Poor guy

 

[SparksFly]

I did read through the thread with Slickplant...the name escaped me at the time of the posting but that was the "I know you have covered this topic before..." statement! Ironically my neighbor has a pellet stove with a direct horizontal vent. When I went to see their vent pipe I asked his wife if I could poke around outside first so she didn't call the cops. During the conversation I told her I couldn't believe someone wouldn't just knock on my door and tell me and not call the stinking fire department. I was like, sheesh, we are all neighbors. Come to find out later it was them! And I have a Whitfield Profile 30...guess I'll just wait for the comments to roll in. Thanks for the reply.

 

[SparksFly]

And no, not with a fire hose. When they opened the cap there was about an 1/8 inch of build up in the bottom. I'd just cleaned it the week prior. They took advantage of the opportunity to lecture me about cleaning the pipe even though it was really clean. Maybe they just needed to feel like they spent the taxpayers money responsibly. I told them I'd talk to the guy who installed it the next day. I neglected to mention at the time that I was that guy! The same neighbor came running into my backyard this summer all concerned about the billows of smoke coming from my backyard. That time is was called a smoker. She just wanted to make sure my house wasn't on fire. I felt like asking her when the last time a house burning smelled like chicken! Maybe too many Smokey the Bear commercials when they were young.

 

[SparksFly]

R.I.P. Slickplant35...

 

[briansol]

dirt bikes come with spark arrestors so they don't burn down the woods. I don't know why something similar couldn't be modded to work. But, that doesn't really solve the why are you shooting sparks problem.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

And no, not with a fire hose. When they opened the cap there was about an 1/8 inch of build up in the bottom. I'd just cleaned it the week prior. They took advantage of the opportunity to lecture me about cleaning the pipe even though it was really clean. Maybe they just needed to feel like they spent the taxpayers money responsibly. I told them I'd talk to the guy who installed it the next day. I neglected to mention at the time that I was that guy! The same neighbor came running into my backyard this summer all concerned about the billows of smoke coming from my backyard. That time is was called a smoker. She just wanted to make sure my house wasn't on fire. I felt like asking her when the last time a house burning smelled like chicken! Maybe too many Smokey the Bear commercials when they were young.

Hey watch it bub, us bears are very sensitive about fire and want to be certain people at least notice out of the ordinary things happening.

Maybe she needs to watch her own stack for a few nights, she is likely to be mortified.

 

[SparksFly]

Sorry Mr. Bear, no disrespect intended! As an Eagle Boy Scout I appreciate fire safety. Maybe I'll suggest to her to watch her own stack before looking at mine...

 

[DexterDay]

dirt bikes come with spark arrestors so they don't burn down the woods. I don't know why something similar couldn't be modded to work. But, that doesn't really solve the why are you shooting sparks problem.

As do chainsaws, but it is a very small tight-nit screen mesh. Something that a pellet stove (emits Ash) would likely clog within a couple days.

Some modern termination caps are to much for some to clean.

With that much vertical, I cant imagine that many sparks coming out? I have two Up and out installs and one Direct vent install. The Up and Outs I have never seen a spark (5 ft vert to 3 ft horizontal on one and 5 ft vert to 4 ft horizontal on the other) and even the Direct vent is very few and far between. I just stacked pavers up, along the sides (I am well over on my CTC's, but one can Never be to safe) to keep the sparks contained between the paver stacks.

Does your stove burn pretty lean (white ash)? Have you tried closing the damper on the Whit a little? The slower the air flow, the fewer sparks will make it out the vent.