Sudden draft problem - Alderlea

[Joey Jones]

Lots of people take out the screen in their chimney cap to prevent pre-mature clogging and draft problems. If one does not burn lots of newspaper, or similar, for stove ignition startups, I see no need for a stove cap screen, unless it is code! Althought the cap screen is usually stainless steel it can be removed on the Simpson Dura-Vent line with a nut driver of 1/4 or 5/16", and can be replaced with hardware cloth, sold at hardware stores or galvanized expanded metal lath availible at plaster suppliers that sell plastering and drywall stuff. I think the diamonds in this stuff are much larger than hardware cloth.

My solution: burn into the red zone of your stove thermometer twice a day for 15 minutes.... and always burn into the hot zone when you add wood to your stove...

 

[Elfin]

Thanks for all the additional thoughts on the screens just being very apt to clog.

Update - I've been keeping a close eye on our burning all week... not burning differently, just checking stove temps to make sure we're plenty hot enough. It's clear we've been burning properly, into the burn zone nice and steady at all times, even with a small fire. Stovetop temps are between 400 and 550F.

I'm really starting to lean towards the idea that newspaper is going to be the culprit here. And we just use a small amount with our kindling to start fires... we never burn paper at any other time. The next step will be to stop using newspaper for fire-starting, and see if we can keep the screen squeeky clean that way. If we can't, I'll have to draw the conclusion that the screen is causing the problem.