What does good draft feel like?

[NewStoveGuy]

I'm counting down the days until the first fire in my first season burning as an adult (literally counting as we have a pool going) and been wondering if my install is giving me "good" draft.

Right now the stove room is about 66 degrees and it's 41 outside, the stove itself is at 68 and both the masonry wall behind it and the ceramic tile floors are at 70. I'm working with a WS Fireview into a 6x6 flue in a stack that I'd estimate at 16 feet high from the thimble. With everything wide open (air control, cat bypass, door) and my hand in the door the draft feels like a Power Mac G5 with all the fans on low. For those unfamiliar with that old behemoth, think small personal fan on it's low setting and take about 1/2 to 2/3rds of that. If I move my hand back to the outlet that leads to the cat bypass the draft intensifies to feeling like a small personal fan on low to medium.

Is that decent? Might find out today...

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

When I eat a York Peppermint patty, I get the sensation of...ah...never mind. Sounds like you have more than enough draft to me. May even be excessive and need to be tamed once the cold hits!

 

[NewStoveGuy]

Thanks PH. No luck today for my son as the sun and some judicious baking by some of the female pool participants warmed it up to 5 degrees over the trigger for our "First Fire Pool." Rest of this week and next looking to be quite warm around the Upper South. Looks like I'll have to wait to find out just how this draft works. His eldest sister's date is up next with Oct 20th.