Best way to shut down if you will not burn through the night?

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Brocktoon

New Member
Mar 19, 2013
13
Hello guys,

I have been lurking for several weeks, and based upon what I have learned here I just installed a Morso 7110 in my weekend mountain home.

I will only be burning it obviously when I'm up there, and mainly for warmth and ambiance for a few hours before supper and into bed time. I don't really expect to get much by in the way of overnight burns, and in the shoulder season, I have been letting it go down to coals by about 10:30.

If I will not continue to burn, what should i do to shut it down?

My setup is the stove sits on a concrete hearth level with the floor exiting by way of 16' of solid stainless liner through an existing masonry fireplace and chimney from the rear collar into a tee. The hearth and fireplace are covered and enclosed with tile, with an access hatch to reach the cleanout. I do have a cold air kit, but because some issues with the retrofit and local code I could not run a direct connection, but I have an adjustable vent for fresh air about 30" from the stove.

I have been letting the fire coal out, choking down the air, cutting down the outside air. This seems to work, but there is lots of soot on the vermiculite and reburner tubes in the morning. A couple of times I left the stove air mostly open and the fresh air and torched down the coals pretty fast. This seems to leave cleaner stove, but it's all over in a an hour or so, and I have lots of air open to the house overnight.

Oh yeah, I'm burning mainly kiln dried birch and some seasoned fruitwood off my property for variety. I have tried some bioblocks that I got on clearance and I like them, but they seem hot and don't make coals, so I thow them in on the last fill only.

What do you guys say?
 
There is some air loss to the living space after a stove burns down due to chimney draft but it is minimal really. The "hangover heat" of the stove body more than makes up for it. Leave enough primary air for the coals to burn down. That crap on the glass is probably crap in your chimney too.

With the outside air kit it ain't stealing warm air from the living space.
 
I could not run a direct connection, but I have an adjustable vent for fresh air about 30"

They wouldn't let you run a outside air intake to the stove???

Is the place so tight that there is a concern with closing this vent for the night but leaving the stove's air open?

pen
 
There is some air loss to the living space after a stove burns down due to chimney draft but it is minimal really. The "hangover heat" of the stove body more than makes up for it. Leave enough primary air for the coals to burn down. That crap on the glass is probably crap in your chimney too.

With the outside air kit it ain't stealing warm air from the living space.

The outside air is not directly connected due to a structural issue, but I agree with your approach, and that's what I feel is best, too.
 
They wouldn't let you run a outside air intake to the stove???

Is the place so tight that there is a concern with closing this vent for the night but leaving the stove's air open?

pen

Not really, it's a renovated 50's coast modern in British Columbia, I'm sure there is plenty of air, but I was just wondering if there is any benefit to prolonging the coals, really.
 
OK so it is acting as "make up air". That is different. Shut that sucker down. At coal stage draft is minimal so is oxygen loss to the living space.
 
OK so it is acting as "make up air". That is different. Shut that sucker down. At coal stage draft is minimal so is oxygen loss to the living space.

Yep, BB summed it up.

As to prolonging the coals, as you mentioned, if the unit stays cleaner, that should also mean the chimney does as well. Must be something left to them if shutting things down is darkening things up.

Let her run, just close up that glorified window at night.

Of course, just to be on the safe side, make sure that cabin has CO and smoke alarms (as all homes should anyway, but cabins are sometimes forgotten about for this)

pen
 
Yep, BB summed it up.

As to prolonging the coals, as you mentioned, if the unit stays cleaner, that should also mean the chimney does as well. Must be something left to them if shutting things down is darkening things up.

Let her run, just close up that glorified window at night.

Of course, just to be on the safe side, make sure that cabin has CO and smoke alarms (as all homes should anyway, but cabins are sometimes forgotten about for this)

pen

Thanks guys, I was pretty disappointed that we wound up not running the OAK, but it would have meant diamond coring through a reenforced concrete cantilever and a bunch of other noise that was not in the budget for a weekend place.

As far as safety systems, I am good with 3 extinguishers, chimney flares, two smoke detectors per level and a CO on each level due to the old pellet stove downstairs (retired).
 
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If the place isn't that tight, is it really small? Why the outside air vent?

If there's enough natural leakage, you can save the draft on your feet and not use that outside air vent at all.

pen
 
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I have the same concern on the odd occasion when the stove isn't burning on a cold night. Like tonight the only night in three months I am leaving it cold and going with electric heat. Even though the air is shut down I have a five hundred pound steel heat sink sitting there connected to a steel pipe out in the cold. Not to mention that the secondary air inlet can't be shut off. But it didn't freeze us to death the last time I did it.
 
If the place isn't that tight, is it really small? Why the outside air vent?

If there's enough natural leakage, you can save the draft on your feet and not use that outside air vent at all.

pen

First off it's code up there, and secondly I have the OAK collar on the stove, and the makeup vent at about the same height on the same wall about 30-36" away, so it's a pretty straight shot. Lots of people out for weekends mean that lots of bathroom fans, heaters, range hoods, microwaves and dryers coming on all the time all over the place. Want to be on the safe side...
 
I have the same concern on the odd occasion when the stove isn't burning on a cold night. Like tonight the only night in three months I am leaving it cold and going with electric heat. Even though the air is shut down I have a five hundred pound steel heat sink sitting there connected to a steel pipe out in the cold. Not to mention that the secondary air inlet can't be shut off. But it didn't freeze us to death the last time I did it.

We obviously think alike...
 
First off it's code up there, and secondly I have the OAK collar on the stove, and the makeup vent at about the same height on the same wall about 30-36" away, so it's a pretty straight shot. Lots of people out for weekends mean that lots of bathroom fans, heaters, range hoods, microwaves and dryers coming on all the time all over the place. Want to be on the safe side...

That speaks volumes. You are well ahead of the curve my friend!

Well done.

pen
 
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I agree with Pen. If you haven't tried burning with that "window" closed, give it a try. You have to be losing a ton of heat through it when it is open. I know if I had something like that, I might as well not bother heating. And I agree with Rick. Once you get a nice fire going, and have closed the stove down to the appropriate level for your burn, just forget about it. When you are ready to go to bed, go. It will burn out on its own once the coals are consumed. It's perfectly safe...and a lot safer than what you have been doing, which is coating your chimney with creosote. If you have burned many weekends that way, do yourself a favor and clean your flue. Far better to be dafe than to be sorry.

And welcome to the Forum.
 
I agree with Pen. If you haven't tried burning with that "window" closed, give it a try. You have to be losing a ton of heat through it when it is open. I know if I had something like that, I might as well not bother heating. And I agree with Rick. Once you get a nice fire going, and have closed the stove down to the appropriate level for your burn, just forget about it. When you are ready to go to bed, go. It will burn out on its own once the coals are consumed. It's perfectly safe...and a lot safer than what you have been doing, which is coating your chimney with creosote. If you have burned many weekends that way, do yourself a favor and clean your flue. Far better to be dafe than to be sorry.

And welcome to the Forum.

I have lots of wind effects and people activating all sorts of devices all over the place, so I might leave it open a bit. Mfg recos only 2" sq as required makeup so even a bit may help. I'm not really feeling any drafts, and the stove is pretty hot after it gets rocking... but we'll see what midwinter looks like next year. Thanks for your welcome!
 
Not really, it's a renovated 50's coast modern in British Columbia, I'm sure there is plenty of air, but I was just wondering if there is any benefit to prolonging the coals, really.
Yes, you can throw wood on them in the morning and :ZZZ
I don't know any thing about your stove but I'm guessing the coals would be gone by morning. If its down to coals, shut it down and burn, all is well.
I wouldn't be concerned with the OAK not being connected to the stove. I don't have an OAK, but I need one. I've burned ,and been around lots of wood burning my whole life, never seen a house that NEEDED and OAK, until I built last ear. I need an OAK. You'll know it if you need one. The dryer and or bathroom exhaust fans will pull smoke smell from an idle stove, make the draft very sluggish with an active fire, make closing exterior doors resistant if all the windows are closed, one fart fan running makes the fart fan's check valve rattle, exterior doors opening/closing rattle the interior doors,etc. I do think an OAK is a good idea for any house, even if it only stops 5% of the air infiltration. If I didn't experience any of these symptoms (I had never heard of them until joining this forum/building), I would close the air supply (leak) and burn.
 
Yes, you can throw wood on them in the morning and :ZZZ
I don't know any thing about your stove but I'm guessing the coals would be gone by morning. If its down to coals, shut it down and burn, all is well.
I wouldn't be concerned with the OAK not being connected to the stove. I don't have an OAK, but I need one. I've burned ,and been around lots of wood burning my whole life, never seen a house that NEEDED and OAK, until I built last ear. I need an OAK. You'll know it if you need one. The dryer and or bathroom exhaust fans will pull smoke smell from an idle stove, make the draft very sluggish with an active fire, make closing exterior doors resistant if all the windows are closed, one fart fan running makes the fart fan's check valve rattle, exterior doors opening/closing rattle the interior doors,etc. I do think an OAK is a good idea for any house, even if it only stops 5% of the air infiltration. If I didn't experience any of these symptoms (I had never heard of them until joining this forum/building), I would close the air supply (leak) and burn.

Thanks. I became a bit sensitized to smoke and other small particulate from a job I had, so I'm trying to be extra careful to keep it in the other side of the iron... As the season is slowing down, we'll see what happens next year. My wife did have the dryer on, and the hood fan once when I was lighting the thing and it did make a big difference with the makeup closed (i forgot to open it).
 
Thanks. I became a bit sensitized to smoke and other small particulate from a job I had, so I'm trying to be extra careful to keep it in the other side of the iron... As the season is slowing down, we'll see what happens next year. My wife did have the dryer on, and the hood fan once when I was lighting the thing and it did make a big difference with the makeup closed (i forgot to open it).
Then I would use the make up air, I have an OAK project coming.
 
I have the same concern on the odd occasion when the stove isn't burning on a cold night. Like tonight the only night in three months I am leaving it cold and going with electric heat. Even though the air is shut down I have a five hundred pound steel heat sink sitting there connected to a steel pipe out in the cold. Not to mention that the secondary air inlet can't be shut off. But it didn't freeze us to death the last time I did it.

You need to spend some time in an old house, surrounded by thick stone walls with no interior framing or insulation. You will quickly forget the tiny 500 lb. heat sink sitting on your hearth! !!!
 
I have the same concern on the odd occasion when the stove isn't burning on a cold night. Like tonight the only night in three months I am leaving it cold and going with electric heat. Even though the air is shut down I have a five hundred pound steel heat sink sitting there connected to a steel pipe out in the cold. Not to mention that the secondary air inlet can't be shut off. But it didn't freeze us to death the last time I did it.
My insert only runs on some weekends, so for the other 330+ days of the year I have a hole to the outside leading into my kitchen, I assumed the leakage was modest until I felt the cold downdraft, and decided to fix the problem. Most people apparently have updraft so the loss wouldn't be as obvious.

This is what I did, it works to stop the air, the metal is now measurably warmer on non running days, but I have no idea if it will bring any significant savings. It was an enjoyable project, and with a cost of about $0.50, shouldn't take long for payback.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/lopi-freedom-air-modification.107105/

TE
 
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My insert only runs on some weekends, so for the other 330+ days of the year I have a hole to the outside leading into my kitchen, I assumed the leakage was modest until I felt the cold downdraft, and decided to fix the problem. Most people apparently have updraft so the loss wouldn't be as obvious.

This is what I did, it works to stop the air, the metal is now measurably warmer on non running days, but I have no idea if it will bring any significant savings. It was an enjoyable project, and with a cost of about $0.50, shouldn't take long for payback.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/lopi-freedom-air-modification.107105/

TE

Thanks. I was thinking about just covering the fresh air collar with a woman's shower cap or something while I'm not at the home...
 
I wish mine would be as easy as that, but it wasn't hard

TE
 
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