I just looked at your avatar and the cathedral ceiling could be contributing to a stack effect.
try to get yourself familiar with negative draft , it’s pretty simple in theory all the smoke and heat which flows up chimney needs to be replaced with the same volume at the same velocity with fresh air from outside of your house ,slow or reduce the replacement air smoke up chimney gets slowed , boiler or another ventilation system kicks on now it begins to pull smoke from fireplace reversing flowSo tonight I made a fire and once again an hour and 20 min in I started to smell smoke so I opened the nearest window an inch and the smell went away in the room. As fire was winding down I started to smell it again so I closed fireplace doors and overall it was a huge improvement. With the window open the room still stayed warm which I was surprised. Anyone have an idea of what would cause this and why cracking window fixed it? How should I move forward?
Note the furnace did not run!
Have you considered a stove?Is there something that can be done to fix this or am I just SOL?
Have you considered a stove?
Is there something that can be done to fix this or am I just SOL?
A higher chimney and no air leaks above the stove in the house envelope. Are there any leaky windows or recessed lights etc above the stove in the house?
I am considering a lopi wood insert. I got quoted $6,300 for the medium sized flush unit and $5,800 for small hybrid fyre unit installed with insulated liner and adapters etc. I will go this route if need be but I would like to use what I got and save money if possible. BUT if I get the insert would I have same drafting issues with insert if put in same location?
How are you going to pass the permit inspections with the town and insurance co if you go this route, from my understanding your zero clearance unit is not rated to have any solid wood burning devices installed with in, and no modifications to the unit itself either (cutting, blocking, removing of air vents, stove refractory ect..)I am considering a lopi wood insert. I got quoted $6,300 for the medium sized flush unit and $5,800 for small hybrid fyre unit installed with insulated liner and adapters etc.
Your not saving any money burning a fireplace, your actually making the house colder because your sending warmed room air up and out of the chimney. The small amount of heat you feel is radiant and localized to the room the fireplace is in.I will go this route if need be but I would like to use what I got and save money if possible.
Maybe / maybe not, the insert will need a oak (outside air kit) again the zero clearance unit would need to be modified for this (big no no) a dedicated insulated liner would need to be installed within the air cooled chimney since the air cooled unit isn't rated at 2100deg f which the stove requires, but the liner is sized for the stove at 6" so you may get better draft by increasing velocity, again hypothetical because the installed would need to make sure they can send an insulated liner down the existing chimney, or (which is unlikely) the existing chimney is already a class a unit.BUT if I get the insert would I have same drafting issues with insert if put in same location?
Start by checking the fresh air intake to see if it is open.Is there something that can be done to fix this or am I just SOL?
What make and model fireplace is this unit?I am considering a lopi wood insert. I got quoted $6,300 for the medium sized flush unit and $5,800 for small hybrid fyre unit installed with insulated liner and adapters etc. I will go this route if need be but I would like to use what I got and save money if possible. BUT if I get the insert would I have same drafting issues with insert if put in same location?
Yes, negative pressure will be an issue either way. My open fireplace had draft issues - I got them mostly under control with a grate wall of fire and a smoke guard. When I had my flush wood plus installed, the problem was even worse, enough to set off my carbon monoxide alarm at the end of the burn when the draft reversed with hot coals in the insert. I finally fixed mine by sealing up an air leak to my attic that was making my stack effect worse and cracking a window while I ran the insert. You can't provide outside air directly to the Lopi flush wood inserts, so if you can't fix the strong negative pressure in the location where the fireplace is, you may want to consider an insert that will allow an outside air kit instead.
Start by checking the fresh air intake to see if it is open.
How are you going to pass the permit inspections with the town and insurance co if you go this route, from my understanding your zero clearance unit is not rated to have any solid wood burning devices installed with in, and no modifications to the unit itself either (cutting, blocking, removing of air vents, stove refractory ect..)
Your not saving any money burning a fireplace, your actually making the house colder because your sending warmed room air up and out of the chimney. The small amount of heat you feel is radiant and localized to the room the fireplace is in.
Maybe / maybe not, the insert will need a oak (outside air kit) again the zero clearance unit would need to be modified for this (big no no) a dedicated insulated liner would need to be installed within the air cooled chimney since the air cooled unit isn't rated at 2100deg f which the stove requires, but the liner is sized for the stove at 6" so you may get better draft by increasing velocity, again hypothetical because the installed would need to make sure they can send an insulated liner down the existing chimney, or (which is unlikely) the existing chimney is already a class a unit.
I would add a 3' section to the chimney and see if things improve. If it works you could extend the chase for aesthetics.
I can't find a manual for that do you have one?Superior KR-43
I can't find a manual for that do you have one?
Can you take a pic of the I'd tag?No couldn't find one online either.
Without a manual there is no way to know if an insert is permittedNo couldn't find one online either.
Without a manual there is no way to know if an insert is permitted
Did they not bother to even read the I'd tag. It clearly says no inserts.As I mentioned earlier a local lopi dealer came here to inspect and give an estimate and he said it is ok for the lopi unit and I contacted lopi directly and sent them the info and they confirmed it to be safe so I feel comfortable with it. I was also told the Regency unit would work as well. Picture is attached below.