Cold flue = balky starting insert

AndrewU · Dec 10, 2020

Edit: Moved from Starting a fire thread to new thread on cold flue. -BG

Thanks @MTASH!

Got the hearth partly tiled, plan is to lift the stove onto the hearth this weekend while a material lift is available. Then finish tiling the wall. Was hoping to have had my first fire by now, but projects always seem to take 3x longer than they should.

Going to use this method for starting my first real fire. The break-in/paint curing fires will be a lot smaller so probably will do more of a bottom up method for those.

Williej · Jan 21, 2021

Hi. I have a Regency fireplace insert. Always when I start a fire in a cold fireplace I open two windows and load the insert with paper and kindling and small logs. (Outside temp today was -10C). Everytime I do this there is a noticeable cold down draft and for a while smoke comes pouring out the front and into the room. Is there any solution to this? (If I close the door, the fire goes out). (Once I get good heat the problem ends but I want to end this beginning of lots of smoke in the room.) My wife suggested putting our small electric heater to heat up the flue. Does that work? The installer said we could put in fans to eliminate the cold down draft, but that would be very costly. Thanks for your help.

NickW · Jan 21, 2021

Have you tried without opening the windows? Maybe you have a funky air pattern.

Some of the guys with weak draft preheat their flues with torches...

AndrewU · Jan 21, 2021

Williej said:
Hi. I have a Regency fireplace insert. Always when I start a fire in a cold fireplace I open two windows and load the insert with paper and kindling and small logs. (Outside temp today was -10C). Everytime I do this there is a noticeable cold down draft and for a while smoke comes pouring out the front and into the room. Is there any solution to this? (If I close the door, the fire goes out). (Once I get good heat the problem ends but I want to end this beginning of lots of smoke in the room.) My wife suggested putting our small electric heater to heat up the flue. Does that work? The installer said we could put in fans to eliminate the cold down draft, but that would be very costly. Thanks for your help.

Short term preheating the flue with a torch or some burning newspaper can help start the draft. Long term you probably need to add a couple-three feet to your flue.

Have you tried lighting the fire without opening the windows? Does it just not draft at all without that? If that’s the case consider an OAK (outside air kit) so you don’t need room air for combustion. If your house is pretty tight and has even a slight negative pressure compared to outside that can cause your problem.

begreen · Jan 23, 2021

To warm up the flue, some folks put a couple candles burning in the stove about 30 minutes before lighting. You could try 1/4 chunk of a SuperCedar, with no kindling. They burn pretty cleanly. A hairdryer can be used in a pinch too.

TradEddie · Jan 25, 2021

I usually place a sheet of newspaper very slightly crumpled on top of my logs/kindling, I light that and it goes whoosh like rocket to warm the flue. In very cold weather when I expect a downdraft, I immediately close, or just crack the door after lighting that paper, then reopen the door to light the fire properly. When the stars are aligned just right, that initial sheet ignites the main paper and kindling, but that's just a bonus.

TE

kborndale · Jan 25, 2021

A piece or two of newspaper has always done the trick for me. Hold it up in the flue and light it.

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Cold flue = balky starting insert

AndrewU

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Williej

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NickW

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AndrewU

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begreen

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TradEddie

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kborndale

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