Alpine1
Feeling the Heat
Obviously, my post didn’t imply that having a flame shield can save you from cleaning the chimney or allow to burn wet wood! But I still think it could be a nice addition, just in case.
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Come on now, it only takes a thin film to provide fuel for a chimney fire. Your flue right now almost certainly has enough creosote for a chimney fire if you shot enough fire at the right spot.
Might be the stove, might be the flue setup, might be the wood, might be his burning practices. And it might be a combination of these. You have to consider all the factors. Some can be easily adjusted and others not so easily.If your friend's flue took light and shot a pillar of fire into the sky, and they came to you for help- Would you blame the stove, or would you take a hard look at his burning practices and sweeping schedule?
I understand what you’re saying jetsam, but the gents who wear suspenders don’t usually throw away their belts.
Might be the stove, might be the flue setup, might be the wood, might be his burning practices. And it might be a combination of these. You have to consider all the factors. Some can be easily adjusted and others not so easily.
I am surprised that this is a point of disagreement.
What kind of scenario is it in which someone has a chimney fire, you investigate, and the end result is you recommending a different stove? I mean, I can see extreme cases like someone burning a homemade oil drum stove... but for modern stoves?
Or are you saying that when someone is absolutely fixed in their burning practices, sometimes changing the stove is easier than educating them?
I know people where that could be the case... ( "Earl, you are not able to grasp 'burn dry stuff and sweep once in a while', so here is your new fixed burn rate U.S. Stove....")
Certain stove designs create a higher risk for chimney fires. The operator can adapt his methods or change the stove to a safer design. It has nothing to do with how often the chimney is swept as even a single burn can deposit combustible stuff in the flue.
We recommend changing the stove pretty often. Usually when the stove is drastically oversized for the house.I am surprised that this is a point of disagreement.
What kind of scenario is it in which someone has a chimney fire, you investigate, and the end result is you recommending a different stove? I mean, I can see extreme cases like someone burning a homemade oil drum stove... but for modern stoves?
Or are you saying that when someone is absolutely fixed in their burning practices, sometimes changing the stove is easier than educating them?
I know people where that could be the case... ( "Earl, you are not able to grasp 'burn dry stuff and sweep once in a while', so here is your new fixed burn rate U.S. Stove....")
I'll agree to that. Still though- what well-informed person is going to arrive at "I need to change my stove" before they arrive at "I need to change a behavior" ? :/
Well said.Not me, but I did just have a mild chimney fire a few weeks ago after 6 years of burning my princess despite a flue cleaning before the season started. Even when you think you know what you're doing, some designs are just riskier. I've taken extra operational steps to reduce the likelihood even more.
My flue already contains enough new soot to do it again! It's not just the gooey tar that can burn, it's the other stuff too.
I'm not sure if people even realize when they have a mild chimney fire. They can be catastrophic or barely noticeable.
When the installation itself creates problems that are beyond changing behavior unless that includes not burning. For example, installing too large a stove that has to idle most of the time or leaks smoke smell.I'll agree to that. Still though- what well-informed person is going to arrive at "I need to change my stove" before they arrive at "I need to change a behavior" ? :/
I arrived at that conclusion. It was either change my stove or tear down my masonry chimney and install an insulated flue to retain enough flue gas heat to prevent creosote formation. I suppose I could have tried burning kiln dried wood to see if <15% moisture would preclude creosote formation but that didnt seem like a practical behavioral change.I'll agree to that. Still though- what well-informed person is going to arrive at "I need to change my stove" before they arrive at "I need to change a behavior" ? :/
Its a hand held meter that has a hose and metal tube probe, you drill a hole in the pipe and stick the metal probe end in about 3"
But remember that when is trueThen the 1500 degree car ought to self clean. Car cats are never bypassed.
Speculation or is there evidence to support this?In 2020 air tube stoves with nil turn down ratios will make BKs extremely attractive.
The stove does not need to be connected to a network. If desired for monitoring it does not have to be to a public one like the internet, some might even use bluetooth.Also, I won't buy a wood stove that uses a microprocessor. Russian hackers and all that.
"puts away tin foil hat"The stove does not need to be connected to a network. If desired for monitoring it does not have to be to a public one like the internet, some might even use bluetooth.
Also, I won't buy a wood stove that uses a microprocessor. Russian hackers and all that.
Then why are there already tube stoves that meet the 2020 requirements and run the same as many others? No of course they don't shut down as low as cat stoves but many people don't need a stove that runs that low.Speculation:
The secondary burn in air tube stoves ceases somewhere just below "medium burn". The 1,000F burn zone must exist or particulates will go way up. The air control damper EPA hole will need limit the minimum firing rate to a level maintaining the secondary burn function to meet the May 2020 2 gph particulate rate. A BK stove's particulates become fewer down to very low burn. Nicely, the cat provides it's own heat to enable the very low burn and meet/exceed the 2 gph requirement.
I have always maintained air tubers become smoke dragons below a certain firing rate. Unless the air tube stove manufacturers come up with a slick trick low burn will be a thing of the smoky past.
Where am I going wrong here? Any flaws in my logic?
https://www.epa.gov/residential-woo...ary-requirements-woodstoves-and-pellet-stoves
I still don’t understand this statement, bholler. I see two issues with it:...but many people don't need a stove that runs that low.