30+ year old wood insert problems

[Sonic98]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/34241/

I have the insert from the above thread. We've used it without issue for years but this fall/winter I'm not getting the same performance. For as long as I've lived here, when we use this thing, the room (Den) gets so hot you almost barely stand to be in the room. The doors between this room and the next ( Kitchen) were removed almost as long as the inserts been in there. Half of the kitchen even got some heat. There is no door only an island between that half of the kitchen and the dining room part of the kitchen, and I cannot remember if that other half got heat. It was giving us so much heat we were thinking about a door or one of those above doorway vents between the room with the insert and the room on the other side of the wall between the den and kitchen. But for whatever reason it is simply putting out nowhere near that much heat this time. I don't think I ran it last year. Maybe I'm not operating it the same way. I assume the fire is hot enough. Maybe the blower isn't kicking out as strong. I attached the thermometer I clip inside my BBQ grill to test for temp and the temp inside seems pretty hot. At times well over 300. Even when I attach it to the vents there is some pretty hot air blowing out. I don't think I've measured less than 150 coming out of there, though the right side does seem to blow a little less intense and at a slightly lower temp than the left side.


I thought about replacing it at one point, but there's no point if the new one isn't going to be putting out like or more than this one. I've checked and made sure I don't have air from outside getting in, and I'm were pretty good from a weatherproofing standpoint. Even with a electric space heater in same room the temp is only getting up to a lightly comfortable level. I'm not sure if the thermometer on the heater has measured the room to be over 74 yet

 

[krex1010]

What is your wood supply like? Is it seasoned? If you buy wood maybe the wood you got this year is really wet compared to what you used to get. Have you had your chimney cleaned and inspected recently? If not you may have something going on that is causing you to have a really poor draft. I am guessing by your description that your chimney is not fully lined, if it isn't then there likely is some insulation packed up around the damper maybe your insulation is shot or falling down and letting most of your heat up the chimney. If you haven't had your chimney inspected recently I would start there, that and maybe buy a few bundles of kiln dried wood from a store and see if dry wood gives you better results

 

[Sonic98]

Yeah the wood is seasoned. Most of the wood I've been buring is 1-2 year seasoned wood. Had the chimney inspected not long ago, but never actually used to the fireplace. I was away for a while, and I actually have family loving in the house since the last time the fireplace was used. I even had a friend renting a room, and when I spoke with him the other day he says he remembers them speaking with a few companies that do chimney lining, but he couldn't verify if they had it done. But I do remember a conversation where they said they were going to have someone do some work on the chimney.

I'll try some store bought fire wood and kindind and see what happens, but last night the inside of the box was pretty hot. When I opened the door, I almost feel like I was in he fire or working the coal burner on an old boat or train. I'm pretty sure the temp inside the box was over 400. I can feel the heat coming through the vents when I'm close to it just seems like it's not filling up the room

 

[shawneyboy]

Yeah the wood is seasoned. Most of the wood I've been buring is 1-2 year seasoned wood. Had the chimney inspected not long ago, but never actually used to the fireplace. I was away for a while, and I actually have family loving in the house since the last time the fireplace was used. I even had a friend renting a room, and when I spoke with him the other day he says he remembers them speaking with a few companies that do chimney lining, but he couldn't verify if they had it done. But I do remember a conversation where they said they were going to have someone do some work on the chimney.

I'll try some store bought fire wood and kindind and see what happens, but last night the inside of the box was pretty hot. When I opened the door, I almost feel like I was in he fire or working the coal burner on an old boat or train. I'm pretty sure the temp inside the box was over 400. I can feel the heat coming through the vents when I'm close to it just seems like it's not filling up the room

Could you have lost, or be losing good flow with the blower ?

 

[Sonic98]

I'm wondering if the blower just is not blowing hard enough considering that pretty hot air is coming out of the vents. But to be honest since I've not used it in a couple years, I can't really say whether I notice and output difference or not

 

[shawneyboy]

It may very well be a blower issue the way you described it. IMHO

 

[Sonic98]

Yeah it doesn't seem to be blowing out any harder or fuller than say a space heater. I really don't remember how hard this thing used to blow out. I think I remember a thread where was looking for a blower box that might fit one just like it. I might have someone look at the blower

 

[Sonic98]

Anyway for me to test or tell how hard the blower should be blowing?

 

[krex1010]

I think if the blower was not working properly then you would be able to at least hear a difference in the sound of the motor. I am not an expert on motors or anything , but it is a simple electric motor that drives these things, generally with electric motors they kinda work or they don't work. Usually if something is up the motors will whine or make some kind of noise that let's you know they aren't working right, that or they will blow the breaker. I think if the blower sounds normal and comes on when it's supposed to then it is probably fine. And your problem may lie elswhere

 

[krex1010]

The blower motor may be working but you could have something obstructing airflow through the convection chamber, cobwebs, wood chips or ash or a rodent nest. I don't one how the stove is setup but that could be it.
I also saw you mention that you moved this stove from another home to your current house. Is that right? Are you comparing the heat you got in tour former home to this house? Also you said you haven't used it in a few years, how long have you had it in your current home? How many years have you run it in your current home? It's been pretty cold lately is it possible that the heat you remember was during a slightly warmer time of year? I know that i see a big difference in how warm my house gets depending on outside temps, its easy for me to get a good portion of my home up close to 80 when it's in the high 30's and 40' but it's a bit cooler inside when it's in he teens like it has been lately.

 

[krex1010]

Also back to your wood, you said it's 1-2 year seasoned wood, has it been split for that long? Or just from a tree that was cut that long ago? Did you split it or did you buy the wood? Some firewood guys will tell you its is 1-2 years old and in reality it is closer to 3 months old?
I saw you mentioned you had the chimney inspected but never used the fireplace, so was that beFore the stove was installed? I know I am asking alot of question but I am just trying to get a better understanding of your situation

 

[Sonic98]

The blower motor may be working but you could have something obstructing airflow through the convection chamber, cobwebs, wood chips or ash or a rodent nest. I don't one how the stove is setup but that could be it.
I also saw you mention that you moved this stove from another home to your current house. Is that right? Are you comparing the heat you got in tour former home to this house? Also you said you haven't used it in a few years, how long have you had it in your current home? How many years have you run it in your current home? It's been pretty cold lately is it possible that the heat you remember was during a slightly warmer time of year? I know that i see a big difference in how warm my house gets depending on outside temps, its easy for me to get a good portion of my home up close to 80 when it's in the high 30's and 40' but it's a bit cooler inside when it's in he teens like it has been lately.

No, I did did not move this from another home. I don't think we've been in the teens in Memphis. I think the lowest we've been is in the 30s. And I'm pretty sure this thing got the room blazing hot pretty much anytime we ran it.

 

[Sonic98]

Also back to your wood, you said it's 1-2 year seasoned wood, has it been split for that long? Or just from a tree that was cut that long ago? Did you split it or did you buy the wood? Some firewood guys will tell you its is 1-2 years old and in reality it is closer to 3 months old?
I saw you mentioned you had the chimney inspected but never used the fireplace, so was that beFore the stove was installed? I know I am asking alot of question but I am just trying to get a better understanding of your situation

I think someone earlier asked how long I've lived hear and how long it's been here. I've live here almost 30 years and the insert was here since I've been here. This actually used to be the previous owner's garage and he converted it to a den. So, I don't know how long ago all that took place. This is my wood. This is not purchased wood. This is wood I stacked up myself just from trees we had cut down or wood we've gotten from people who had trees cut down. All the wood comes from either a rack I have sitting outside my backdoor or one I have in the back yard just outside my workshop. I split the wood myself. The insert has been here quite a while, so it was in place all the times it was inspected. I think it might have even been rebuilt once. But after all these years it's hard to even remember.

 

[krex1010]

Ok i was reading your post wrong, you have that link to another thread where it mentioned moving the stove, I thought you were the one who moved it.

 

[Sonic98]

I have opened the blower box. I think I'm clean and lube the fan. I do remember what thread where the guy had no blower at all, but he never replied back to say how things went. I know that one guy who replied in the thread told me once he could feel the blower from his insert about a good 10 feet away.