Air control damper

[Scioto78]

If my stove has its own air damper, do I need one in my flue too to try and help retain heat longer and slow my wood use? Trying to find a way to possibly keep my heat in longer without making my fire smolder. Curious...

 

[bholler]

If my stove has its own damper, do I need one in my flue too to try and help retain heat longer and slow my wood use? Trying to find a way to possibly keep my heat in longer without making my fire smolder. Curious...

Possibly. We need a bit more info about your setup to be able to give you advice

 

[Scioto78]

US Stove 3000 model. Has its own air damper on the bottom. 6” flue up about 3’ then turns straight into the chimney 7” flue.

 

[Highbeam]

How tall is the 7” chimney above the connection to the 6”?

 

[Scioto78]

Not sure exactly, but pushing 30’ above where the 6” flue goes into the chimney flue in the basement.

 

[Highbeam]

I would definitely install a key damper with 30’ of stack. No real drawback but the potential to save lots of heat and stove damage.

 

[begreen]

The stove's air control is on the input side of the firebox. It supplies air to the fire and stove door glass airwash. A key damper is on the stove output side, in the flue. And yes, I would consider adding one it the stove is difficult to control when the draft is strong.

 

[Highbeam]

US Stove 3000 model. Has its own air damper on the bottom. 6” flue up about 3’ then turns straight into the chimney 7” flue.

Just to be sure you realize, the air control on the intake side only partially closes the primary air feed. Those upper tubes (on almost all noncat stoves) puke uncontrolled full throttle air into the stove.

 

[begreen]

Just to be sure you realize, the air control on the intake side only partially closes the primary air feed. Those upper tubes (on almost all noncat stoves) puke uncontrolled full throttle air into the stove.

Not quite full throttle. It is restricted by the secondary intake size and the secondary tube or plate hole size and quantity. There is definitely an engineered design to the secondary input.

 

[Highbeam]

Not quite full throttle. It is restricted by the secondary intake size and the secondary tube or plate hole size and quantity. There is definitely an engineered design to the secondary input.

That’s full throttle to me. Uncontrolled, just an open hole.

 

[Scioto78]

Just to be sure you realize, the air control on the intake side only partially closes the primary air feed. Those upper tubes (on almost all noncat stoves) puke uncontrolled full throttle air into the stove.

Yeah, I can shove the damper al the way in, and that still leaves at least an eighth or so of an inch air intake gap, but definitely slows the burn down. Just didn’t know if there’s an additional way to help try and keep the heat in the box longer, or even if that’s possible. Thanks

 

[Scioto78]

I would definitely install a key damper with 30’ of stack. No real drawback but the potential to save lots of heat and stove damage.

Hardest thing would be to find that happy medium of where to keep it set at. Wondering how much the stove damper and the flue key damper would have to be in sinc, or would that matter too much. Ultimately, you’re controlling the air flow. So, for a banked up night load, once it gets going good then I choke down for the night with the stove damper, then choke down the key damper in the flue too for even more heat to be held in? Thanks

 

[Highbeam]

That’s the idea. You could get all fancy with draft measurement tools to reduce the draft with the key damper just so much. Or you could try it. The key damper can be partially closed too.

 

[Scioto78]

That’s the idea. You could get all fancy with draft measurement tools to reduce the draft with the key damper just so much. Or you could try it. The key damper can be partially closed too.

Just read the manual for the US Stove/Country Hearth 3000 and it recommends to NOT add a flue damper, so, I don’t know... I’ll keep thinking. Thanks for the replies and info.