any tips for locating a leak?

[abrucerd]

Fired up for the first time the other night (after taking exhaust apart for cleaning over the summer), and could see some smoke wafting in my living room after a bit.

Having a hard time isolating the leaking area(s)... any suggestions for good ways to find em?

 

[spacecowboyIV]

wait until dark, turn off all the lights, and put a flashlight in the stove.

 

[Czosie]

I would automatically assume that the exhaust piping was not siliconed again when you put it back together after your cleaning? Like spacecowboy said put a flashlight onto the pipe and run it along until you can see the coning smoke coming out of it.. Don't necassarily need to wait until dark, I've done it in complete light numberous times and found the spot it was leaking and sealed it.

 

[Bkins]

Wait until its dark in the room. Have a good flashlight handy. Start the stove up and start looking with the flashlight and you will see smoke coming out of whatever joints are not sealed properly. Works best on a cold stove start up as that is when the stove will make the most smoke. You may have to do it a few times if you have a lot of leaks.

 

[jtakeman]

Wait until its dark in the room. Have a good flashlight handy. Start the stove up and start looking with the flashlight and you will see smoke coming out of whatever joints are not sealed properly. Works best on a cold stove start up as that is when the stove will make the most smoke. You may have to do it a few times if you have a lot of leaks.

X2 or Use smoke bombs, Damp news paper/pellets. Cycle the stat to get just the combustion blower going once you have smoke in the stove.

 

[Bkins]

I would automatically assume that the exhaust piping was not siliconed again when you put it back together after your cleaning? Like spacecowboy said put a flashlight onto the pipe and run it along until you can see the coning smoke coming out of it.. Don't necassarily need to wait until dark, I've done it in complete light numberous times and found the spot it was leaking and sealed it.

Someone could very easily have siliconed the pipe when it was put back together after cleaning only to have a very slight gap in the silicone appear from putting it, or twisting it back together.. Never heard of coning smoke, what is it??? By waiting until dark and checking it then there is no need to take the piping apart to run a flashlight inside it. You can decide after you find the leak(s) whether you want to take the joint back apart or just to tape it with high temp Aluminium tape. By doing the test in the dark the leaks will jump right out at you.

Good Luck.

 

[jtakeman]

Member Rubicon 327 has some smoke bombs. Yep free even!

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/79863/

 

[mikhen]

Flashlight around all the joints when stove is starting up.
Also a very effective way....use a laser pointer or similar laser and go point it next to the pipe. If there is smoke coming out, you will see a laser line through it.