Backdraft out of nowhere

[EJL923]

I haven't posted in a while, but i had something that had never happened in decades of burning, a hot backdraft.

I was walking past the stove and I hear and see a puff of smoke. a bit of smoke came out of the intake, and even blew the door open slightly as it is pressured by spring in the handle. It is not a cold start, been burning for days, but it was currently a smoldering fire as i just loaded it. can smoke be so thick that it adds weight to the draft in the chimney?
After it happened, i opened the door a crack to get it going hotter, and it went back to normal with secondaries firing.

Anyone else ever have this?
I am due for a cleaning, so i am moving that up the list, but i am pretty sure there are no clog issues. Ill check to be sure.

Edit: Ill add that i almost never have draft issues, 24' interior chimney.

 

[Rickb]

happens to a lot of people. Its called a back puff. It occurs when you have a lot of hot gasses but not enough oxygen for it to ignite. Then you get enough air and boom you get ignition.

 

[EJL923]

thanks Rick, Short and to the point, my kind of response.

 

[logfarmer]

My stove has been doing that more than I like here lately, and I don’t know why! Pipe is clean, cat is clean, and chimney is good!