BOOM!!! Why would the door blow open???

[KateC]

It's not me, I swear. Happened to a friend last season. Free-standing woodstove---pretty sure a Vermont Castings but no clue what model---only about 5 yrs. old and installed to code and specs. My friend says that out of nowhere he heard a loud boom!---the door blew open and a flaming log puked out. Thank God he was home. This guy is an experienced woodburner (over 25 yrs.), is ridiculously anal about cleaning his chimney out monthly and NEVER burns wet or nasty wood. He swears the door was securely latched. A ''pro'' I talked to suggested maybe the flue is too big??? Anyway----assuming thie guy knows what he's doing and the wood is good, what conditions might cause this?? Opinions gratefully received, Thanks.

 

[Todd]

What kind of wood was in there? If it was pine maybe there was a pitch pocket inside a log?

 

[Corey]

I don't know about the VC, but almost every stove I have owned or looked at, if the door is securely latched, you'd almost assuredly blow out the glass before it blew a door open. I can think of a couple of possible scenarios, but in the end, pretty hard to say:

Possibly the door wasn't latched good, the burning wood shifted, a log rolled forward smacked the door, knocked it open and fell on the floor. I have had a few logs roll forward with a good "smack" on the front of the stove, but nothing I would ever think would knock the door open.

Possibly that specific piece of wood had a cavity that was still filled with moisture which popped and caused it to roll forward hitting the door and falling to the floor. I have had some pretty good "pops" even from dry wood.

If it really was a flashback (unburnt gas from the wood suddenly igniting) I still don't really see why it would propel a burning log out the front of the stove. It would certainly seem that any flash severe enough to pop open a properly latched door would blow out the glass or send the chimney cap ballistic also.

Any info on exactly how the stove was burning at the time? Old log that had been on the fire? Fresh wood? Air settings, etc?

Corey

 

[KateC]

No Todd---no pine for sure---they process their own off their 9 acres-----even so, could super-dry anything cause a blast to blow the door??? I'm worried since they're not home for long periods and the stove's their only heat source.

 

[elkimmeg]

Guessing here for an explanation: My guess is he had a small chimney fire explosion and the door latch was the weakest link
I can tell you knowing the latch setup it was not a defiant, encore. Intrepid or resolute I know how they latch the glass would blow out first.
My guess was the Aspen notorious for poor latching. Did this guy have a full liner or direct connect. With all the cleaning if he did not remove the fallen cresote deposits on the damper plate or damper shelf it is possible finally they ignited. All this is guessing but sure sounds like a chimney fire explosion

 

[begreen]

I would have to agree with Corey. If our stove's door is latched correctly, I would expect the glass to give before the door opened. Possible human error here??

 

[KateC]

The glass wasn't damaged at all and he swears he latched the door----like I said, not a newbie and anal about everything. My first thought was of course a funky pocket in the wood and/or improperly latched door, although he asserts otherwise. I believe he had re-loaded recently, the stove had been running 24/7 for several days and it was windy at the time---mid-afternoon.

 

[KateC]

Thanks for the input, Elk----difinitely NOT a substandard cleaning, believe me please. I'll have him look more closelsy at the door latch for sure though. He was most worried about some kind of drafting phenomena and looking at his cap but I'm trying to steer him more towards the stove itself and/or useage and all here so far have helped alot with a direction to go in----

Thank you all for your opinions!

 

[cogger]

Seems like the wood was a flame from a smolder and reached a flash point. The door must have been shut but not secured like he just lit it and was giving a little air through the seam of the door. This happened to me once.

Or islamic terrorist are now find other ways to attack us down our flues

 

[Roospike]

Was it at Christmas time and was there a fat guy in red involved ? Need to check for hoof prints .

 

[suematteva]

Was it at Christmas time and was there a fat guy in red involved ? Need to check for hoof prints .

Ahhhh HAAAA beans instead of cookies!

 

[Roospike]

Was it at Christmas time and was there a fat guy in red involved ? Need to check for hoof prints .

Ahhhh HAAAA beans instead of cookies!

:lol: There it is folks ......We can now put this mystery to rest.

 

[webbie]

Definitely a "wood gas" explosion - which could have been combined with a loose latch. If we know the model of stove, we might be able to help with some advice. The fact that a bunch of wood gas built up shows some imbalance in the system - or, it just could have been the strange wind conditions which caused the chimney to pull too hard for a couple seconds...which pulled the smoke off the fire faster than it could burn, and then it ignited - BOOM.

See if you can get a model name...

This brings to mind the three things needed for good combustion - 3 T''s, time, temperature and turbulence. This fire was short on the "residence time" of the smoke, which....as we can see clearly, contains a lot of the fuel value of wood.

 

[webbie]

"Reloaded recently" confirms the case.....lots of colder wood, putting out lots of unburned smoke.

Elk mentioned "chimney fire explosions"...which is the right idea, but in my experience this never comes from the chimney.....it is commonly called a Wood Gas Explosion or Flashback (not THAT kind).

Some folks experience smoke backpuffs...not from wind, but from the same cause - delayed ignition of wood gases in the upper part of the stove or lower part of the chimney connector.

A barometric draft regulator on the stovepipe can do a lot to eliminate this possibility. Also, it stands to reason that the stove mentioned had worn gaskets or other air leaks, as it would have taken a lot of air mixing with the woodgas to blow up like that.

 

[BikeMedic2709]

Did RooSpike check the seal of this stove????? :lol:



https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3712/

 

[Roospike]

Did RooSpike check the seal of this stove????? :lol:



https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3712/

:lol: Word must of got around.

 

[wg_bent]

Since you brought this up, I'm assuming your concerned over this with your Osburn. As already posted, Just think about your stove and what it would take to blow the door open... Would have to be caused by plastic explosives to open that door, also the I'm sure the glass would give before that chunk of metal would.

There is definitely a peice missing here.

 

[jjbaer]

Couple of things come to mind:

1) I once put a foam cup with thick soup into the microwave to heat it and a gas pocked developed in one side of the cup...then expanded due to heating. When it "popped", because it was "off axis" in the cup, it created an off-axis force and tipped the cup over. Maybe (as said above) a gas pocket formed due to moisture within the wood being heated and escaping as steam, thus causing movement of the wood...BUT this would only cause the door to blow open if it wasn't securely latched......

2) I vote for the "log being displaced and rolling against an un-latched door, thus forcing it open" theory!

 

[laynes69]

The worst i have had with wood was just a little puff from the smoke igniting after reloading. I crack the door lightly then wait a sec or 2 before opening the door so this doesnt happen. I did though 2 times have one he11 of a fireball come racing out at me in the furnace when I was trying to burn coal. Too much coal gas, not enough air. The first time I though it was going to burn off all of my hair on my face....The second time it blew ashes and flames out of the ash door. I learned, once burning don't check on it for a good 30 minutes. I got lucky, people can get hurt badly. Whewww.

 

[Corie]

This is a more common problem when burning coal. That it is not to say that it should expected or is normal, but from my experience it happens more frequently in low draft situations involving coal burning. It's happened to me and it is rather scary and unpleasant. However i don't see anyway that it would unlatch the door.

Half flashback/half human error, I say.