chimney down draft

[bshaff]

I have recently installed a US stove co. US1269E. I have double walled pipe coming out of the top of the stove for about 42inches into a 90 degree elbow and going horizontal or slightly slanting upward for about 27inches into the chimney thimble.

The problem is when I go to light it the smoke comes back into the room. I took the elbow apart and just had the horizontal pipe in the thimble and I can feel a lot of air coming down the chimney into the house.

My chimney is an outside chimney and is a about 20 some feet high. It is located about 4 feet from the peek of the roof and is about 30 some inches higher than the peek and has a chimney cap on the top if it.

I have been able to start it sometimes and it works fine after it is lit. I would like some info as to what to do so I can use this.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I have recently installed a US stove co. US1269E. I have double walled pipe coming out of the top of the stove for about 42inches into a 90 degree elbow and going horizontal or slightly slanting upward for about 27inches into the chimney thimble.

The problem is when I go to light it the smoke comes back into the room. I took the elbow apart and just had the horizontal pipe in the thimble and I can feel a lot of air coming down the chimney into the house.

My chimney is an outside chimney and is a about 20 some feet high. It is located about 4 feet from the peek of the roof and is about 30 some inches higher than the peek and has a chimney cap on the top if it.

I have been able to start it sometimes and it works fine after it is lit. I would like some info as to what to do so I can use this.

Thanks for the help.

Pre-warm it to get a draft going - I have heard of people using a blow dryer. If you are masonry, it's going to be tough. Maybe consider a liner?

 

[djlew]

My brother-in-law had a similar setup and also similar symptoms. Different stove but had to preheat the flue with fire starter to get the draft going. In his case, and my suggestion, was needing to compensate for the 90 since the chimney barely passed the 3-2-10 rule. The 90s and horizontal runs really take a lot of the draft away. Just my experience, I'm sure some more experienced folks will have some good insight for you and may want some pics of the setup to help more. Good luck!

 

[GG Woody]

Well who let it go out Kidding of course...
Some days/certain weather patterns sure make a big difference, as does outdoor temperature as well as indoor temperature.
As @Whitenuckler mentioned, a liner would likely help a bunch.
Is the stove competing for air vs any exhaust fans? Bathroom/dryer/range hood/HRV/furnace/hot water tank venting?
Some people get away with lighting some newspaper in the top connector of the stove to get the draft going the right way?

 

[Dajolu]

I’m having a down draft issue with my stove this year (I didn’t last year, I’m not sure what changed) but I use a propane torch for 15 seconds and it’s enough to make the flue draft upwards. Ether get the kindling going first or immediately after the torch burn.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

top/ down fire should work well in this situation.

 

[stoveliker]

I second the propane torch.
I had a smoky basement once at start up and prefer to use the torch that I anyway use to light the fire.

 

[bigealta]

Have a top down set up and ready to light.
Then use your torch to warm up the top of the stove.
When you feel the air stop down drafting then give it just a bit more time to get up flow.
Then light the top down from the Top only.
Not top and middle or top and bottom. Top only is needed and preferred.

Let us know if this helps.

 

[moresnow]

Clothes drier running?
Forced air furnace running?
Oven hood vent running?
Bathroom vent running?
Upstairs window or attic access not shut/sealed?
So many things can aggravate this issue.
Be sure nothing else is exhausting air from your home which can ask your masonry chimney to make up/provide fresh air for it. Then see if there is any improvement. Some things to consider. Good luck.

 

[kborndale]

Every cold start I do I first burn a piece or two of newspaper near the flue. You can normally feel when the draft catches and pulls the flames up into the flue.

 

[bshaff]

Thanks for replies.
I tried the torch and it seemed to work.
Then I decided to go ahead and change the 90 degree elbow for two 45s. I tried to light it today and I could not get it to start and it just put all kinds of smoke in the house. I cracked a window near the stove and it just did not work. I have spent a lot of money on double walled pipe and now I am wishing I did not even install the stove in the first place. I guess I will have to call in a pro and see if my chimney is right.

I have had wood stoves for years in the houses I have owned but never had this kind of problem. I do not want to spend the money to line the chimney. I only want to use it in case of emergency or when I am in my wood shop in the basement.

Well thanks folks.

 

[bigealta]

Did you try a top down fire?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I used to fill the stove with crumpled newspaper and light that off. It’d change the way the air was going. Newspaper is cheap, so are matches.

 

[bshaff]

I did try a top dwon fire. I still could not get it to work all the time. The last time I tried I smoked up the shop real bad. The problem was I used wet wood shaving from a newly turned bowel. Now I have figured out that if I crack the window (which I did before) and use only news paper or very dry wood shavings and put them way in the back of the stove and then light them and let them burn until I feel the stack getting hot I can then add wood slowly and it seems to work. I have done this 3 or 4 times and so far it has worked really good.
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[bigealta]

I did try a top dwon fire. I still could not get it to work all the time. The last time I tried I smoked up the shop real bad. The problem was I used wet wood shaving from a newly turned bowel. Now I have figured out that if I crack the window (which I did before) and use only news paper or very dry wood shavings and put them way in the back of the stove and then light them and let them burn until I feel the stack getting hot I can then add wood slowly and it seems to work. I have done this 3 or 4 times and so far it has worked really good.
Thanks for the suggestions.

Yup dry, very dry, all the time, with anything you put in that stove with your set up. Glad you are figuring out how to make it work.

 

[bshaff]

could someone tell me what is a normal temp for the top of my stove. I have double walled pipe so do not have the temp gage on it but on the top of my stove. It is a little stove. US stove co. US1269E

also do you know what the temp would be that is normal on the duravent double walled pipe.
thanks

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Your temp is going to vary depending on what part of the burn cycle you’re in, the amount of fuel in the stove, and how much heat you need. Your cruising temp is probably going to be 350-650 most times.

 

[bshaff]

Thanks. How about the temp in a double walled pipe? I know it would be different than a normal single walled pipe but not sure by how much.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I don’t know. Most who run double wall run probe thermometers. Surface temps will lag and don’t provide reliable information.

 

[bshaff]

Thank s for the info.

I have another question.

When I am not running the stove the air in chimney at times reverses and comes down int stove and out into the house.
I smell the burnt ashes ect in the house.

Mind you this stove has no way to close off the draft going into the stove like other stoves so I can' t just close that or a damper. It is not suppose to be run with a damper in the pipe.

I was told that if I put in a barometric damper that that would solve the smell problem.

I am wondering what your thoughts are?

I have a 45 degree double walled pipe coming off the top of the stove and it goes up at that degree for about 3ft or so and into another 45 degree pipe into the chimney thimble.

If a barometric damper can solve the problem can it be put into the 45 degree angled pipe?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

You don’t want a barometric damper on a wood stove.

Check that your chimney is clean.

 

[bshaff]

the chimney is clean. The stove company are the ones that said to use the damper. I don't care how I solve the problem I would just like to keep the smell out of the house. Like I said before if I would have known I could not close the draft on the door etc. I would never have bought it. I tried plugging the holes and still it smells.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

A damper should block off most of the flue.

We get a few posts on this every year. Most often in the off season. I think usually the flue is blocked off somehow or the chimney is cleaned is the solution.

 

[bshaff]

Like I said before the chimney is clean so It is not coming from that.

I can not use a damper in the pipe according to US Stove co. They told me to put in a barometric damper.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Like I said before the chimney is clean so It is not coming from that.

I can not use a damper in the pipe according to US Stove co. They told me to put in a barometric damper.

Any other suggestions?

The damper would only be used when the stove is not in use and would have no affect on the stove burning. Usually they don't recommend a damper, because when they do the EPA testing they do it without a damper. A double wall damper is pretty easy to install.

Down draft means negative pressure in the house. I've experienced this issue as well. I crack open the window and open the stove door only minimally. If after a bit I still feel the down draft I look around for the cause. Usually it's the bathroom fan or a window on the second floor that is pulling air out and causing the chimney to down draft.

Replacing the 90 with 2 45's was a good move. That will help some. Now you just need to find the reason for the negative pressure.

We all experience downdrafts. It's common during high winds and other times. I used to get the smell in the house in the summer from time to time, but I keep my damper closed and no issues.

Can you post a link to your manual so I can take a look at it?