Chimney Fire ?

[webfoot]

Had a bad nite last evening,Burned my stove pretty hot all evening and when I went to bed the fire box was burned down except lots of hot coals so i filled the fire box full of white oak and Beech. (Packed full) And then I closed the air intake.
Just got into bed and could smell something strange,went and checked and fire was burning very hot and stove and pipe and chimney were making lots of noise(clicking and poping). I went outside and everything looked ok on the roof. Went back inside and fire was hotter and could here roaring in the chimney,Went back outside and chimney cap was glowing orange with some flame and a few sparks .
After 10-15 min the glow started to die and fire slowly settled down some but still very hot!
I kept checking the roof-chimney top and in the attick and it seemed ok so I stayed on firewatch all nite.
What Happened! Over heat the stove or was it a chimney?
I burn with the stove open 75 % of the time and have been burning seasoned hardwood.Oak ,cherry,beech ,ash,maple and a little bit of popplar.
My stove is a Elmira 900 with a dubble wall telliscopic pipe straight up to (9 ft. of selkirk SS)
(16 inches of chimney in attic) and stainless cap.
Stove was installed 35 days ago and all pipe was new at this time.
Any Help would be great!
Thanks
Webfoot
PS I am new to this site,I think its great!!

 

[Peter B.]

There's no need for a question mark in your subject line.

A chimney fire is exactly what you had.

Best check your flue and chimney 'integrity' before burning much more.

Peter B.

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[savageactor7]

Sounds like a chim fire to me but caused by the cap restricting the smokes exit. As far as burning cherry goes it's one of my fav woods but i wouldn't use it for an overnite burn when you tend to choke things down. imo cherry can be dirty under those conditions but otherwise it's a great wood to burn.

Hopefully today you took a mirror and checked out the chimney for any obstructions. Also just curious ... you said as you went to bed you noticed an odor of smoke, did any smoke alarms go off?

 

[webfoot]

[quote author="savageactor7" date="1232069516"]Sounds like a chim fire to me but caused by the cap restricting the smokes exit. As far as burning cherry goes it's one of my fav woods but i wouldn't use it for an overnite burn when you tend to choke things down. imo cherry can be dirty under those conditions but otherwise it's a great wood to burn.

Hopefully today you took a mirror and checked out the chimney for any obstructions. Also just curious ... you said as you went to bed you noticed an odor of smoke, did any smoke alarms go off?[/quote
When I started my first fire with this system the pipe smoked (Paint) and the smoke alarm set off,as for last nite no sound from the alarm but not much smoke just oder.

 

[danking49]

Last night was the coldest yet of the season down here in RI and our new stove was running a lot hotter than it normally does; I assume due to increased draft brought on by lower than normal outside temps. Might have been a factor for you as well.

 

[FORCE FAB]

He said it was only 35 days old.......Sounds to me like it just got away from him

 

[termv]

[quote author="webfoot" date="1232067708"]
I burn with the stove open 75 % of the time quote]
Can you explain what you mean by "open"? Door, damper full open, ash door(if equiped) etc...

 

[webfoot]

He said it was only 35 days old.......Sounds to me like it just got away from him

The chimney system is 35 days old but the stove is used, but in exellent cond.
Thanks
webfoot

 

[webfoot]

I burn with the stove open 75 % of the time quote]
Can you explain what you mean by "open"? Door, damper full open, ash door(if equiped) etc...

Open meaning fresh air intake.
Thanks
Webfoot

 

[WILDSOURDOUGH]

This is just my opinion...I am not an expert.

I think what happened was that you reloaded the stove on the hot coals, dampered down and went to bed.
The logs smoked and smoked- creating a lot of smoke and wood gas... up the chimney it went, until the fire caught and- boom, it lit the whole thing off.
Now, you have a good fire going- all the way from the logs to the chimney... creating a really good updraft.
This is a chimney 'fire'... but you diden't have much (any) creasole in the chimney to keep it burning for to long, hence it burned it'self out.

Had a good scare like that once, dampered the stove off and the fire died out... but it can still scare ya.

Guess my advice would be to start your overnight load a little early before bed... just to watch it a bit and make sure it's going good before dampering down for the night.

But- as I said, I'm no expert.

 

[snowtime]

You said its only been 35 days since install. Wet wood can load a chimney up in just a couple of dirty burns. My thought is like everyone else you had a small chimney fire. You need to get to know your system better and get a thermometer to keep track of temps. I also think you have strong draft and I would recommend a damper. Best to buy one of those integrated double wall connector pieces. That is just a 6" double wall pipe with a damper built in.

 

[firefighterjake]

From your description it certainly sounds like a classic chimney fire.

 

[oconnor]

Webfoot - Is your Elmira the Fireview Jr 900? If so, here is the manual online (you probably already have it) (edit - link updated) http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/woodstove.aspx and select the Firview link. It mentions the use of a key damper (aka flue damper)

I had a similar event when I started burning in my old lakewood pre-EPA unit. It was after that that I bought a flue thermometer. If you take Snowtimes advice and get a thermometer and damper, you will get a much better idea of what your stove is doing, and how it responds to changes, and how to adjust it.

Get the flue looked over, get a thermometer and keep learning. Lots of folks here to help us along the way.

 

[danking49]

I'd also suggest a flue thermometer. Stove top temperatures are interesting science but I'm a firm believer that flue gas temperature management is the key to preventing chimney fires. If efficiency were the name of game I'd be running a condensing gas furnace; but there's nothing like the independence of being off the grid for heat during a northern winter with a wood stove.

 

[webfoot]

Thanks Guys, I checked my chimney and its fine,the inside is clean as new.
I think what happened is that I put to much fuel (hardwood) on a very hot coal bed and it got away from me.
Im going to install a temp gauge in the pipe.
Thanks again
Webfoot