Cold air infiltration

[Scottydont]

I've noticed that the room where my new insert is located becomes quite a bit cooler than before (when the stove isn't running of course). I am a weekend/evening burner and so the stove has alot of down time and the whole point of the stove was to keep the house warmer not colder.

I have the proper liner and the clay flue is blocked off both at the bottom and the top of the chimney so it must be coming through the stove itself. I keep the air controll closed when not in use but I know there are other air intakes on the stove not to mention the secondary air.

Does anyone have any tips/tricks to prevent cold air coming into the house on an insert? Or is this just a limitation that I'll have to live with?

 

[cmonSTART]

Do you have any trouble starting the stove? Smokey starts or down drafting chimney? Depending on how your system is constructed there are options.

 

[Scottydont]

Do you have any trouble starting the stove? Smokey starts or down drafting chimney? Depending on how your system is constructed there are options.

Yes, some days there is a definite downdraft that I need to reverse before I start the fire. To do so, I roll up piece of newspaper and hold it in the firebox. Some of the smoke usually comes into the room but thats usually enough to get the air going up instead of down. I may try using a propane torch or a butane lighter or something like that.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Is the chimney taller than the house?

It sounds like the house is acting like a better chimney than the chimney. I had the same problem with a house and had to go around with a caulk gun filling every hole I could find in the 2nd story. I pulled all of the light fixtures down and sealed the box holes where the wires come in, etc. Weather stripping around the attic hatch helped a good deal too.

Matt

 

[Scottydont]

Yeah, the chimney is taller than the house but only by a few feet. My attic has r50 blown in cellulose and all new windows so there shouldn't be any excessive leaks there.

 

[FordMastertech]

I've noticed that the room where my new insert is located becomes quite a bit cooler than before (when the stove isn't running of course). I am a weekend/evening burner and so the stove has alot of down time and the whole point of the stove was to keep the house warmer not colder.

I have the proper liner and the clay flue is blocked off both at the bottom and the top of the chimney so it must be coming through the stove itself. I keep the air controll closed when not in use but I know there are other air intakes on the stove not to mention the secondary air.

Does anyone have any tips/tricks to prevent cold air coming into the house on an insert? Or is this just a limitation that I'll have to live with?

Possibly something else in the house running, fans vented to the out side, boiler or furnace, the air has to come from some place.
Best thing to do is don't let the fire go out in the insert.

 

[midwestcoast]

How old is your house & what type of construction? Will make a big difference if we're talking about a tight newer home or one of those big 100 year old brick London mansions. Is the chimney exterior?
Others are asking about down drafting because it seems likely there's something else going on than just air leaking through the few little intake holes. They really aren't that big.