It was pretty cold here in CT last night (3/23) so I started up a nice fire in my Avalon Rainier. I have a thermometer (Rutland, red) on the steel lip overhanging the glass door in front to monitor the temps inside the stove. After a couple of hours of burning with the damper half out, I noticed the temperature was approaching 800-850 F. I pulled the damper almost all the way out, as I was afraid of over-firing the stove. The stovepipe wasn't turning red and neither was the stove. Fire was beautiful, secondary burn amazing.
When I got close to the stove, I heard crackling inside the stovepipe, close to where it met the chimney. We have an exterior chimney and triple wall stovepipe. We also have a stainless steel flexible liner in the chimney. The stovepipe meets the chimney and there is a "T" inside the chimney, where the liner is attached. The crackling sounded like a fire. I went outside and didn't see any flames coming out of the chimney. There was smoke, however, and it smelled sweet, almost like pipe smoke. By the way, when I have a hot fire going in the stove and look outside at the chimney, I NEVER have smoke (only the heat ripples).
I pulled the damper out, let the temp drop a little, and then opened the damper again. No more crackling, fire burned fine.
Did I have a chimney fire? Even without flames out the top? What should I do?
When I got close to the stove, I heard crackling inside the stovepipe, close to where it met the chimney. We have an exterior chimney and triple wall stovepipe. We also have a stainless steel flexible liner in the chimney. The stovepipe meets the chimney and there is a "T" inside the chimney, where the liner is attached. The crackling sounded like a fire. I went outside and didn't see any flames coming out of the chimney. There was smoke, however, and it smelled sweet, almost like pipe smoke. By the way, when I have a hot fire going in the stove and look outside at the chimney, I NEVER have smoke (only the heat ripples).
I pulled the damper out, let the temp drop a little, and then opened the damper again. No more crackling, fire burned fine.
Did I have a chimney fire? Even without flames out the top? What should I do?