Does a 6 inch chimney make a big difference when a 6 is needed?

[Swedishchef]

Hey guys

I know the answer but want to know why.

A friend of mine has a new stove that requires a 6 inch chimney. The one he has installed is 7 inch. It doesn't draft that well. Why? His chimney is straight up, on the inside of the house, and out 2 feet over the peak.

He is renting the house and the owner put in a new stove without looking at the specs, etc.

Thanks

Andrew

 

[pen]

How tall is the chimney in total?

pen

 

[Swedishchef]

Well, it is a full 2 storey house with a decent attic. I will say at least 24-27 feet. I just want to make sure that i can tell him that his chimney should be fine. The reducer is about 2 foot above the stove.

I know his wood is not the greatest, I am bringing him some today to try. It is his first year with an EPA stove...

 

[pen]

That was going to be the next suggestion, better fuel.

With things that tall, I can't see a 7inch chimney causing any problems if it's running straight up.

Also, some folks haven't figured out how to load the stove properly and simply have poor performance from poor split placement. With poor split placement in the stove, they end up w/ a poor fire and end up opening the door more to mess with it and then get smoke in the house. If the stove was loaded right from the start with good fuel, there wouldn't be a need to poke at it during the active part of the burn.

Also, is this a class A or a masonry chimney? A liner in a fireplace?

pen

 

[Swedishchef]

Class A straight up.

I agree with your thoughts Pen. That is why I told him last night " You are going to have to forget everything you knew about wood burning and learn from scratch. I know it is not fun to hear that but trust me, it will be worth it down the road...".

I am bringing him a couple of armfulls of wood today, leaving him my moisture meter for a while and helping him cut wood for the next couple of years. He also has a magnetic thermometer on a double wall stove pipe. I am going to install his probe for him.

 

[Augie]

I have a Avalon Spokane the uses a 6 inch chimney, I have 6 inch up to a reducer below my ceiling support box, then 8 inch up to the roof, I dont have nearly as much total height as your friend, but I have good draft. I would say that the Chimney is not the issue.

Why dont you go over for dinner or drinks and watch him run the stove for an evening.

IN Sailing we always say " it is the nut at the tiller not the nut on the tiller" Operator error, most likely ignorance, which isnt an excuse but forgivable. Go help the guy out.

 

[Swedishchef]

Yeah that is part of my diabolical plan. I am concerned for him that his wood won't be seasoned enough as it is. And he principally heats with wood. Ack.

Andrew

 

[begreen]

Far too many people start off on their seasonal heating journey with tattered sails. Proper wood heating requires some long term planning.

 

[pen]

Not sure how much he's burned already, but we've seen folks on here plug their cap up in as little as a week! Don't forget to check that even if he's only had a few fires since things were last cleaned.

 

[Swedishchef]

Yeah for sure. I am planning on checking his chimney. I am on my way there right now. Wish me luck!

Andrew