Drolet Adirondack: Flue or damper issue after chimney sweep

[jammer83]

Hi - bought a house a few years ago with a Drolet Adirondack wood stove installed. The chimney is a straight installation up through the roof, no bends etc. Since I used it pretty extensively last winter, I made sure to sweep the chimney to prep for this winter. Problem is that after the sweep, the actual chamber seems to be blocked, not getting any airflow - smoke comes back into the home and lit paper goes out almost immediately when the door is closed. I've tried pulling the damper rod all the way out and also tried it pushed all the way in (no manual and no instruction from previous owner, so I have no idea which position is open and which is closed - it didn't seem to make much difference using it last winter, figured it was a gap in the seal on the door that was letting air in anyway).

Is anyone familiar with this brand and model? The batten looks welded on so I can't see what's going on where the flue meets the stove. I used a shop vac to suck as much ash etc from the top of the batten. I also put the vac on blow to remove debris from the top of the batten that way... didn't cover the opening before doing that... that's a lesson I don't need to learn twice.

Anyway, any tips or trouble shooting guidance is appreciated (or even instructions on what to do from here if anyone has run into something similar or exactly the same)

 

[begreen]

Might be a bird or squirrel decided to build a nest in there over the summer. Was the cap screen also cleaned?

 

[jammer83]

Might be a bird or squirrel decided to build a nest in there over the summer. Was the cap screen also cleaned?

Yep - the flue and cap are clean and clear. Something got clogged or closed either from the flue cleaning or vacuuming, just not sure which of those happened or if both happened. I also have no idea how to check on the status of the damper or what's going on above the baffle

 

[begreen]

The welded baffle on this generation of Drolets was a weak link. Is there an insulation blanket on top of the baffle or just air? Can you lift off the stovepipe and peer in the flue outlet to see if there is a pile of soot obstructing draft?

One way to look up above the baffle is to use a mirror and a flashlight. Another is to turn on the flashlight of a cellphone, then use the camera on video mode to record a video above the baffle.

 

[EddyB]

If you can’t look into the flue outlet then you’ve got to find another way to see in there. When you did your chimney sweep, were you able to look down and see all the way down with a good flashlight? If so, then the outlet needs to be verified.

 

[jammer83]

Ok, see attached - used the phone tactic above, and fun at realized how to check the damper. Damper good, the flue is certainly clogged from the cleaning. Tool suggestions for removal? Air compressor hose, bendable wire brush, etc?

 

[begreen]

Lift or remove the stovepipe and clean what you can via the flue outlet. A piece of flexible 3/4" or 1" hose taped to a shop vac hose nozzle can suck out the rest.