Fire goes out as soon as I close the door

[Joeharris200882]

I Have a Pacific Energy Vista Classic. This Season, I have a new problem, I will start a fire, let it begin to grow, then close the door with the draft wide open, as instructed by the manufacturers. As soon as the door is closed, the fire goes out. if I start the fire and build it up gradually with the door open, I can get it going, but starting fires is a real issue, smoky and takes ages.

I wonder, is it possible for the draft to be blocked? I looked underneath, and the plate is moving as it should do when the lever is moved from side to side. it is unclear how the air travels to the fire, but it seems to be a series of holes around the edge, could they be blocked?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Warmly,
Joe

 

[stoveliker]

Then it's likely your flue or cap are obstructed.

Take binoculars and look at the chimney cap.
And maybe take the stove pipe off (especially if you have a straight shot up) and have a look?

edit: Another thing to do is to open a window (and stop any (kitchen/bath) exhaust fans, if running). If that does not help, then indeed either the air into the stove is obstructed, or the gases out of the stove. My guess is that it's the latter.

Sometimes critters make a home in the flue during the summer. WOrth to have a look, unless you like burning hornet's nest flakes shooting out of your chimney cap (and landing on y our roof...)

 

[begreen]

I Have a Pacific Energy Vista Classic. This Season, I have a new problem, I will start a fire, let it begin to grow, then close the door with the draft wide open, as instructed by the manufacturers. As soon as the door is closed, the fire goes out. if I start the fire and build it up gradually with the door open, I can get it going, but starting fires is a real issue, smoky and takes ages.

I wonder, is it possible for the draft to be blocked? I looked underneath, and the plate is moving as it should do when the lever is moved from side to side. it is unclear how the air travels to the fire, but it seems to be a series of holes around the edge, could they be blocked?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Warmly,
Joe

It's exceptionally rare that the air intake is blocked. A much more likely suspect is a blockage in the flue system or possibly at the flue outlet. Start from the top down at the chimney cap by following the above suggestion. If the cap and the top section of chimney is clear, then the stove should be inspected to make sure that there is not a pile of soot obstructing the flue outlet and that the flameshield and baffle board are properly in place.

 

[bigealta]

How well seasoned is your firewood?

 

[CatfishHunter]

It's never a bad time to pull out the chimney brush and go to town.

 

[Joeharris200882]

We just had the sweep out, and I lit it while he watched, same issue after sweep. The firewood is less than 20% moisture

 

[stoveliker]

Did he go up the roof to look at the cap or did he sweep it bottom up?

What did he say?

Did you try with a window cracked?

 

[begreen]

Did the sweep do this from the bottom up or did the sweep go up on the roof and sweep from top down?

Did the sweep pull the baffle when cleaning the stove? If not, there could be a pile of crud blocking the flue exit. If he did then was a rag stuffed in the secondary manifold tube beforehand?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How tall is the chimney? Is it masonry, or class A? Straight up? Through the wall?