Hi all, This is my 1st post, & I'm sure looking forward to learning from everyone elses experiences. I'm sure sorry it will be long, not the best at explaining, but I'll try to cover everything. I wish I'd found out about sites like this long ago! What got me here: 20 years ago I built a house, I literally built it around my fireplace, high ceilings, loft area, ceiling fans, fairly open floorplan. I was told by the architect that If I kept my fireplace going, I most likely wouldn't have to touch the thermostadt! Wow, was he ever wrong. It never worked well from day one, every few years I tried something new, but finally gave up, put insulation over it and it has sat idle for years. I was thinking of installing an OWB this summer, but someone on another forum asked me, why not put in a fireplace insert? I confess, I know nothing, or at least not near enough about any of this. I was always under the impression an insert was a prefab unit that fit inside a "scratchbuilt fireplace" made out of just brick/chimney. Boy don't I feel stupid now. Before I start bothering you all about an insert though, I ned to solve my original problem.
Our fireplace, whenever we would light it, would not draft properly. There was a few occasions where it would work, but never failed, the house would always end up smoky as all get out. I am pretty sure we lost MUCH more heat than we ever gained. There were times you couldn't think of starting a fire because all the smoke poured out of it into the house. We tried everything. Fireplace is a majestic 42 from 1990. Has an outside air vent. We tried it with doors open, vent shut, and doors shut vent open, doors open vent open. Outside vent on and off in all circumstances. Was told the house is too "tight", I always knew that was not the problem, but we tried fireplace with open house windows as well. Tried it with windows cracked and open all the way. We tried "warming the chimney" first with a few newspapers lit, then light the fire, but that never worked. We tried a wind directional cap, that never worked. A couple yrs ago, we had a "cap surround" put on that was supposed to block any wind from interfering. never worked. We also added 3 foot to the chimney but it never worked. We were told we can't burn wood, that a gas log would work. Installed one of those and the pilot light won't even stay lit! Nope, it doesn't have a bad thermocoupler, we tried 3-4 times to change that to no effect. It really isn't any windier here than anywhere else I have been. I would absolutely love to get this figured out, because I'd very much like to install a fireplace insert, but I think this is the place to start.
Some details, I think we have 8" double lined? stainless chimney....we originally were above & beyond the 10/2 rule, but we even added 3 feet to that. probably have upwards of 22-24 foot chimney I'd guess now. I think we are 6-7 foot above the nearest point within 10 feet. For reference purposes, I will post a photo of our chimney below.
Every time I go in to a fireplace store anymore I don't feel I can trust these guys. I've been told the chimney was too small, too big, too short, too tall, been told it wasn't a good fireplace to start with yet at the time it was top of the line, told it's too windy in my area, been told "sometimes it just doesn't work out". Been led to believe trying several things would fix it but none ever have. Now, with heating costs soaring I would like to do something. Putting an OWB in is an option, but I sometimes travel and don't want my wife to have to babysit that, even putting an add on wood furnace is an option, but I don't want to carry 8 plus cords of wood through the house and down a flight of steps every year, or have a ton of it piled in the basement. ....quite honestly, it isn't just the cost of LP gas. I'd plain and simple like to make the house more comfortable, especially the main lioving area where the fireplace is, my wife loves to have a fire going for the comfort and the looks, and I've never had a problem I couldn't solve, except this one. It has me baffled! Would anyone have any suggestions for me?
Related question, the one thing I have not ruled out, is there such a thing as a fireplace that simply doesn't work? The only thing I have not tried is literally getting rid of this fireplace. If that's what it takes, I'll do it. masonary work, no big deal at all, I can do that. I have decided to somehow or another get this fireplace problem solved, so installing an OWB or furnace add on isn't an option right now. Thank you so much inadvance for reading through all of this! Looking forward to any idea's or suggestions....Mark
Our fireplace, whenever we would light it, would not draft properly. There was a few occasions where it would work, but never failed, the house would always end up smoky as all get out. I am pretty sure we lost MUCH more heat than we ever gained. There were times you couldn't think of starting a fire because all the smoke poured out of it into the house. We tried everything. Fireplace is a majestic 42 from 1990. Has an outside air vent. We tried it with doors open, vent shut, and doors shut vent open, doors open vent open. Outside vent on and off in all circumstances. Was told the house is too "tight", I always knew that was not the problem, but we tried fireplace with open house windows as well. Tried it with windows cracked and open all the way. We tried "warming the chimney" first with a few newspapers lit, then light the fire, but that never worked. We tried a wind directional cap, that never worked. A couple yrs ago, we had a "cap surround" put on that was supposed to block any wind from interfering. never worked. We also added 3 foot to the chimney but it never worked. We were told we can't burn wood, that a gas log would work. Installed one of those and the pilot light won't even stay lit! Nope, it doesn't have a bad thermocoupler, we tried 3-4 times to change that to no effect. It really isn't any windier here than anywhere else I have been. I would absolutely love to get this figured out, because I'd very much like to install a fireplace insert, but I think this is the place to start.
Some details, I think we have 8" double lined? stainless chimney....we originally were above & beyond the 10/2 rule, but we even added 3 feet to that. probably have upwards of 22-24 foot chimney I'd guess now. I think we are 6-7 foot above the nearest point within 10 feet. For reference purposes, I will post a photo of our chimney below.
Every time I go in to a fireplace store anymore I don't feel I can trust these guys. I've been told the chimney was too small, too big, too short, too tall, been told it wasn't a good fireplace to start with yet at the time it was top of the line, told it's too windy in my area, been told "sometimes it just doesn't work out". Been led to believe trying several things would fix it but none ever have. Now, with heating costs soaring I would like to do something. Putting an OWB in is an option, but I sometimes travel and don't want my wife to have to babysit that, even putting an add on wood furnace is an option, but I don't want to carry 8 plus cords of wood through the house and down a flight of steps every year, or have a ton of it piled in the basement. ....quite honestly, it isn't just the cost of LP gas. I'd plain and simple like to make the house more comfortable, especially the main lioving area where the fireplace is, my wife loves to have a fire going for the comfort and the looks, and I've never had a problem I couldn't solve, except this one. It has me baffled! Would anyone have any suggestions for me?
Related question, the one thing I have not ruled out, is there such a thing as a fireplace that simply doesn't work? The only thing I have not tried is literally getting rid of this fireplace. If that's what it takes, I'll do it. masonary work, no big deal at all, I can do that. I have decided to somehow or another get this fireplace problem solved, so installing an OWB or furnace add on isn't an option right now. Thank you so much inadvance for reading through all of this! Looking forward to any idea's or suggestions....Mark
