Hearthstone Heritage – Rain cause bad draft?

[chad101]

I get really nervous when I have a hard time building “hot” fires, especially after what I found in the chimney yesterday!

I found creosote deposits in my chimney when I inspected it yesterday (in excess of 1/2” around the top). I pulled an 8’ foot section of pipe though the roof yesterday, laid it on it’s side and ran a chimney brush through it.

When I finished cleaning the pipe, I had to use a push broom to sweep mounds of creosote off my roof. I’m not kidding and I’ve only had this stove since late September.

Some of the problems can be traced back to buying supposedly “seasoned” (i.e. green) wood from salesmen who were out to make a buck. And my wife packing the stove full during the day and letting it practically “smolder” for 8 – 10 hrs while I’m at work. When I get home the glass is almost pitch black…Plus I have 2 - 90 degree elbows so i can make all clearances around the stove.

I’m rambling on and on and straying off topic…back to the question.

I’m doing my best to educate everyone on how to maintain a hot fire. Well, I can’t get a good draft going for the life of me. This seems to happen more often while it’s raining outside. I’m wondering if anyone else has the problem on rainy days?

NOTE: It’s NOT windy outside; just a grey wet day w/ scattered showers in the mid 30s.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, on rainy days the smoke won't rise so starting a good draft is harder. The smoke pours out of the chimney and falls to the ground like a dry ice science experiment. If it's warm enough for rain, it's not likely that I would be burning anyway.

 

[bluefrier]

It's not really the rain that causes bad draft it's the low pressure that is associated with it. You will get the same effect on a cloudy overcast day.

 

[Todd]

Replace the 2-90 elbows with 2-45's and a short section of pipe between and I bet your draft will improve.

 

[colebrookman]

Yup and the 8/10 smoldering hours is a killer. Creosote heaven and the reason for one of our chimney fires last year. So hot it cracked the tile and cement block. Three year old house. Oh well, live and learn. Be safe.
Ed

 

[begreen]

Go to the store and buy a couple bundles of good wood to see what the stove is supposed to do. If that makes it burn well, then call around and see if you can find some decently dry wood out there. It'll probably cost ya, but buy it and set aside the green wood for next year.

 

[chad101]

Go to the store and buy a couple bundles of good wood to see what the stove is supposed to do. If that makes it burn well, then call around and see if you can find some decently dry wood out there. It'll probably cost ya, but buy it and set aside the green wood for next year.

That's exaclly what i did when i first bought the stove. I purchased 3 bundles from Meijers; beutiful secondary burns, 500+ stove temps, 90 degree house lol!!...loved it!

With my current setup (w/ 2 90 degree elbows) and wood pile, I'm lucky to get my stove top up to 350. If i don't fight it and keep the side door ajar; my stove top temp will drop down to 200 degrees.

I think it's a combination of stove pipe (bad draft - even worse on rainy days) and buying wood that's not fully seasoned.

I always ask if the wood is seasoned and ready to burn on the phone. What else can i say or do to make sure the wood is truly ready?

Has anyone ever turned away a dealer because they lied about how dry their wood was??

Replace the 2-90 elbows with 2-45's and a short section of pipe between and I bet your draft will improve.

I plan on doing this, the cost of double wall pipe is so expensive! I'll have to wait until after the holidays. I paid 178.00 for the 2 90 degree elbows plus an 12 inch section of pipe.

 

[begreen]

When buying wood, you're always better off getting it in early spring and stacking it to dry. However, I have had to buy in summer. With strange wood or an unknown dealer, I pick out some of the bigger splits from the truck before they dump. Feel their weight and clunk two of them together, if they go thud, that is not a good start. If that is the case I have split them in half and if damp inside, I have refused the wood.

Around here someone selling dry wood usually charges a premium for it. So dang it, it should be dry. If not, they should take it back or adjust the price if that's alright with the buyer.

 

[BrotherBart]

Split some of that stuff up really small and use it to get the flue hot and a good coal bed before adding wood. A hot pipe isn't gonna let anything stick to it. The rain ain't the thing. For the last two seasons, including today, we are making Seattle look like the Mojave desert rain wise and it isn't affecting the draft in my two evil lined exterior masonry chimneys even in the forties. When it manages to get that high in the middle of the day. Because the splits don't go in until the draft is strong.

 

[cycloxer]

I have one wood guy and I only buy my wood from him and he knows it. We have a good relationship. He never has 1yr aged wood, but he also doesn't advertise it as such. Basically he knows I like good quality hard wood. So when he has a high quality load, he calls me up and asks if I want it. My last cord was a mix of red oak and sugar maple and when I stacked it, he gave me about 10% more than a true cord. He doesn't have the cheapest price, but he is very reasonable. I have referred him to several of my neighbors, my father buys from him, and a good friend of mine buys from him 4-5 cords per year.

My point to all this? Find a good wood guy and build a relationship with him. A reliable source of fuel is worth a lot.

 

[madrone]

Split some of that stuff up really small and use it to get the flue hot and a good coal bed before adding wood.

+1
A blazing hot startup fire is key, especially with less than perfect wood. I prefer hardwood pallets for kindling because they burn very hot and fast, but leave some coals.

Another thought: how big are your splits? If they're over 5" or 6" you might split them again.

 

[cycloxer]

What else can i say or do to make sure the wood is truly ready?

You'll find that most people on this forum have at least 1yrs supply of wood stacked and drying in advance for the following year.

For this year, you have to work with what you have. Double split what you have and stack it inside if you can to speed up the drying. Also, you can now buy those sawdust bricks at the Orange Box by the bundle. You could mix some of those in.

 

[Highbeam]

I've found that 10 degree dry wood doesn't burn as well as 75 degree dry wood. Bring your wood in to preheat to room temp before throwing it into the stove.

To make sure that the wood is truly ready you can use a moisture meter and/or burn it outside in a campfire. If the wood smokes in a hot campfire then it isn't ready.

To make sure that you have truly seasoned wood you need to buy wood now for next winter. Store properly over the summer and you'll be in much better shape.