Help! Smoke problem, new stove owner.

[Sagelyyy]

Hello all!

First time posting here. Just got a house recently with a Century Hearth FW300010. We've been trying to run the wood stove until the boiler gets fixed (can't run it until then) so we bought a cord of wood. Little did I know that it was not really seasoned, so I have a bunch of green wood. I bought some kiln dried stuff to burn in the mean time. Anyhow, it ran good for awhile but now every time I close the door smoke just fills the box and suffocates the fire completely. If I try to open it when that happens a massive cloud of smoke just plumes out and fills my room.

I have a sweep coming, but he wont get here until around December 20th. Is there something I can do in the meantime to maybe remedy this myself? We kind of needed this until the boiler gets fixed!

 

[AbrK]

I’d inspect your chimney sounds like it’s plugged up any way you can take the pipes apart and have a peek in or go on the roof and shine a good light down ?


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[Sagelyyy]

I’d inspect your chimney sounds like it’s plugged up any way you can take the pipes apart and have a peek in or go on the roof and shine a good light down ?


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Yeah, I'm gonna go pick up a ladder and take a look. Looks like the previous owner left a chimney brush here. I'll have to see if I can take it apart, not too sure how.

Just looking at it though I'm not too sure it can be easily taken apart, the flue isnt too long.

 

[Rickb]

Just a heads up mine does the same thing if I don't leave the door cracked for the first 5-10 minutes till everything starts burning well and the flue warms up. This is more prevalent when the outside temps are not as cold.

Are you starting the stove and closing everything up to fast before you have gotten a good draft going?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

It's possible you plugged your spark screen (if there is one on your cap). How green is the wood you bought? If it's close try mixing in some bio bricks from tractor supply. Can you explain your exhaust configuration?

 

[Sagelyyy]

Hey all, just making a follow up here. Thanks for all the suggestions!

I went and got a ladder and climbed up there and took a look at my cap. The screen was pretty much plugged up like Randy said and after getting all the creosote off the cap it solved my issues. I'm so happy I've got my fire going like it should again! I took a look down the flue and it actually didn't look as bad as thought it was going to. I still have the chimney sweep coming out in December, but in the mean time my stove issues seem solved and I have a good draft going in my stove once more.

As a new stove owner, thanks everyone!