Help us light a Christmas fire in our wood burning stove.

[khappy]

We’re pretty isolated up here and it’s impossible to get a chimney expert from the city to come up here and address some problems with our chimney. We can’t use it due to the amount of smoke not being evauated and filling up our living room.

Brief summary (pictures included)

When we moved in, the exterior top portion of the chimney brick was starting to fall apart so we had it redone. The contractor topped it off with brick and mortar cap “stepping up and inward” to terracotta on top of that (pictures 4 and 6). The problem I can see is that the wood burning stove is going from a 6” pipe to a 10x7” ish rectangular brick chimney (picture 3), then at the top is squeezed down to about a 5” hole (picture 5). So it’s getting “choked” at the top and not providing a good burn. Does that sound about right?

I’m not sure what we can do. I’m thinking of taking the terracotta and the brick and morter top off to just expose the 10x7” interior so we can get by this winter. I have a photo of the interior of the chimney. Looks clean but someone had to have been using it right - the house was built in 1907. Isn’t this how they were always used back in the day? Then next year come back with an ovalized chimney liner?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Im not a professional but You really need an insulated stainless steel liner that connects to the stove and runs all the way up to top of chimney.
Also important is the height of your chimney. What is your elevation where you live? These things, among others, effect draft.

 

[EbS-P]

I’m seeing an unlined chimney. And a restriction at the top. I would not be using it in that condition until a chimney professional inspected it and I’m guessing the verdict will be you can’t use it like that. And if they say it’s fine get a second opinion. And if you can’t get a pro out there don’t use it.

Correct course of action would be an insulated liner but that present’s difficulties as the interior dimensions look really tight and the restriction that will need to be removed at the top.

 

[khappy]

Thank you both for your replies. I will plan on calling a processional and definitely going the liner route. Was thinking that an ovalized 7" liner would fit but I'll start begging to get someone up here. My question is, although not up to current code, weren't these chimneys used like this for decades without liners? I would think I would see soot in there but it's really clean. The PO of the home said the fire was "so nice" but I can't imagine he ever used it.

 

[khappy]

Im not a professional but You really need an insulated stainless steel liner that connects to the stove and runs all the way up to top of chimney.
Also important is the height of your chimney. What is your elevation where you live? These things, among others, effect draft.

Height is approx 20' and we're at 6000 feet elevation

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Height is approx 20' and we're at 6000 feet elevation.

20 feet is a good height but you have some elevation there. If you go the stainless liner route (good idea) make sure that the overall length of chimney is sufficient. There is a rule of thumb I can’t think of, but it is something like, “for every 1000 ft of elevation, the draft will be reduced by____________”.

 

[begreen]

It needs a full, insulated liner. The way it is currently set up is usafe. The crown work also looks wrong. I don't see a thermal expansion gap between the flue tile and the surround cement. If an insulated liner is put in, then this is less of an issue.

 

[mellow]

Can you post some pictures of your stove setup and how it dumps into the chimney?

 

[khappy]

Can you post some pictures of your stove setup and how it dumps into the chimney?

Here you go

 

[begreen]

Oy, it looks like a wood beam is running through right below the thimble.

Is the bottom cleanout hole tightly capped?

 

[khappy]

Oy, it looks like a wood beam is running through right below the thimble.

Is the bottom cleanout hole tightly capped?

I dont think it runs all the way through based on looking down into the chimney from up top but I can put a scope up there and see for sure. The cleanout isn't 100% tightly capped. I'm sure there's a draft there as well. There's just river rock and mortar in a somewhat circular shape and then a 6" end cap.

 

[mellow]

We can’t use it due to the amount of smoke not being evauated and filling up our living room.

No doubt you have draft issues, man that is one cobbled setup. Short of redoing that with a new liner I don't see a clear way to fix it as it is.

 

[khappy]

Thank everyone! Posted on our local community group facebook page hoping there's a chimney professional local. Will post an update.

 

[begreen]

I dont think it runs all the way through based on looking down into the chimney from up top but I can put a scope up there and see for sure. The cleanout isn't 100% tightly capped. I'm sure there's a draft there as well. There's just river rock and mortar in a somewhat circular shape and then a 6" end cap.

Try looking up from the cleanout. Even if it doesn't project into the flue cavity, as a combustible, it's too close.

The chimney looks like it was put together by someone with some masonry skills, but very little knowledge of how chimney's work and how to make one safe. It's a badly cobbled hodgepodge of errors. Personally, I would not burn in it until it was safely lined or torn out and replaced.
For this year, put a good fireplace video on the TV.

 

[Eman85]

I'll help you light a Christmas fire, but I don't want any part of putting the house fire out.