How to prime the flue of an insert?

[morrij6]

I hope someone has a creative idea to my trouble.

I just installed a Drolet i4100 with a 20' stainless steel insulated liner in my exterior fireplace and chimney. The install was easy but when I fired up the insert I got a lot of smoke back into the house. After some research (thank you Google) I was able to determine my exterior chimney has a very cold flue at start up and needs to be primed.

Priming a chimney flue is easy with a regular fireplace and damper. But with an insert, how I can I easily prime the flue (i.e. pre-heat the cold chimney) so I don't have smoke back-drafting into my house on start up. I was able to prime my flue tonight by disassembling part of the stove, heating the flue with burning newspaper, and then reassembling the stove.

Once the fire is going it pulls a very strong draft up the new insulated liner.

My father suggested putting an electric heater in the fire-box for 5 minutes before firing it up.

Other thoughts?
Jason

 

[littlesmokey]

Shouldn't be much different than a free stander. Use the crumpled newspaper, a little extra for the length and the fact you seem to have a problem. Let it burn freely with door open, I had a stove with 27' in Idaho and used this technique, my neighbor used a hair dryer, his brother a small box heater for about 15 minutes. You just need to start the convection working. You also, should not have to dismantle anything. Do it right in the firebox. You may help things by cracking a window near the stove to eliminate any negative pressure.

 

[btuser]

Search the thread on top-down fire starting. It works.

 

[nlittle]

Search the thread on top-down fire starting. It works.

+1
I have a 35' outside chimney. I do top down with at least 5 or 6 newspaper bows. It warms up pretty quick!

 

[joe245]

I just put the same insert in, have not tried the top down yet. After loading I start with some paper on the top, inside the firebox to start the draft and leave the door slightly cracked till it gets going haven't had a problem. See if it makes a difference with a window open near by open. But definitely try with some paper on top if you haven't

 

[mellow]

Top down for me works as well, 25ft exterior chimney with insulated liner. I don't even have to crack my door, I just leave the air wide open, the insert will fill up with smoke but it shouldn't take very long for it to disappear.

 

[begreen]

I hope someone has a creative idea to my trouble.

I just installed a Drolet i4100 with a 20' stainless steel insulated liner in my exterior fireplace and chimney. The install was easy but when I fired up the insert I got a lot of smoke back into the house. After some research (thank you Google) I was able to determine my exterior chimney has a very cold flue at start up and needs to be primed.

Priming a chimney flue is easy with a regular fireplace and damper. But with an insert, how I can I easily prime the flue (i.e. pre-heat the cold chimney) so I don't have smoke back-drafting into my house on start up. I was able to prime my flue tonight by disassembling part of the stove, heating the flue with burning newspaper, and then reassembling the stove.

Once the fire is going it pulls a very strong draft up the new insulated liner.

My father suggested putting an electric heater in the fire-box for 5 minutes before firing it up.

Other thoughts?
Jason

I'm wondering if this flue has the Florida Bungalow syndrome? That may be causing negative draft until it warms up. What floor is this installed on? Are there any open windows, attic vents or the like on the floor above the stove? Or is there a whole house air exchange fan running?

 

[YZF1R]

I had not lit up for several weeks. Went to light up Friday evening when I got home from work. I had problems before with a stone cold flue, heat had just come on upstairs (bi-level), and the house doing the stack thing. It took quite a bit of paper to reverse it and a lot of smoke in the room. This time, I stuck the lighter up at the front of the baffle. The flame was blowing right back at me. (Could also feel it.) Got out the heat gun, set it in there pointing up into the gas exit in front of the baffle. Left it there for what seemed like ten min., but was at least five mins. Checked periodically with the lighter and it would just not reverse. Left the gun in there and went and closed the door to upstairs and cracked the sliding door to the outside. Went back and checked with the lighter and it turned around as I was checking it. A good strong up draft. Lit the Super Cedar and held the heat gun in place for maybe a minute while the kindling started (top down). I pulled the gun out as the kindling was taking off before I thought it would spill smoke out, closed the door and all was well. I don't think this will be a problem if I need to start a new fire every evening as the chimney won't get completely cold. It's just with a masonry chimney stone cold it's too much to turn it around compounded with the stack effect of the house because of the set back thermostat just coming up.

Steve