Interesting Thermodynamics

[toddnic]

My wife asked me to start a fire in the woodstove tonight. I told her it was not cold enough but she wanted a warmer house. Here is the scenario:

1. 56 degrees outside with constant rain and some wind
2. 68 degrees inside
3. Standard kindling and smaller dry wood, with a larger split in the back of the stove
4. Smoke in the firebox with little draft (I understand the problem of similar temps inside and out, and the trouble related to draft. 15 foot chimney from the top of the stove.)
5. The fire took over 3 hours to get going. It smoldered for almost 2 hours. Thankfully I did not have to tend it before it got going.

The wood was dry but I don't think I was able to get enough draft, but there was no smoke in the house which I would have expected. Any ideas on how to handle this scenario better in the future when the wife wants a fire? Other than telling the wife, no.

 

[velvetfoot]

When my stove is cold, I usually get a downdraft and have to crack open a window and burn some newspaper to get the draft moving in the right direction. Do you crack open the door when you start the fire (I do)?

 

[Todd]

More kindling! Fill that box with kindling, burn it hot and load splits on top of the kindling coal bed. Gotta get that chimney hot.

 

[Shmudda]

I do a combo of the last two posts.....open a window and load it up with super dry kindling. That gets her going every time!

Craig

 

[toddnic]

When my stove is cold, I usually get a downdraft and have to crack open a window and burn some newspaper to get the draft moving in the right direction. Do you crack open the door when you start the fire (I do)?

I cracked the sliding glass door that is near the woodstove. It still did not help much. I wonder how the rain and high moisture content in the air affected the draw from the stove?

 

[toddnic]

More kindling! Fill that box with kindling, burn it hot and load splits on top of the kindling coal bed. Gotta get that chimney hot.

Thanks for the advice on the kindling. I will try using more next time.

 

[tsquini]

I run an old hair dryer up the stove pipe for about 30 sec the light the fire as normal.

 

[toddnic]

I run an old hair dryer up the stove pipe for about 30 sec the light the fire as normal.

Great idea! Thanks!

 

[Nick Mystic]

We are fortunate to have two wood stoves: one in our lower level and one upstairs in the main living area. On days like today when it's too warm for a fire in the big Jotul F600 that is in the living room I will instead build a fire on the lower level where we have a Woodstock Classic. It is usually between 60 - 65 down there, so a fire is good to take the chill off. Enough of the heat finds its way up the staircase to raise the upstairs 2 or 3 degrees, so that level becomes comfortable, as well.

 

[Sprinter]

I have exactly the same problem at times. (not today!)

The small inside/outside temp difference is most apparent at the start of the fire. The trick is to get the flue hot quickly so it overcomes the low in/out temp difference. That calls for small kindling and a really good starter that doesn't mind the slow draft.

If you use SuperCedar starters, 1/4 of one of those will light off a nice stack of small splits or kindling even under poor conditions because they burn so hot even with a slow draft, and long enough to get things going well. Even enough loose newspaper should help jump start the flue draft, but I love the Super Cedars. Newspapers can cause a smoke problem until the draft gets going.

I've never tried the hair dryer thing, but it's the same principle. Get the flue hot and the fire will follow.

 

[ddahlgren]

My wife asked me to start a fire in the woodstove tonight. I told her it was not cold enough but she wanted a warmer house. Here is the scenario:

1. 56 degrees outside with constant rain and some wind
2. 68 degrees inside
3. Standard kindling and smaller dry wood, with a larger split in the back of the stove
4. Smoke in the firebox with little draft (I understand the problem of similar temps inside and out, and the trouble related to draft. 15 foot chimney from the top of the stove.)
5. The fire took over 3 hours to get going. It smoldered for almost 2 hours. Thankfully I did not have to tend it before it got going.

The wood was dry but I don't think I was able to get enough draft, but there was no smoke in the house which I would have expected. Any ideas on how to handle this scenario better in the future when the wife wants a fire? Other than telling the wife, no.

Buy her a nice wool sweater and some warm slippers or better yet suggest a nice bottle of wine and retire early for some 'adult time'! In all honesty 68 is what I shoot for and above 74 is uncomfortable for me. It is a good idea to run the central heat from time to time so this is a perfect time for a short run of it to take the chill off as well. If you insist on lighting the stove just plenty of kindling and newspaper. A lot of people try to be cute and elegant starting a fire to see how little energy they use to get it going. Personally I throw in enough kindling so it is sort of a X shaped pile a few layers deep some newspaper and the bernz-o-matic torch at the base of the kindling until the newspaper lights, about 1 minute or less and then close the door. No smoke no fuss and off and running in a couple of minutes with plenty of draft.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

In addition to not cracking a door or window open, was there maybe a clothes dryer or bathroom fan running which could have added an additional reverse draft, thereby causing a standstill?

 

[Sprinter]

It is a good idea to run the central heat from time to time so this is a perfect time for a short run of it to take the chill off as well

I agree with that. But I also understand. Before the stove, we would usually keep our furnaces at maybe 70. But the stove has spoiled us. Now we feel chilly there so we often run a small fire.

 

[isipwater]

[quote="The wood was dry but I don't think I was able to get enough draft, but there was no smoke in the house which I would have expected. Any ideas on how to handle this scenario better in the future when the wife wants a fire? Other than telling the wife, no.[/quote]
Have you checked a fresh split your wood with a moisture meter?

 

[toddnic]

[quote="The wood was dry but I don't think I was able to get enough draft, but there was no smoke in the house which I would have expected. Any ideas on how to handle this scenario better in the future when the wife wants a fire? Other than telling the wife, no.

Have you checked a fresh split your wood with a moisture meter?[/quote]
Yes, I do that regularly. Anywhere from 18 to 22 percent moisture. Thankfully I also have a supply of wood that is about 6 years old - cut, split, and stacked - that is even less moisture.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I thought I was all cool yesterday, I cleaned and set up the firebox with wood, kindling and fire starter so all I had to do was light 1 match when I got home thinking it would be off to the races with just the 1 match..... Boy was I wrong, it was 60 degrees in the house and 60 degrees outside when I got home..... I go to light up like I normally do and the smokes comes in the house at first..... Moral of the story is ya gotta be alittle trickier in situations like that.... More kindling for sure would have helped. All was fine but I didn't like the smoke going the wrong way....

 

[isipwater]

I will second the Super Cedars. I got my free sample and they work extremelly well to get a flue hot when newspaper is not doing the job.