liquid staining my wall behind my stove?
- Thread starter Gmm377
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Can we see some pictures of the stove and of the stain?
I think it will also be useful to explain what wood you are burning. Species and time it was drying while split and stacked (off the ground).
Let me start off by explaining our set up. We have 2 wood burning stove. On the main floor we have a wood burning insert in the fireplace. Downstairs we have a free standing wood burning heater. The are both vented through one chimney with a double draw. Our main wood we brun is oak. The wall in the basement behind the heater is streaked with a black liquid. Our main heat source in winter is the upstairs insert. But occasionally we do use the basement. Both sides of the chimney are caped.
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Could be a water leak from the flashing for all we know with that description. I agree, pics are needed.
A heads up. Your zip says you have humid summers. That oak will require 3 yrs of seasoning for a proper burn. That's for 20% moisture content or (even better less). That's cut, split, and stacked.
If your oak is not seasoned proper, don't burn it. Your black liquid is creosol. Very dangerous and could lead to a chimney fire. You probably will not find seasoned wood sold anywhere, unless it's run through a kiln ... $$$. You can find bio bricks, pallets, and KD lumber scraps. Some mix this stuff with subpar firewood. In your case, IMO, save that oak for proper seasoning.
Even so, sounds like wet wood and excessive creosol.
You could be entirely correct. We're still waiting for a pic....
Our oak is not 3 years but close to 2. We brun other wood, hickory and some popular. It may be the wood, but it's always done it. I'm woundering if it is vented properly. I've grew up on wood heat. The last house I lived with my parents many moons ago, the whole house was heated through the wood heater in the basement. Same set up as ours ,we just don't have it vented to go upstairs. My dad used whatever wood we cut. His wood heater never done this. I'm trying to up load a picture.
Attachments
![[Hearth.com] liquid staining my wall behind my stove?](/talk/data/attachments/335/335595-e8355eb5129ecb99955bc9b0c604696b.jpg?hash=LXGOblusdN)
![[Hearth.com] liquid staining my wall behind my stove?](/talk/data/attachments/335/335596-e2214d7285aafd76f86959e376f247a2.jpg?hash=3y1W5iuZvF)
![[Hearth.com] liquid staining my wall behind my stove?](/talk/data/attachments/335/335597-d1a42f7963fadbcb78f9f74e66fbd52e.jpg?hash=IDw9dyBr2F)
![[Hearth.com] liquid staining my wall behind my stove?](/talk/data/attachments/335/335598-7337aae6ea80902760dd22ea35df463a.jpg?hash=PFic8iJVuC)
Could still be either water leaking in or creosote imo.
Is the pipe outside still intact? Cap?
It's colder now, so the pipe may get too cold and water condenses in it (leading to creosote deposits).
I also think it's possible your single wall pipe has rotted through. Double wall pipe has stainless innards and will last a lot longer.
Is the pipe outside still intact? Cap?
It's colder now, so the pipe may get too cold and water condenses in it (leading to creosote deposits).
I also think it's possible your single wall pipe has rotted through. Double wall pipe has stainless innards and will last a lot longer.
The foundation of our carport at top. That part of the basement is completely underground.
The pipe has a tile surrounding it sits in. We checked this summer, pipe is stable and so are both caps. We had the flashing replaced around the brick chimney. I don't think it's a water leak. We don't use it much, but from day one it's always done it. We use the wood insert upstairs a good part of the winter. I keep the creosote cleaned out pretty well. We sweep every fall. The heater in the basement still looks brand new inside and it's 26 years old.
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Looks like rainwater down the flue carrying products of combustion with it to me.
Agreed. It does look a bit more like rain water. Flashing on the outside of the chimney would not effect your condition. It's either coming in from the top, where the flue exits, or you have some mortar missing.
On another note, EatenByLimestone is also right. Stove pipe is installed backwards.
On another note, EatenByLimestone is also right. Stove pipe is installed backwards.
Yes i too am thinking rain/snow. Possibly getting blown past the cap but that's a lot of water on the floor so maybe caulking around the terracotta at the top of The chimney is no good.
I need y'alls options. We have checked the masnary as far down as we can. My insert upstairs is fully above ground, out basement stove is not, it's about 3 1/2 to 4 feet underground. Like I said before we only use the basement when it get double digits. Could it be possible that the ground is frozen behind the wall and when we build a fire, it is causing condensation and running out? If I couck the space between the pipe and the terracotta pipe won't that cause my pipe to rust and break down? I'm just stumped here. We checked the pipe it is installed correctly.
Yes we do , it's a double wall flew. There is also a heat resistant tile rectangular that the double wall flew goes in. Our chimney has two, one for the fire insert on the main floor and one for the basement heater.
Double wall doesn't mean insulated.
I dont know what heat resistant tile is.
If it's a double wall liner in a terracotta flue, it's not insulated. It gets too cold,.water condenses (just like in a cold exhaust of a car), catches smoke particles, and you have black liquid.
I dont know what heat resistant tile is.
If it's a double wall liner in a terracotta flue, it's not insulated. It gets too cold,.water condenses (just like in a cold exhaust of a car), catches smoke particles, and you have black liquid.
In any case, if the stuff appeared while burning you're burning far to choked down, because the flue should remain over the water condensation temperature. Any liquid (rain or exhaust) that is there should boil away.
So basically what your saying is I should brun the fire open and hot for a period of time to boil the condensation dry? The only time it dose that is when we use it. That why I don't think it's rain water or a leak. Seems like if it was it would do it when we have heavy rain.
Yes. You run the stove too low, it exhausts water (as any combustion will, see the plumes behind cars) and your chimney is not warm enough to prevent the water from condensing on the liner and running down with the soot
That is how creosote is formed.
What stove is this?
That is how creosote is formed.
What stove is this?
Similar threads
