My stove is crying…..

[tlhfirelion]

Not literally but I came into my living room today and noticed water all over the floor near the stove. Since it’s not been used in months, I just don’t pay it any mind but it’s showing evidence of rust and the inside of the firebox is slowly raining and leaking onto the floor. When you open the stove door you can feel the extreme heat and humidity we’ve been dealing with just flooding (literally) the inside and onto the floor.

After cleaning it up, shoving a ton of paper towels up the single wall pipe to stop the hot air and soak up condensation, I set a fan to hopefully dry it all out. This stove has been in place for almost 4 years and it’s never done this so I can only assume the record heat and humidity pushed this over the edge.
Now I need to do some touch up painting when it’s dry and figure out a way to stop this from happening again.

Any suggestions on what can be done to remedy this for future heat waves?
Thank you.

 

[begreen]

What kind of cap is on the chimney top? How well was the storm collar sealed?

 

[tlhfirelion]

What kind of cap is on the chimney top? How well was the storm collar sealed?

Everything appears to be normal. We havent had any rain in awhile. Thank you for the reply.

 

[Crab]

After burning ends in the spring I install a 4" thick 6" +/- round of heavy foam into the stove pipe above the stove. This eliminates downdrafts during summer.

 

[Todd]

Maybe keep a window cracked open near the stove.

 

[tlhfirelion]

After burning ends in the spring I install a 4" thick 6" +/- round of heavy foam into the stove pipe above the stove. This eliminates downdrafts during summer.

I will do this. Thank you.

 

[tlhfirelion]

Maybe keep a window cracked open near the stove.

my OAK is closed if that matters?

 

[peakbagger]

Your woodstove is actually breathing. Its connected directely to the outdoors. Humid air is being sucked in at times and the space where the woodstove is at a lower temperature and the air inside the woodstove is condensing inside. It can be particularly noticeable if the woodstove is in cool basement or an air conditioned space. The solution is to either disconnect the flue pipe and seal the open during non heating season or come up with a way of plugging the flue so there is not air flow.

 

[begreen]

^^ This ^^ - Where are you located? If you are in a very humid, hot part of the US with AC running constantly then it could be condensation inside of the flue.

 

[tlhfirelion]

^^ This ^^ - Where are you located? If you are in a very humid, hot part of the US with AC running constantly then it could be condensation inside of the flue.

Yes, it’s been very hot and humid here. What had me perplexed is that it’s hot and humid here every summer and this has never happened. I guess this recent heat wave pushed it over the edge.

 

[tlhfirelion]

Your woodstove is actually breathing. Its connected directely to the outdoors. Humid air is being sucked in at times and the space where the woodstove is at a lower temperature and the air inside the woodstove is condensing inside. It can be particularly noticeable if the woodstove is in cool basement or an air conditioned space. The solution is to either disconnect the flue pipe and seal the open during non heating season or come up with a way of plugging the flue so there is not air flow.

Understood. I will get some Foam and prevent the air from getting down to the stove in the first place. Thanks for everyone’s replies.

 

[Hoytman]

Put a 25 watt incandescent light bulb inside the stove and problem solved. If not, then ise a higher wattage bulb.

The heat from the bulb will keep things dry in the stove as well as the chimney.

 

[BillBurns]

I put an old curtain around the end of the flue. Lets air move around but keeps bugs out, and all animals so far this year. But if the curtain gets chewed thru, ill know something is up. I live in PA so humidity and high temps are few and far between. Just like the sun.....PA is cloudy a LOT. lol....I have no rust or water.