newbie question about stove pipe sounds

[calliesmom]

Hi Everyone!
This forum seems to have so much information and kind advice.

We have a freestanding Napoleon stove that we estimate to be about ten years old. It has and EPA certification on it so it can't be ancient. It has been a year and two months since we had it swept. I hear a low windy sound in the stovepipe and it's pretty constant. I am thinking it's just the sound of the hot air rising but I don't remember it from last year. But we didn't use it so much last year. We have been unusually cold with temps down into the low twenties. My husband seems to think it is normal but we had one chimney fire several years ago and I worry. Can anyone tell me if this sound is normal? The sweep can't come until January and it's cold.

 

[Pagey]

Even though you are not in a position to sweep the chimney yourselves, are you able to at least get on the roof and inspect the system for any obvious, glaring buildup? I say this because you mention that it's been about 14 months since it was last swept.

I hear lots of sounds from my system. When I have a fresh load charring and the bypass damper open, I hear a lot of ticking as the pipe heats up and "ticks". When I close the bypass damper, I get sort of a "swoosh" as the exhaust is forced to travel along the top of the fire box. On windy days, I can hear the wind whistle a bit. And once I have a nice secondary burn rolling, I can hear a constant, low rumble from the stove as the smoke burns off.

So, you'll hear lots of sounds, but for safety and peace of mind, I would try to inspect my system as soon as possible, even if you can't sweep it just yet.

 

[Peter B.]

It's pretty difficult to make a determination based only on what you've told us.

If the wind is blowing constantly, you're likely to notice the sound 'through' your chimney or stove at some point.

A chimney fire can make a sound like you describe, but if the noise is (as you say) "constant", then that's not likely the case... because a chimney fire (left to burn) is more likely to burn itself out over time... provided it doesn't burn the house down.

In any event, you should have your chimney inspected and/or swept if it hasn't been attended to for as long as you say.

Peter B.

-----

 

[Corey]

Welcome to the forum. It's going to be extremely hard to diagnose a sound over the internet. I don't know as I normally hear any real sound from my flue, though you could get some noise from the rain cap in a windy situation. The fact that you mention the sound is fairly continuous seems to rule out a chimney fire. A true chimney fire would be more of an "event". You may notice some abnormal stove operation and if it is a flue fire, it will run it's course and things either settle down afterward or the fire department shows up, hoses down what's left of the house and you are looking for a new place to live. But either way, the "flue fire" doesn't continue for days, weeks, etc.

~12 years ago I had what I would consider a minor flue fire. The intensity of the fire in the stove grew dramatically, along with the heat output. The stove pipe started making the "expanding metal"..."ping....ping...ping" sound followed by crackling sounds (think extremely dry wood cracking and sparking on a fire) which gradually seemed to move up the pipe.

IMHO, there is a lot to be said for peace-of-mind. That can come in several ways. Visually examine the flue for signs of creosote (top and bottom are the most important places to look), take 15 minutes and run a brush through the flue, or call a professional sweep and have them take a look and clean as required.

PS - dang, fast typers!

 

[calliesmom]

Wow! You people are fast.

The sound is a continuous thing; not anything like the sound when it did catch fire several years ago. That scared the hell out of me which is why I'm so concerned now. It's just sort of a low steady airy sound. I have an appointment set with the chimney man. The roads around here are very bad so he can't come right away. There's nothing but a little white smoke or nothing at all coming out the chimney top which I understand is what is supposed to happen. The fire seems to be doing what it always does and there's a good draw.

I know it's hard to describe and understand a sound over the internet and you have been very kind.

 

[DAKSY]

The sound you're hearing can sometimes come from what we call the EPA hole...Where the stove actually draws combustion air into the firebox...probably nothing to worry about, but get your chimney swept once at year MINIMUM...

 

[SlyFerret]

I can hear the air running through my stove too. It's not nearly as warm as the furnace blower though, so it's OK.

It's a normal sound to me.

-SF

 

[calliesmom]

Thanks, everybody, for your input. I'll be paying attention to what the stove sounds like right after we get swept and make notes so I know next year. I'm never waiting to get the chimney cleaned again. Last year we didn't use it a whole lot because it wasn't that cold. Just rainy. We had such a mild fall we haven't used it hardly at all this year and then this snow and icy weather came. We're not used to that here. Usually it snows really wet stuff, it makes a mess and then is gone. We're going on two weeks with snow on the ground. We've been using it during the day only since this weather started and nothing has happened. I'm glad the fire department is only three blocks away. My husband says I've just been in the house too long and am paranoid. Have Happy Whatever Holiday you celebrate and stay warm!

 

[Cavedweller]

I also have a Napoleon npi40 installed in October 2008, bought in summer. Have had extensive problems with noisy blowers sometimes intermittent, other times annoyingly constant. I am scheduled to have my 4th blower installed next week. noise is often times unbearable. Napoleon will give you no answers only to contact people you bought stove from who don’t seem to have any better answers. Spent to much money to be this dissatisfied with the stove. not recommended.