Newbie with wind problem

[Ravenswood]

This is our first year burning. This morning we had a lot of wind (which will be nearly every day in the winter) and we have two problems.

1. We can't get the fire to take off. It's not heating up, and just kind of burns with a couple of tiny flames. I have the vents wide open.

2. When a gust hits, smoke comes out of the vents.

Is this just how we will have to live, or is there something I can do to fix this?

Thanks.

 

[countrybois]

You just need to get your chimney hot. Maybe leave the door ajar some to give your fire extra air. Use smaller kindling until it gets going. You will find, once you get everything hot, a windy day will actually increase your updraft, almost sucks the air out of your stove.

 

[Valhalla]

This is our first year burning. This morning we had a lot of wind (which will be nearly every day in the winter) and we have two problems.

1. We can't get the fire to take off. It's not heating up, and just kind of burns with a couple of tiny flames. I have the vents wide open.

2. When a gust hits, smoke comes out of the vents.

Is this just how we will have to live, or is there something I can do to fix this?

Thanks.

I'll leave this for the pros to comment on, but your No. 1 problem sounds like it is caused by unseasoned (wet/green) wood.

For No. 2, you will get many additional questions about chimney size, length, diameter etc. so be prepared.

Good luck

 

[stanb999]

Do you have a masonry chimney or a SS one?

The reason I ask is if you have either one you can get a chimney cap that will pull smoke out. But generally if it's a newer SS chimney they come with them.

 

[savageactor7]

Ravenswood with insufficient draft problems sometimes when first starting a fire you have to keep throwing crumpled newspaper on top of the starter fire to get/keep it going.

 

[begreen]

Calm and 49 outside here in our neck of King County. Are you over towards the mountains? Sounds like either low draft, damp wood or poor kindling. Maybe a combo of these problems? What is the flue configuration on the stove? Have you tried cracking open a nearby window to see if that helps?

 

[Ravenswood]

Well, it seems that countrybois had it right. Once the flue heated up a bit, whoosh, it lit up like a fire . My wood is very dry, I just couldn't seem to get enough draft. Cooking as it should now.

Yes, we had a low in the upper 30's, and we get tons of wind when no one else in the Puget Sound area seems to get it.

 

[begreen]

Good to hear that a jumpstart got it going. You must be out near Enumclaw. Cold air rolls off of Rainier and creates it's own climate zone there. It's amazing how many microclimates we have in this region.

 

[countrybois]

Glad you got it going. Enjoy your newfound pastime before it becomes an addiction. And trust me wood heat is addicting.

 

[Ravenswood]

You guessed it! It's blowing like crazy right now. We had the entire roof blow off about 5 years ago, and no one outside of Enumclaw/Ravensdale/Maple Valley had any damage or even much wind. Half the homes in Maple Valley had trees fall through them in that storm and it hardly made the news!