Hi,
last year on the coldest days of the year we could only get our then rented apartment to a chilly 61 degrees. SInce then we have purchased the circa 1902 house, opened the fireplace, installed a Hampton I1300 insert and a despite the almost single digit temp. outside, we rose our living area to a balmy 73 last night which was nice. This is only my 3rd month using the unit overall i am quite happy although i have some newbie concerns......
Let me mention that i am burning barn dry hardwood 2x4's if i load 4 pieces air stacked it is a very fast hot hot serious burn. The unit was "professionally" installed with full length 26' smooth SS liner (no insulation) 12"ceramic blanket around base of SS liner and yellow FG (no paper) stuffed into the throat of the original damper opening. They also had to use a SS offset box. and fit all into a mason FP with external south facing chimney w/ clay liner on Long Island NY
Is it safe to have the flames flow like a raging river up and out the throat of the hearth area maybe reaching the offset box exit ? (splashing flames off the ceramic window on there way)
Also the other morning restarting the fire as i would normally do from few coals and bellows i ran into a problem. A strong gusty south wind (strange in winter months) hampered the normal draft, the spilts of hardwood caught with flame for 2 minute but were extinguished from a downdraft, the hearth quickly filled with thick smoke ..... and i received a quick lesson on the innards of the Hampton. The choke on the unit does not close completely, this was evident by the amount of smoke exiting the unit from the right side of fan area....also i noticed leakes aound the ceramic viewing window. Needless say, after about 3-5 minutes of watching in amazment the smoke exiting the unit into my living room i started listening for a lull in the southerly gusts and opened the door slightly, seeing red coals was nice to see ... for the dry hardwood was still in action, after a few controlled breaths i cleared the chamber and brought back to flame nursed with small splits and after 20 minutes into strong fire.
Is it normal that inserts cannot completely close there air intake ??
I doubt that this can happen with a hot oven and established updraft,
my concern is can same event occur at night after we are asleep with smoke or carbon monoxide.???
Thanks in advance
Regards
Peter
last year on the coldest days of the year we could only get our then rented apartment to a chilly 61 degrees. SInce then we have purchased the circa 1902 house, opened the fireplace, installed a Hampton I1300 insert and a despite the almost single digit temp. outside, we rose our living area to a balmy 73 last night which was nice. This is only my 3rd month using the unit overall i am quite happy although i have some newbie concerns......
Let me mention that i am burning barn dry hardwood 2x4's if i load 4 pieces air stacked it is a very fast hot hot serious burn. The unit was "professionally" installed with full length 26' smooth SS liner (no insulation) 12"ceramic blanket around base of SS liner and yellow FG (no paper) stuffed into the throat of the original damper opening. They also had to use a SS offset box. and fit all into a mason FP with external south facing chimney w/ clay liner on Long Island NY
Is it safe to have the flames flow like a raging river up and out the throat of the hearth area maybe reaching the offset box exit ? (splashing flames off the ceramic window on there way)
Also the other morning restarting the fire as i would normally do from few coals and bellows i ran into a problem. A strong gusty south wind (strange in winter months) hampered the normal draft, the spilts of hardwood caught with flame for 2 minute but were extinguished from a downdraft, the hearth quickly filled with thick smoke ..... and i received a quick lesson on the innards of the Hampton. The choke on the unit does not close completely, this was evident by the amount of smoke exiting the unit from the right side of fan area....also i noticed leakes aound the ceramic viewing window. Needless say, after about 3-5 minutes of watching in amazment the smoke exiting the unit into my living room i started listening for a lull in the southerly gusts and opened the door slightly, seeing red coals was nice to see ... for the dry hardwood was still in action, after a few controlled breaths i cleared the chamber and brought back to flame nursed with small splits and after 20 minutes into strong fire.
Is it normal that inserts cannot completely close there air intake ??
I doubt that this can happen with a hot oven and established updraft,
my concern is can same event occur at night after we are asleep with smoke or carbon monoxide.???
Thanks in advance
Regards
Peter
