Quad 4100I Smoke Spillage

[Dustin]

2 story drafty house, 25 foot SS lined chimney.

No matter how hot the fire is, or what stage it is, if I open the door the gasses change from going up the chimney, to into the house.

I'll have a ragging fire burning, watching the secondary burn roll around the baffle and almost to the chimney outlet. To me obvously there is a dedcent draft if this is happening.

If I open the door it's like someone flipped a switch, and closed the chimney.

Even when its just a bed of hot coals, and I go to stir them up with the "poker" I'll get some sparks floating out of the door and straight up.


Any thoughts?

I have even tried opening the front door, windows near, and it hasn't changed a thing.

My only thought is, the insert is inside an old "heat form" or "heatilator" fireplace. There are openings in the brick face about a foot above the stove where I can look through and see the liner. I don't have a bottom block off plate, just the upper one. Is it possible a small draft could be escaping?

 

[begreen]

Has the flue cap been checked recently for plugging?

 

[Dustin]

sure has, that was the first place I went...

 

[begreen]

Has this been happening all winter, or just recently? Outside temps unusually warm with low atmospheric pressure?

Edit: Another thought if this has been happening for a while. Check to be sure the baffle boards are all the way against the back of the stove and that the ceramic blanket is laying flat and not obstructing smoke flow.

 

[Dustin]

An update...

Went up and actually REMOVED the cap from my chimney liner. It's a 6 inch "china hat" type cap. It stopped the smoke spillage but my draft still isn't that "great" in my opinion.

my chimney is about 25' SS lined..