Question about doors on fireplace

[MarshallDodge]

Hey guys, I have not been on in a while but have been enjoying my stove.

My neighbor has a fireplace and is having an issue with what I believe is negative pressure. He has had a couple occasions where the fireplace has "backed up" into the room. The last fire he had died down until he thought it was out. The next morning his wife came down to a smoke filled room and won't let him have another fire till the problem is resolved. The fireplace is down in his basement, not far from the utility room where the water heater, furnace, and gas dryer are located.

I am thinking that when he had the fire going it had enough draft to overcome the draw of the other items but when it died down is when the problems started.

He went down to his local fireplace shop to see if they sold glass doors to go over it. They told him that glass doors were unsafe and could not be closed when the fire is going???

Is this true?

 

[Shari]

If you get the correct glass type in the doors, yes you can close the doors. Expect to pay $800+ for them though. Doors available at Home Depot/Menards do NOT have the correct type of glass. Regarding smoke in the room: Has he had his chimney cleaned lately? Has his wood seasoned (cut/split/stacked) for a year or more?

Shari

 

[MarshallDodge]

I am not sure on the cleanliness of the chimney but I will ask.

His woodpile is pretty old and is out here in the high desert so I assuming that it is good to go.

 

[begreen]

From the description it doesn't sound like glass doors are going help. They are not airtight. If the flue checks out clean, he may need to install a stove with an outside air kit to solve the problem.

 

[Fsappo]

The only doors that I have seen that would be almost air tight, were doors we used to sell by Bosse' (Wilkenson also may make one, but I never saw one in person. These doors sold for $2000-$5000 back a few years ago. At that price you would be better off going with Begreens suggestion and trying to install an insert with an OAK (depending on how far below grade the fireplace is).

What a glass door does, even if its not closed or airtight is decrease the opening of the fireplace via the frame width. I have sold glass doors to folks in the past who had slight roll out problems with smoking fireplaces, where most of the smoke would go up the chimney but some would roll out the top. Installing glass doors would act the same was as a smoke guard by changing the ratio of the air going into to the fireplace opening. So a cheap set of fireplace doors which were half or full open, may help the problem. It may be worth trying to find an el cheapo set from a big bix store that has them on closeout this time of the year.

Option 2, would be to raise the grate that the wood is burning on 4-6 inches, by placing patio blocks under the legs of the grate. Your moving the main source of the smoke closer to the chimney. I've had quite a few folks improve performance that way.

It also may be a negative pressure issue caused by the other appliances in the basement which can deplete combustion air to the fireplace when running.

 

[summit]

Its negative pressure: he needs a make up air kit in the wall or crack a window.

 

[Fsappo]

Its negative pressure: he needs a make up air kit in the wall or crack a window.

Well, that was easy! Just send him an invoice in the mail

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

http://woodheatstoves.com/images/Draft troubleshooting chimneys.pdf

 

[MarshallDodge]

http://woodheatstoves.com/images/Draft troubleshooting chimneys.pdf

That's good info. Thanks for posting.

I will send the link to my friend.