Set up issues?

[Kam]

Hi, maybe they got into a woodstove in error, or maybe the set up was poorly done. We had a fire in the outlet the other day, and I am wondering if the fact that the stove has an outlet that looks like it is partially (mostly) blocked by the burn box could be the cause of the fire? (Vermont Casting Aspen Model; its the smallest one made.)
Or that the exhaust outlet was piped in an immediate 90 degree angle and had a slight downward tilt to it?
Some people are saying you clean the flue lining every 2 weeks. no one around here had cleaned it, (its 2 months old) and as I am only a kid here, who screwed up?

Does it matter if you put in wood that had ice on it?

I hope my parents don't ever use that thing again. I never like the sound of a freight train...

 

[bholler]

No following allot of what you are saying there but yeah if it has ice on it that is not a good sign. and no unless you guys are doing something very wrong you should not have to clean every 2 weeks. Once a year is usually enough but we need to see pics to see if the setup is ok or not

 

[Grisu]

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you had a chimney fire. That happens when smoke particles build up at the walls of your flue and lead to creosote. Creosote is highly flammable and can be ignited by a spark coming from the firebox. Modern stoves are designed to burn up smoke particles before they can go up the chimney but rely on properly dried wood, proper installation, and correct operation of the stove to do so.

Fuel: The wood should have an internal moisture content of less than 20%. Wood that is wet (or covered in ice) will lead to low stove temperatures, smoke generation, and creosote formation in the flue. To dry, wood should be split and stacked in a sunny and windy spot for one to three years depending on wood species and drying conditions. It can be tested by bringing in a few pieces to get them to room temp. Then split them in half and press the pins of a moisture meter in the center of the freshly exposed surface.

Installation: The flue should have the proper diameter (6" in your case), have the required minimum height (16 ft per manual), have as few bends as possible, and be insulated ideally. For your stove a rear exit is allowed but it is usually recommended to have the horizontal section at a slight upward angle. Not quite sure what you mean with the "outlet being blocked by the burn box". Pictures would help. Also, a better description of your chimney system may be helpful. Is it a masonry or class A chimney? Single wall stovepipe or double wall? What's the height? Diameter? etc.

Operation: A modern stove requires high enough temperatures in the firebox to burn cleanly and efficiently. Do you have a stovetop thermometer? At what temperatures do you start to turn down the air? How far do you turn it down?

There is a learning curve with a modern stove but we can help you to burn in it safely while heating your home (or that of your parents). Nevertheless, after a chimney fire it is highly recommended to get a certified chimney sweep in for an inspection to make sure the chimney did not sustain any damage. You can find one here: http://www.csia.org/search or here: (broken link removed to http://www.nficertified.org/pages_consumers/consumers-1.cfm)

 

[jaz2508]

Hi, maybe they got into a woodstove in error, or maybe the set up was poorly done. We had a fire in the outlet the other day, and I am wondering if the fact that the stove has an outlet that looks like it is partially (mostly) blocked by the burn box could be the cause of the fire? (Vermont Casting Aspen Model; its the smallest one made.)
Or that the exhaust outlet was piped in an immediate 90 degree angle and had a slight downward tilt to it?
Some people are saying you clean the flue lining every 2 weeks. no one around here had cleaned it, (its 2 months old) and as I am only a kid here, who screwed up?

Does it matter if you put in wood that had ice on it?

I hope my parents don't ever use that thing again. I never like the sound of a freight train...

Considering using a wood stove for the first time requires much research as the consequences can be devastating ( burning your house down ) I've burnt for around 10 years. I would suggest to your parents to research how wood stoves operate, then have all new piping installed from the stove out depending on how its done, chimney thru the roof side wall etc, and making sure the stove is safe to burn. As for wood no one lives in a perfect world where we have wood dry to the proper %. But again thats where common sense comes in to play, the tree just cut down last week does not burn well. but wood cut in the spring and split and stacked or last fall is fine. We cant all have a covered porch to protect the wood from snow and ice but just placing frozen wood directly in the stove I would not do. Its just common sense. A wood stove burned properly on a cold winter day is a rewarding thing not to mention the fossil fuel savings.

 

[Cynnergy]

Hey Kam - kudos to you for trying to figure out what to do. Freight train sound = bad. That was likely from a chimney fire. Do you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your house? If not, please convince your parents to get some if they keep burning the stove.

The people here are pretty knowledgeable and we are all concerned with safety. If your parents don't want to come on the forum themselves, maybe you could print out this thread for them? I know that worked well for my dad on one topic.

Good luck - we're rooting for you.

 

[begreen]

The chimney needs to be inspected before burning again. It may have been damaged if there was a chimney fire. It should be inspected by a certified sweep. If mom or dad have questions, put them on line here. We are here to help.

 

[Kam]

Thanks peeps. My parents are busy reading, but the installer is also concerned about the fact that the flue was installed by his guys on a down pitch and then went up.
He's planning to replace all the pipes and report to the county inspector who has to inspect it now.

After this, I figure they'll clean it twice a month.

This forum is a great thing, lots of info.