Smoking coming out from ash pan hole, reverse draft?

[MagdalenaP]

Hey All,

Just came back from a 32 celcius warm tropical beach (jealous huh? Just noting I haven't used the Regency 2400 in a week), and now having an issue with the stove.

Upon start up, within seconds, smoke started coming out of hole that would be the ash cleanout (if I had one installed), on the bottom of the stove. Is this a reverse draft issue (and should the usual methods of propane torch to light warm up the flue work)? Why wouldn't smoke come out of the front of the stove then?

So panicked, I threw the small fire out in the stove, with a fire extinguisher. Which is another issue. I threw the wood out that was on fire, but can I simply vacuum out the powder that's on the fire bricks?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Nick Mystic]

There could be a number of things causing the problem you experienced. How long have you been burning since you cleaned your flue? And what is the moisture content of the wood you're burning? I ask these questions because one cause of smoke coming out of stove openings during start up and reloads can be a clogged up screen in your rain cap. Can you get a good look at yours to see if it appears to have a lot of soot/creosote on the screen?

As for the fire extinguisher powder I haven't had any experience with cleaning it out of a stove, so I can't offer any first hand advice. If you do try to vacuum it out I'd be sure to use a vacuum that has a hepa filter to prevent it from becoming airborne where you might end up breathing it or having it settle on your furniture, etc. Good luck.

 

[MagdalenaP]

I just had the stove and flue installed a couple of weeks ago, and so far no issues, the wood is the same stuff I have been using, content is around 16-18%, tested on an opened split.

Edit to add: The newspaper had barely begun to catch, not so much even the wood when I put the fire out.

 

[Woody Stover]

I would guess, reverse draft. If the door is closed, smoke might find an easier route out of the stove through the ash dump.
So you don't have the ash pan installed? Make sure the ash plug is fully seated (if the plug is what you have.)

 

[MagdalenaP]

Door was fully opened.

I will double check the ash plug (I don't have the actual pan).

 

[vwmike]

What kind of chimney is it and where is the stove located in the house? Sounds like a typical backdraft senario, scares you the first couple times it happens when smoke starts pouring out of the stove!!