To damper or not to damper that is the question.

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Museic

New Member
Nov 13, 2013
3
Duluth mn
So I finally upgraded our wood stove. We live In a small cabin around 800 square feet (2 floors with a loft). Previously was burning with an old morso 2b I believe it was called. So much different to get a modern stove. I got an avalon mission. This stove has the bottom air intake through the tubes above the firebox.

So far I really like the stove I can see it will be much more efficient. There is a lot more heat coming off it for the amount of wood being burned. As its just getting into winter I have just started to mix in some hardwoods. I've been burning my junk wood pile up till now (birch, spruce and a little balsam). We're low on hardwoods this year so getting by on this for as long as I can.

Anyway the other night I threw in some maple for the first time shut the stove down and went to bed. I should say shutting down for me is to pull the air intake all the way closed. Our chimney is something like 30 feet tall and draws amazingly well as its on the windy side. About two hours later I woke up sweating. So I went down to see what was going on. To my surprise the firebox was an inferno! Couldn't believe how much heat was coming out of the stove, never experienced that in all my years with the morso.

So apparently it's not shutting down very well? Or my draft is so good that I need to add a chimney pipe damper. I read some threads where people said you shouldn't do that, but I see no other way. It is obviously not getting shut down enough. I believe the door seals are fine. Possibly the air intake could be adjusted? I don't know much about how that works? I was going to add the damper but thought I'd see what y'all say first.
First post by the way, been lurking around here for years.
 
Yes, I would add a key damper on the stove due to the high winds and tall chimney. In cold weather I suspect you will be able to close it all the way once the fire is going well.
 
I like it to be low, but not so low that you burn your hand to set it. If single wall, put it in around 12-18" above the stove. Keep it a few inches away from the nearest joint or it may bind. If the connector pipe is double-wall, you'll need to get a double-wall damper made by the pipe mfg..
 
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Do you have stove pipe or stove top thermometer?
 
I don't want to hijack but what is the damper for? My installers put in a key damper about a foot above the stove on the stove pipe and told me never to turn it. So I haven't. Should I be? I had a similar situation a few nights ago-for a few nights. I closed down the air to about 1/4...maybe not quite that. Nice secondaries going...went to bed, then came down to check on it and the fire was roaring. I will admit I still need some practice shutting down the air, but never expected it to take off like that (stove top was between 700-760-measured with an IR thermom)

thanks
 
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