Too smoky...

[erehtuo]

Hello,

I have an Appalachian Stove that I can't figure out how to operate. It came with the house when we bought it and seems to be in decent shape. Our chimney was cleaned and the sweep said he didn't think the insert was ever really used.

All fans appear to work - the blower and draft fan I can both hear working.

I just tried to start a fire in it and it ends up just smoking up my basement, where it is.

I've realized I may have a cold chimney and need to open the fire place door for a bit before starting the fire but any tips you all might have for starting a fire in this thing and not getting completely smoked out? I have a new baby in the house so if its too smoky, we just won't be able to use it.

Couple questions:
Best to have the damper completely open when starting the fire?
Should draft fan be on initially? All the time or when to turn off?
Wait to turn on the blowers until fire is roaring? It seemed to blow smoke out of the ash box.

Any other thing I should check?

 

[begreen]

Basement installations can be problematic for draft. They are often negative pressure zones. You can try opening a nearby window or door a little to see if that helps. If it does then providing some outside air to the stove may help. Competing appliances can make this problem worse. Kitchen and bath fans, dryers, furnaces, gas hw heaters, etc.. all will compete. You can try a propane torch up in the flue pipe to see it that will help draft.

Sometimes the issue is how the stove is connected and the size of the chimney flue. Eliminating 90º turns in the smoke path helps. What is the stove connected to? A masonry chimney or a metal insulated chimney? If masonry, what is the ID of the chimney liner?

If nothing succeeds it might be time to consider having a stove upstairs instead.

 

[bholler]

Any other thing I should check?

How is it installed? Is it hooked to a liner or just slid into the fireplace?

 

[Old School]

The Appalachian I had was very picky regarding draft. Extremely dry wood was a must and small kindling fires with bypass damper open to get draft established before loading any decent sized splits. It was a rather fussy unit.

 

[erehtuo]

It's a slammer unit. Terracota liner in the chimney.

It is in a basement but it's a walkout

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[begreen]

It's a slammer unit. Terracota liner in the chimney.

It is in a basement but it's a walkout

That is probably the issue right there and one of the reasons why slammers are no longer allowed. With an insulated liner there could be a nice improvement in performance and a lot less chance of draft reversal. Better yet, replace it with an easier breathing and more modern stove.

 

[erehtuo]

Well that just makes too much sense! I learn something new every day, thanks begreen.

I would get a new stove and liner but am just short on funds with all the diapers we've been buying. I guess it'll just remain unused for the time being.

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