Troubleshooting help

[MamaMya]

Hi all. New to wood burning stove usage here and I have a lot of questions. I've read and you tubed and read some more but I'm having trouble actually getting my stove hot and would like some feedback.

We installed an Ashley King wood stove about a month ago. it sits inside an existing fireplace. My husband and a neighbor installed an insulated liner but did not seal off the rest of the damper where they removed the plate. there is a cap on the top of the chimney but its not tight. Chimney is about 11 ft, its an interior chimney right in the center of our home. One room has high ceilings where the stove is that opens into the second floor of our split level home.

The first couple days it did pretty good. not spectacular, but warmed it up more than we had had before. I set up a fan to help circulate air as the fan that came with the stove is in the back of the fireplace and seems to make things colder when we have it running.

Recently though I cannot for the life of me get this stove hot! My husband is convinced that wood stoves don't work and that it was just a bad investment so he's done trying to fix things. I am convinced that we can actually use this thing to heat our home. We live in NC where out winters are mild enough that its usually not more than 20 at night and 40/50 during the day with some days being a lot warmer!

So my questions. Do I need to seal off the damper around the liner? its just open to the top of the chimney. I'm wondering if the stoves heat is just heading straight up it. Also, I'm starting to suspect that our wood is not seasoned enough and its causing a slow cold burn. I'm ordering a moisture meter now, but my husband split and stacked whole logs whole last year and is just splitting as we need wood. the wood feels heavy to me and it takes a long time to get burning so that may be a large part of the issue. I would like some feedback on how important sealing off the gaps left when the damper was removed are. He seems to think I'm crazy and that wouldn't cause any heat loss. I can post pictures if that helps!

 

[mark cline]

You need a block off plate, all your heat is going up the chimney. Right now your slightly better than a fireplace. What is the moisture content of your wood ?

 

[moresnow]

but my husband split and stacked whole logs whole last year and is just splitting as we need wood. the wood feels heavy to me and it takes a long time to get burning so that may be a large part of the issue.

There is your answer quite likely. Most here will agree that large rounds will not season well. Splitting as you go isn't going to give you the results you are looking for. Water burns horribly! I would bet money your splits are well short of ready to be used successfully. Wet.
Research "block off plate" here. You should install one as mentioned.

 

[weatherguy]

Your woods not seasoned enough, have him split all if it and stack it in a sunny, windy spot for next year, also read how to do a block off plate.

 

[kborndale]

Definitely wet wood, Split the rest of what you have, stack it now and it will be much better next winter. As was said before, water does not burn well. That wood you are trying to burn is probably around 30% moisture.

 

[begreen]

I thought the Ashley King was a pellet stove. Not sure which wood stove model this is. Is this the stove?


My suspicion is that there are at least a couple of factors happening here. Poorly seasoned wood may be one of them, but a too short flue (chimney liner) could be the other if this is your stove. 11' is very short for a modern stove except for a few models. Most need at least a 15' liner to draft strong enough for good secondary burn.

Was the entire fireplace and the chimney + smoke shelf fully cleaned before installation?

 

[MamaMya]

Definitely wet wood, Split the rest of what you have, stack it now and it will be much better next winter. As was said before, water does not burn well. That wood you are trying to burn is probably around 30% moisture.

I finally got a moisture meter and its all around 26% or more. Def. wet. My husband swears that there is only about an ince of space in the corners of the chimney where the liner is not touching the walls. Would even that small space make a difference? Hes VERY reluctant to try and remove it from the fireplace. Could we do insulation around it, wedged in behind the stove?

 

[MamaMya]

This is my stove setup. It's really wedged in there, and the collar is not sealed tight either, I was going to calk it if it would help.

 

[MamaMya]

I thought the Ashley King was a pellet stove. Not sure which wood stove model this is. Is this the stove?
View attachment 257540

My suspicion is that there are at least a couple of factors happening here. Poorly seasoned wood may be one of them, but a too short flue (chimney liner) could be the other if this is your stove. 11' is very short for a modern stove except for a few models. Most need at least a 15' liner to draft strong enough for good secondary burn.

Was the entire fireplace and the chimney + smoke shelf fully cleaned before installation?

No it's the Ashley king wood stove, not pellet. We had the chimney cleaned last year, but did burn open fires in it before the install. How could we make the liner longer? It's the full length of the chimney, no way it can be longer, so we'll have to work with what we've got there. It's rated at 89000 BTUs which should work for our house.

 

[MamaMya]

I thought the Ashley King was a pellet stove. Not sure which wood stove model this is. Is this the stove?
View attachment 257540

My suspicion is that there are at least a couple of factors happening here. Poorly seasoned wood may be one of them, but a too short flue (chimney liner) could be the other if this is your stove. 11' is very short for a modern stove except for a few models. Most need at least a 15' liner to draft strong enough for good secondary burn.

Was the entire fireplace and the chimney + smoke shelf fully cleaned before installation?

this is the model. (broken link removed)

 

[MamaMya]

You need a block off plate, all your heat is going up the chimney. Right now your slightly better than a fireplace. What is the moisture content of your wood ?

My husband says there was only a couple inches in the 4 corners where the liner didn't touch the edges of the chimney, he thinks the gaps are to small to be losing heat. Do you think even with such small gaps its significant?

 

[Mech e]

You are going to need to address some clearance issues to operate the stove safely. The wooden mantel and surround are too close to the stove. You need 18" of ember protection in front of the stove. Not sure what is behind the steel plate inside the fireplace. but you need 18" clearance to any combustibles on the sides and 12" to the rear. The steel plate does not eliminate this requirement. These clearances can all be found in your stove manual.

 

[Woody Stover]

My husband says there was only a couple inches in the 4 corners where the liner didn't touch the edges of the chimney, he thinks the gaps are to small to be losing heat. Do you think even with such small gaps its significant?

Yep, a lot of warm air goes out through those corners, and sucks cold air into the house and across the floor, making it uncomfortable. Best, as mentioned, is to install a block-off plate, but for now you can make a temporary one out of Rockwool or other fireproof insulation and install it right where the liner leaves the fireplace, between the lintel and smoke shelf.
By "cap on top of the chimney," do you mean a top plate with a rain cap? If so, seal it at the top as well. Take off the top plate and stuff Rockwool between the liner and the clay tile.
I hate to load all this extra work on Hubby..sounds like he's already had enough. How handy are you?


But I agree with the previous comments...your wood is wet. Until you have dry wood, you won't get much heat out of the stove. It's unable to get good secondary combustion of the smoke with wet wood, and that's where most of the heat is created in the newer clean-burning stoves.
Soft Maple or other lightweight woods will dry pretty fast. If you get some split, stacked and top-covered where the wind can blow through, and do it now, you'll have some pretty dry wood to burn next winter. It's not the longest-burning stuff, but you need dry fuel. If you have a woodlot to work, get small <8", dead standing trees with the bark falling off..those will be pretty dry.
Wood sellers almost never have dry wood, contrary to their claims that it is "seasoned."
As begreen said, a short chimney may make it harder to establish good draft, especially in warmer weather. The manual doesn't specify, just says "have a tall enough chimney." Any problems so far with smoke rolling out when you open the door?

 

[begreen]

No it's the Ashley king wood stove, not pellet. We had the chimney cleaned last year, but did burn open fires in it before the install. How could we make the liner longer? It's the full length of the chimney, no way it can be longer, so we'll have to work with what we've got there. It's rated at 89000 BTUs which should work for our house.

11' is too short. The chimney would need to be extended. There are only a few stoves that will work well with an 11' liner.

As noted, the stovetop is much too close to the mantel. In the least, add a mantel shield.

 

[mark cline]

The majority of people on this site have been heating with wood for 10 plus years, many twice that , We are here to help. The suggestions are the solution to your problems, if you band aid the fix now , you will only regret it later when you will have to do it correctly . Please follow the suggestions because your life, and your house could be in jeopardy.

 

[MamaMya]

11' is too short. The chimney would need to be extended. There are only a few stoves that will work well with an 11' liner.

As noted, the stovetop is much too close to the mantel. In the least, add a mantel shield.

Yes I have planned to add a mantel shield. I guess I don't understand how one can extend the chimney top? It would have to come up 4 feet past the end of the chimney?

 

[MamaMya]

Yep, a lot of warm air goes out through those corners, and sucks cold air into the house and across the floor, making it uncomfortable. Best, as mentioned, is to install a block-off plate, but for now you can make a temporary one out of Rockwool or other fireproof insulation and install it right where the liner leaves the fireplace, between the lintel and smoke shelf.
By "cap on top of the chimney," do you mean a top plate with a rain cap? If so, seal it at the top as well. Take off the top plate and stuff Rockwool between the liner and the clay tile.
I hate to load all this extra work on Hubby..sounds like he's already had enough. How handy are you?
View attachment 257654

But I agree with the previous comments...your wood is wet. Until you have dry wood, you won't get much heat out of the stove. It's unable to get good secondary combustion of the smoke with wet wood, and that's where most of the heat is created in the newer clean-burning stoves.
Soft Maple or other lightweight woods will dry pretty fast. If you get some split, stacked and top-covered where the wind can blow through, and do it now, you'll have some pretty dry wood to burn next winter. It's not the longest-burning stuff, but you need dry fuel. If you have a woodlot to work, get small <8", dead standing trees with the bark falling off..those will be pretty dry.
Wood sellers almost never have dry wood, contrary to their claims that it is "seasoned."
As begreen said, a short chimney may make it harder to establish good draft, especially in warmer weather. The manual doesn't specify, just says "have a tall enough chimney." Any problems so far with smoke rolling out when you open the door?

We have occasional smoke when I open the door but only if its not burning well to begin with. If it has a good flame, there is never smoke. And believe me, my husband is done, so I'm the one going to fix this! I've already started planning to have someone come split wood for me and getting someone to install a block off plate! If I was strong enough to get the stove out of the fire place I am handy enough to do it myself, but that's a heavy stove, very wedged in! I appreciate all the advice, its helping me to figure out the next steps. I only wish I could have had it done right from the start. Live and learn I guess!
The wood I split today had a moisture reading of 38%! so not dry in the least. Planning on that being the first project

 

[MamaMya]

You are going to need to address some clearance issues to operate the stove safely. The wooden mantel and surround are too close to the stove. You need 18" of ember protection in front of the stove. Not sure what is behind the steel plate inside the fireplace. but you need 18" clearance to any combustibles on the sides and 12" to the rear. The steel plate does not eliminate this requirement. These clearances can all be found in your stove manual.

None of the walls on the side and rear are combustible. It was a working fireplace to begin with. The liner is cast iron. I do plan to install a mantel shield, because I know that wood is to close and I don't think I can convince hubby to take it off completely.

 

[begreen]

Yes I have planned to add a mantel shield. I guess I don't understand how one can extend the chimney top? It would have to come up 4 feet past the end of the chimney?

An anchor plate is bolted to the top of the chimney. Then a section of class A chimney pipe can be attached.

The liner is cast iron. I do plan to install a mantel shield, because I know that wood is to close and I don't think I can convince hubby to take it off completely.

The liner is hopefully stainless steel, not cast iron. That would be an error. Definitely install a mantel shield. It can be attached to the underside of the lintel.

 

[bholler]

Yes I have planned to add a mantel shield. I guess I don't understand how one can extend the chimney top? It would have to come up 4 feet past the end of the chimney?

Either extend it with masonry or with insulated chimney pipe

 

[MamaMya]

An anchor plate is bolted to the top of the chimney. Then a section of class A chimney pipe can be attached.

The liner is hopefully stainless steel, not cast iron. That would be an error. Definitely install a mantel shield. It can be attached to the underside of the lintel.

It might well be, it just looks like my cast iron pans! All black and thick

 

[bholler]

It might well be, it just looks like my cast iron pans! All black and thick

It should not be black or thick. When it was installed how was the liner hooked up? Does it go from the stove out the top of the chimney?

 

[MamaMya]

It should not be black or thick. When it was installed how was the liner hooked up? Does it go from the stove out the top of the chimney?

I think you are misunderstanding. The walls of the original fireplace ( the liner of the fireplace itself) are black metal. the liner for the chimney is a flexible metal liner that is insulated. Its nice and shiny.

 

[bholler]

I think you are misunderstanding. The walls of the original fireplace ( the liner of the fireplace itself) are black metal. the liner for the chimney is a flexible metal liner that is insulated. Its nice and shiny.

Ahh ok yes I misunderstood

 

[MamaMya]

The majority of people on this site have been heating with wood for 10 plus years, many twice that , We are here to help. The suggestions are the solution to your problems, if you band aid the fix now , you will only regret it later when you will have to do it correctly . Please follow the suggestions because your life, and your house could be in jeopardy.

OH trust me, I believe you all, my husband has yet to be convinced on any of this! Its a work in progress. I'll get it to where it needs to be. Luckily we only have a few more weeks of coldish weather.