Went out to take a look up the chimney to see how I was making out, to be sure no creasote was building up. Noticed around the cleanout door there were places air could be getting in. So I built a fire and took a lighter and worked my way around the cleanout door. It was sucking air like crazy. Siliconed it up and the stove, which I could not complain about anyhow, is a heck of a lot easier to control. Drafts much better seems like. Never knew a little air getting in would cause trouble.
what a difference a little silicone makes
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I assume this was an outside cleanout door. Cold air leaking in there would affect the draft but even more so risk creosote buildup. A leaky cleanout inside the house can be just as bad or worse since the air may be more humid and the air sucked up the flue has to be replace with cold drafty outside air. A leaky blockoff plate can have the same effect.
Good that you found and fixed the leak.
Good that you found and fixed the leak.
Clean out door not sealing well will contribute a lot towards creating creosote...talk about cooling the chimney.
Cleanouts are a huge issue which many folks don't think about. Leaky doors, lots of open masonry, etc. A little silicone and some mineral insulation can work wonders down there.
Great Post 
I wouldn't have even thought about that. My clean out is in my basement. I suspect since an extension cord for my insert blower restricts the door from closing all the way, I have a similar situation going on.
Thanks....
I wouldn't have even thought about that. My clean out is in my basement. I suspect since an extension cord for my insert blower restricts the door from closing all the way, I have a similar situation going on.Thanks....
The fireplace opening has a clean out opening on the bottom to sweep the ashes down to a clean out door in the basement. When the installer was setting the insert in place he dropped a extension cord down it & plugged in the blower plug. No visible cord coming out of the insert.
So cut the end off the extension cord, drill a hole in the door, run the cord through the hole, silicone it up, and replace the cord end with one of those click-together-and-tighten-screw jobbies. Back in the saddle again.
No need I would think. That is assuming the insert is connected to a full liner. If that's the case the clean-out door is no longer part of the stove flue system.
A leaky cleanout door for a flue, even with a liner, can still cause issues if there is significant airflow.
Crap, I thought this was an early Christmas gift to the wife with pics thread............................
BeGreen said:
Yes, my T5 insert is connected to a full liner. I did holder a lighter to the gap in the clean out door & it is drawing some air. I like the clip the end, drill a hole & replace with a screw on plug. I suppose it can only help.
Thanks for the advice.
:cheese:
LLigetfa said:
How so if the air flow is static? The liner flue system is a closed vent. It has no relation to the chimney flue at that point and is capped off at least at the top.
BeGreen said:
With most top caps the gap between the liner and the collar would allow air flow out. On my clean out in the basement flue I stuffed the space above it with insulation instead of gluing the door shut like I did before I had a liner in it.
What do you mean by static? In my book, "flow" and "static" in the same sentence is an oxymoron.BeGreen said:
Even if it is sealed at the top, most old masonry chimneys leak like a seive. If cold air is gettting sucked in at the cleanout, that means it is leaking out somewhere else. The cold air causes cold spots on the liner that can reduce draft and cause creosote accumulation.
OK, that makes sense, I meant a direct correlation as I think the OP was referring to. You are referring to a secondary effect which I think would be more subtle.
ok this is making me thing now, I was told by the WETT installers to take the door off and put a screen on to allow the secondary air into the old firplace box inorder to reduce the amount the insert draws from the house.
Befor I seal it up would it be a good idea to duct tape it shut and see if there is a difference in operation?
Steve
Befor I seal it up would it be a good idea to duct tape it shut and see if there is a difference in operation?
Steve
It would depend on where the air can go from the cleanout. If it goes up between the old masonry flue and the liner, that is bad. If it is the old ash cleanout and the air just goes between the old fireplace and the insert, that would be fine as long as there is a blockoff plate where the old damper was.
If there is positive pressure at the ash door up top on the fireplace floor, it might provide excess air to the secondary holes.
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