Wonderwood 2941

[MEWood]

Blower only does not open the damper

 

[coaly]

If you see my picture I posted of the vents. A piece of paper dropped from the air will be sucked onto and trapped onto those vents. So air is being pulled from the upstairs through the return vents even though they have been taken out.. idk if that makes sense to you

Makes sense since the draw from basement pulls air from wherever it can, through the floor vents.

I’m guessing when the thermostat closes and the stove only gets idle air, the draft slows and is being overpowered by the lower pressure in basement.

Since you know of those two air leaks, I would put an air flap of some sort on them preventing unwanted flow.

Then give the basement its own air intake.

When I installed gas burning appliances in utility rooms or tight basements, I installed a PVC pipe through wall. I used an elbow facing up on the inside, and an elbow facing downward on the outside with an insect screen on the outside. This prevents warm air inside from dropping down and out, and allows the higher atmospheric pressure outside to push in. It needs to take the path of least resistance, instead of down both chimneys.

The basics of what makes the stove work is hot gases lighter than outside air rising up the chimney causing a low pressure area in chimney flue, pipe, and stove. Atmospheric air pressure PUSHES into intake feeding fire. This is measured as draft. This is an exceptionally minute pressure differential that mechanical blowers, and rising air from basement competes with chimney. Going back to the basics will diagnose these issues.

 

[MEWood]

I was referring to only when the furnace is running and return ducts are operating. That’s when the papers will get drawn to the vents. Was pointing out that all is working as It would with the ducts fully connected.

I don’t run the stove daily as I work 16hour shifts and the wonderwood is not a good stove for my wife to operate with three young kids. I run it primarily on the weekend and maybe 2 mornings a week before work.
Honestly I’m pretty lost as far as what to do from here lol.
I just removed the pipe and everything is clean from top to bottoms aside small ash build up/fine soot like working in a coal mine. Draft is pulling hard (back draft) from furnace chimney and wood stove chimney at idle.

 

[MEWood]

Makes sense since the draw from basement pulls air from wherever it can, through the floor vents.

I’m guessing when the thermostat closes and the stove only gets idle air, the draft slows and is being overpowered by the lower pressure in basement.

Since you know of those two air leaks, I would put an air flap of some sort on them preventing unwanted flow.

Then give the basement its own air intake.

When I installed gas burning appliances in utility rooms or tight basements, I installed a PVC pipe through wall. I used an elbow facing up on the inside, and an elbow facing downward on the outside with an insect screen on the outside. This prevents warm air inside from dropping down and out, and allows the higher atmospheric pressure outside to push in. It needs to take the path of least resistance, instead of down both chimneys.

The basics of what makes the stove work is hot gases lighter than outside air rising up the chimney causing a low pressure area in chimney flue, pipe, and stove. Atmospheric air pressure PUSHES into intake feeding fire. This is measured as draft. This is an exceptionally minute pressure differential that mechanical blowers, and rising air from basement competes with chimney. Going back to the basics will diagnose these issues.

I think I’m understanding you a bit better after rereading. Where would I drill the hole for this? Sill plate?

I making a U tube manometer to see what pressures are like and see if that gives me any other info I might be missing

 

[coaly]

I think I’m understanding you a bit better after rereading. Where would I drill the hole for this? Sill plate?

I making a U tube manometer to see what pressures are like and see if that gives me any other info I might be missing

Yes, I go through wall above sill plate if possible. Normally 3 inch pipe. A short elbow up, inside, and drop down the outside with a pipe where snow will not be an issue.

These pressures are hard to see on a U Tube gauge. The gauge you would need has a slight incline from zero to about 1, then rises to 3. My manometer for gas is 0 to 12 and doesn’t move enough to see very low pressure differentials like .02 or .06 which is normal for a wood stove. About .1 of an inch is a strong draft. .04 is weak. If you let one side of U Tube open to basement and the other end outside, you will see the pressure difference.

 

[MEWood]

Not knowing much about pressure that’s what I was going to do. Open my basement window and seal it off and have the other end in my basement. Although I don’t even know what I’d do with that information LOL.

Is calculating / determining my attic ventilation necessary? Does my situation sound normal with a basement stove?

I had my furnace chimney sealed off with neither operating and the backdraft (cold) of my stove was unchanged

 

[begreen]

Seems like there is something above either on the first floor or attic that is venting air to outdoors. Is there an attic door or a ceiling vent to the attic that is not fully sealed in winter? If so, leakage from above can turn the house into a form of a chimney, creating negative pressure in the basement.

For example, in our house air was traveling up the 2" spacing around the furnace chimney from the pit basement and venting out of the attic which has gable vents and a ridge vent. This chimney effect went away when the chimneys were removed and the openings sealed. In our next door neighbor's house it was an attic door which had a healthy 1/2 gap at the bottom.

 

[MEWood]

I did have an attic access door causing this problem but that was taken care of a couple years ago.
idk if it makes a difference with anything but I have one gable attic vent on NE side and nothing on the opposite end as I have an addition with a closed cathedral ceiling I have no access to. I should look into the chimney and gap leading through attic

Honestly I feel like everywhere in my house I have outside air coming in vs loss. It was built in ‘57 and still have all original insulation, windows are pretty old.

 

[3650]

I'm not sure how old your circulator is but I had an old one and it had a hole burned through directly above the stove pipe adapter. It was not visible due to the circulator cabinet. I found it when I took the panels of it.

It might be possible to see a hole without removing the cabinet panels by turning the lights all the lights if while there's a good fire going and closely looking in between the panels.

Mine was a Suburban and the firebox was made of pretty thin sheet metal.

A hole or leaky gasket would cause smoke smell when the dampers are closed and smoke builds up in the firebox , I would think?