Been running woodstoves (steel, cast iron, etc) since I was a child. Current stove is fairly small steel firebox (approx 24 x 20 x 10 firebox) When first installed 20 years ago that thing was hotter than hell. Once you got a good set of coals, you could throw some wood on it, close the air, and it would run you out of the house. In fact I had to run a cross ventilation fan/duct to the back of the house just to move some of the heat out of that room and into the rest of the house. The stove would heat the whole house even when the outside temps were in the 20's.
Several years ago I had to replace the fire brick. Original looked sort of like concrete block but was starting to crumble. New firebrick was solid sheet that I cut with a wet saw to fit the various angles of sides and back. The sheet came from a wood stove place but they didn't really know much about it. Problem is now the dang thing won't heat. Internal temps run 700-900 in the box (reading from the inside surface of the firebrick) but externally (outside surface of stove) it is below 250 degrees. The firebrick seems to be insulating TOO well. Ever heard of such a thing? If you open the door you have to put on gloves to even think about putting more wood on but stand 5 feet back with door closed and you'd think it wasn't even lit. It barely warms 1/2 of the room it is in.
First 6 feet of stack is bare metal, then transitions to double insulated pipe at ceiling thru the roof line and up about 5 feet for a total height of maybe 10 feet from stove top surface to spark cap on top. Stack is clear as a bell. Stove draws well and has never smoked. Currently using red & white oak and hickory aged 10 months and with a moisture content around 12%. Don't know what to do other than try to replace the firebrick again.
Several years ago I had to replace the fire brick. Original looked sort of like concrete block but was starting to crumble. New firebrick was solid sheet that I cut with a wet saw to fit the various angles of sides and back. The sheet came from a wood stove place but they didn't really know much about it. Problem is now the dang thing won't heat. Internal temps run 700-900 in the box (reading from the inside surface of the firebrick) but externally (outside surface of stove) it is below 250 degrees. The firebrick seems to be insulating TOO well. Ever heard of such a thing? If you open the door you have to put on gloves to even think about putting more wood on but stand 5 feet back with door closed and you'd think it wasn't even lit. It barely warms 1/2 of the room it is in.
First 6 feet of stack is bare metal, then transitions to double insulated pipe at ceiling thru the roof line and up about 5 feet for a total height of maybe 10 feet from stove top surface to spark cap on top. Stack is clear as a bell. Stove draws well and has never smoked. Currently using red & white oak and hickory aged 10 months and with a moisture content around 12%. Don't know what to do other than try to replace the firebrick again.
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