Stove Smoke Leak

I had a Jotul 500 installed last month and I'm still brand new to burning only having had two or three fires, besides the break-in ones. Tonight I lit a small fire to take the chill off and I decided to try one of those top down fires I read about, and it didn't quite go as planned. I think it was a combination of my top down setup and the dryer running (which I just read about), and I ended up with a bunch of smoke pouring into the room. Not being sure what to do I closed the stove door to give me a minute to open some windows, and I noticed that the firebox was completely filled with smoke and there was some smoke leaking out of the sides around the door. I couldn't be sure if it was coming from the glass or the edge of the door. It wasn't a lot, but there definitely was some. I opened the stove door and the kindling ignited and the draft corrected itself. I've been watching the stove anxiously, and I haven't been able to detect any hint of a leak and its now down to coals.

I guess my question would be is any amount of leakage, especially considering the situation, acceptable? Or should I be concerned? I'll do the dollar bill test in the morning when the stove cools to check the gaskets, but in light of my inexperience I am very grateful for any advice.

 

What was the outdoor temp?
How tall is your chimney, and describe it...masonry, SS, insulated, exterior?

 

I can’t remember what the temp was when I lit it. It’s 48 now so maybe 55? It’s damp out, but no rain. The chimney is an interior stainless chimney 18 feet tall.

 

55* and damp would certainly be enough to reverse the draft on you...especially with the dryer running. I can cold start my stoves up to about 60*, but I have had a draft reversal twice when doing that. If you have kitchen or bath fans, that can do it too.
Does your stove have a connection for outdoor air? Some do, and that can help with this problem, especially with a tight house.
Doesn't sound to me like anything is wrong with the stove...

 

I had a problem a few years ago, just as you described. Cool, damp outside. Cold stove. I built, lit a fire and like you, smoke leaked out.

Ever since, I've gone to placing near/into where the stack exits the stove, a piece of lightly crumpled piece of paper. I light that piece of paper just to get some heat into the stack, and begins the draft. I then light off the bottom-up fire.

No more smoke.

 

I do the same for the first few fires this time of year. I call it heating the pipes first.

 

Thanks for all the input. I don't know about a connection for outside air, but I'll check. I'll also test for backdraft, without the dryer running, in a few days as I think it's supposed to be about 70 today. It was definitely the warmest I ever tried to start a fire, and I'm sure the dampness didn't help either.

I did the dollar bill test this morning, and the front door where the smoke was leaking was tight. There was one spot on the side load door near the latch where it slipped out, so I'm having that looked into as the stove is brand new. I forgot to check the ash pan door.

I was wondering though with a firebox full of smoke and the door sealed, should any smoke have escaped?

 

The only thing keeping it from coming out is a negative pressure from the chimney...which it sounds like you didn't have...so yeah, smoke coming out to be expected. Modern stoves have lots of engineered "leaks"

 

Those are the kinds of temps you will see smoke spillage on start up if your stove isn't a super easy breather and your chimney is kinda short. That's how my set up is anyway. I have a sliding door right next to my stove so on the mild temp days I usually open up the door and plug in a box fan blowing any smoke spillage right outside. It's just inevitable it's going to spill smoke during the shoulder season start ups. It's not nearly enough to smoke the room out though.

 

Another trick I like to pre-warm the flue on a "warm" day is to use a hair dryer. Just point it up into the stove in the direction the flues gasses head (bypass open if you have one) just make sure that you don't blow ash dust all over the house...wifey no likey that...

 

I use a small propane plumbing torch to start all of my fires. If I suspect weak draft I energize it a bit with a squirt of heat directly up the flue. Then I hit the wood load and make sure the smoke is going where I want it before the smoke gets too thick.

I'm trying to keep this family friendly, sometimes you need to preheat the oven before you load the meat!

 

Thank you all. I reached out to the stove dealer and installer tonight about the dollar bill fail. They're a family run business who take great pride in their work, so I have little doubt they'll address the issue and put me at ease. I'll also test the draft again as soon as it cools down.

In this forum, I know I can admit that I'm excited about heating with wood and am probably guilty of lighting a fire a bit too early, without getting a slap on the wrist!

I want to thank all of you. I read this forum every morning, and I don't post much, but what I absorb is really helpful. When I do post though--normally with questions--the advice is always helpful and sincere, and I'm not made to feel like an idiot. (I left a different forum for that reason, and reading between some lines here I think a few others did as well.) So thanks again, and I'll keep you posted on how things go.

 

Yup...why do you think there was so many of us here familiar with this particular "issue"?

 

Ive filled the stove room with smoke a few times in those conditions...
I open the basement door to try to get the down draft stopped.

I've put a propane torch in the clean out a few times to warm the flue

 

Oh yes, I have "heard of" such things happening! It may have happened around here a time or two.

I am not familiar with your stove, but my 30-NC has 4 air inlets, only one of which is connected to the outside air. When there is a reverse draft, smoke comes billowing out each of them, and a good time is had by all. Seeing that I live in Washington state, I probably should use some 420 firestarter, which would certainly add to the ambiance

 

So I had another fire last night. Temp was a little cooler but not much, and the dryer was running. I opened a window and tested as wildwest suggested, and no back draft. Lit a standard bottom up fire, and no smoke spillage at all. I guess I'm not ready for that fancy top down stuff!