for the first time. Pacific energy fusion installed last February. only heat I've uaed since installation. Burned mostly tree of heaven last year mostly pine this year. Draft started being poor so I figured something was up. Turns out I wasted my time. I got maybe two shot glasses worth out of the chimney. Problem was build up on the spark arrestor. Took the chimney cap off and hosed it down. Burning like new again. Looks like my burning habits are relatively good. The tight mesh on the spark arrestor combined with the fact that it is at the coldest part of the chimney seems to be the problem.
I have half a mind to take it off during burn season and put if back to keep birds out in the off season. I have a metal roof so I'm not worried about a spark landing on the roof. I suppose in theory a spark could waft into the woods and start something up but I think an ember big enough to make it to the woods would have a hard time getting up and out of the stove in the first place with the convoluted path through the reburn plate.
Don't know for sure. Didn't seem to last year but then again it was three months burn last season and about three this season so it could have had some build up.
I'd almost consider removing the arrestor unless you know you get any hot embers coming out of the flue cap. I hope others chime in here but the arrestor may give the coldest part of the flue run the ability for the flue gases to have more resistance as well as another surface to attach to and eventually what you just told us about.
