Cold plug

Just filled the house with smoke due to a cold plug........................THIS S*CKS didn't have any newspaper to get it going the right direction

 

Never heard of a cold plug. Can you provide a bit more information about how/why this happened?

 

I thing he's referring to a reversed draft.

I use a propane torch up the chimney to get draft started.

 

Birch bark

 

Wifes hair dryer!

Gary

 

I normaly use newspaper but didn't have any , the stink is finally starting to fade.

 

I think it is when you cant get the flow of air up and out it acts like a "plug" all the smoke goes into the house until the draft gets going

 

Yup hairdryer or better yet, heat gun pointed up to pre-warm the chimney.

 

I do as someone else said hand held torch works great

 

Hair dryers, heat guns, torches oh my! Really? Do you guys do this on every cold start? Ever try a top down fire starting technique - burns hot with very little smoke; seems like a perfect solution for anyone having this cold plug issue.

 

It only happens to me on REALLY cold nights (20deg and under) from a dead cold stove with really high barometric pressure. I almost always burn top down, but even then its not enough when the draft is running the wrong way, i know its going to happen when i open the loading door and cold air is falling out of the stove. Thats when i know to get the propane torch up the flue, the torch is always handy, its hat i use to light the stove always.

 

I'm getting a torch to warm things up from now on, usally newspaper works for me

 

Do you think a micro torch would work?

 

I just use a cheap box store torch head with the click start so no match needed and the cheap colmen tanks I only have to do it like bob dog said and only on my basement stove no need ever on my living room stove

 

I don't know, I use this with the Coleman propane cylinder.

Bernzomatic, TS4000T Trigger Start Torch Head, 336657 at The Home Depot - Mobile

 

Exactly what I use works great no paper or fire starters needed load stove throw a few small piece on top torch gets it going fast

 

I know the feeling. I've tried top down fires and they didn't work for me. Heck, I've tried a heat gun and torch, too. They didn't heat the chimney enough to reverse the draft. With a cold stove and cold temperatures outside (not even super cold), there's a strong gust of cold air when I open the stove door. Newspaper on top of the baffle engulfed in flames (with a torch) works for me. Otherwise the basement just gets filled with smoke. Vaseline on cotton balls, placed on the baffle works when it's a little warm out but it takes forever.

 

Vaseline on cotton balls never heard of that one hey what ever works for your set up

 

Yeah. They burn for a good while with no smoke. They seemed to work for those 40-50 degree days and a cold stove. They don't do a thing for real cold.

I think the reverse draft is just a big issue for basement stoves, especially those with external chimneys like mine...

 

Never had it happen. That said, it will now probably happen before the weekend is over.