Smoked up the house...again...arrgghhh

Came home yesterday from my wifes Christmas, and the house was a bit chilly. SO to turn up gas furnace or build a fire on the hot coals left from morning burn? wouldn't be on this forum is that was a real question. fire won, but had terrible drafty problems so smoked the house up bad.
Conditions- older 1003C Earthstove in basement with OAK (been in use regularly since 1997 by previous home owner)

wood was ash at 15% on fresh split.
Chimney consists of about 4' straight up single wall, 90' bend and 3' single wall pipe through concrete wall where it transitions to double wall and then a "T" to turn back up outside. From there the double wall is probably about 18' to cap. I added 1/2" screen to cap this summer at cleaning time to prevent birds getting in as there was one dead one in the top of the stove.

Wind was blowing 20-30 and we made national news as it had blown 70+ earlier, but like I said, I had good hot coals and flue was warm enough I couldn't hold my hand on it very long.

Before making a fire I roll a entire newspaper tightly, and hold it up to the flue in the stove. It was drawing the flames up so I thought I was gooder to go.

laid in two smallish splits, N-S with about 5" between them. newspaper in there, then a egg carten, then a good bunch of 1 x 4's split into kindling. across that was three more splits E-W and more kindling on top. lit right off but all the smoke was coming in house instead of up? Air was wide open, though I tried closing it a bit to see if it would pull more room air... couldn't get draft going right for some time and if I close the stove door, the flue leaks smoke at joints so must of had a cold plug?

Basically, I'm an IDIOT and need more guidance. Thanks ! For now I'm not starting fires on super windy days and not doing anything till I take the screen back off and give the double wall a quick sweep.

 

Sweep's Library - Troubleshooting Chimney Draft Problems

The Hearth in the House as a System

Maybe something in these two articles might give your brain something to mull over.

 

Your screen is clogged- 98% chance of that - Very common problem even with good dry fuel and hot fires . The typical 3/4-1/2" mesh clogs quickly due to condensation of vapors on wire. Used a .22 air rifle to clear up a buddies problem a few years back no way to get up there in the ice and snow at his cabin. Use a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope( something similar) to look at mesh from ground - if you can't see through it, it is plugged.

 

Hoping this is my issue and will get up there tonight to check for sure. Maybe I'll cut the screen to make 1" screen instead of the 1/2" it is now. Or, just remove it all together for burning season.

Thanks


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Pretty sure taking this screen off and cleaning it all up will take care of it. At least hoping so. Gonna light one off here soon.
Wish me luck.
Thanks for the feedback!


After reading the above posted article by Saskwoodburner and removing screen/cleaning cap, we are back in a interior warming trend! From the articles suggestion I also propped a nearby exterior door open a bit
Thanks again!

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I must be running my stove hotter then some of you as my cap never has done that in over 30 years, I dont run it over 600 and like to keep it about 300 on cruise as by the time it gets to the top of the chimney it has cooled off some. Those are surface temps on single wall stove pipe.
Not being a smart ash but if my cap looked like that I would change by burning habits.

 

That is what mine is (or I hope to say "was") doing. I have been running it hotter now, after I got blockage in just 3 weeks. I also quit using paper for lighting. Here's hoping ...

 

Yup. My first year burning so lots of learning happening. Also, part of this is defiantly from wet wood. I've been burning some large locusts splits that I CSS 2+ years back. I realized I never tested them and when I did, they tested close to 30%. So that's my fault and will keep a closer eye on moisture content. The locust seemed to burn fine, but took a bit longer or hotter coals/fire to get it rolling.



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I had my numbers wrong the safe zone for my flue is 240 to 450 (surface temp), I try and keep the flue temp below the 450 mark but not worried if it goes past a little bit but I do try and keep it close to 300 for cruising.
I did this with the old non EPA stove and never had any issues with the cap or chimney as far as creosote buildup.
I have 18 feet of chimney so very well could be a tall chimney might be more of a problem.

 

I have used paper for lighting since I started burning wood, dont think that is part of your problem. Some of the things you hear or read are just not correct.

 

Well hang in there, as long as you learn and stay safe it will get nothing but better.

 

Paper - no, temps +wind chill and wet fuel likely culprit. All that extra vapor cools off quick hence the build up.

 

Well it was catalytic. I have another thread asking if I should buy a new catalytic combustor or not? Or should I be replacing the stove. Previous home owner, who's a friend of mine, burned it up his first year burning. That was back in 97ish....

What's your thoughts on should I replace the catalyst or not? When the stove isn't firing, I'll get a pic of the inside as it's maybe not able to accept the catalyst any longer.
Thanks!


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Keep forgetting to get pics of inside of stove when it ain't burning. Spent yesterday afternoon and several hours today restocking our stacks. Didn't get pics of that either. Guess I might get kicked off here, but if not...

Say I order a new catalyst for my stove. What's in there now appears to be a tray with two "tabs" on front bent up. That make sense? From my reading, I think it just sits on that and may come with some clips to lock it on with?


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Thanks ray! I did remove the screen as it wasn't there when i started burning last spring. Previous owner never had one and was somewhat unconcerned with maintenance other than a once a year chimney brushing. I had a sweep come and he strongly suggested I add the screen simply for critter control. Previous owner stuffed insulation in oak and flue


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