Occasional downdraft on my stove

Occasionally, i think when its damp, i have trouble getting my stove drafting. I can feel the downdraft when i open the door to it. My stove is in the basement. As soon as i get it going its fine but i usually get a bunch of smoke in the house. I will occasionally use a hair dryer to reverse the pressure. Anyone have any other ideas that they have used with success?

 

Propane torch. Aim it in the stove towards the flue. Hold it there longer than you think you should then light the stove. Basement installs can be finicky.

 

I also have a stove in the basement and have the same problem when it’s in the 40s with rain and a cold stove. Usually I can open the basement door to correct the draft. On occasion I have to take the cap off of the bottom of my tee outside of the basement where my stove pipe goes through the wall. My basement is day-lighted on the backside of house so it’s convenient for me to do that.

 

I usually blast a couple loosely packed pieces of newspaper but it releases a lot of smoke into the basement before it starts drafting. Anyone use a heat gun? Thinking about buying one

 

It’s not a big deal. Only have a problem when the stove is cold which isn’t very often.

 

I burn every day in the winter but i never have a burn last from night until morning. Since my fiance and i work during the day i dont light one before we leave for work. I set the heat at 62 and light a fire when i get home at night.

 

I've had mine do that 2 or 3 times in 10 years. I couldn't tell you conditions because I wasn't paying enough attention and didn't write anything down. Mine stays burning all the time so it's not an issue for me. Be interesting to know the science in what is happening.

 

Some good info on the cause of backdraft here
A non-commercial service in support of responsible home heating with wood - How Chimneys Work

 

I feel like damp air is heavier so it creates a downdraft, but then again im just a rambling idiot.

 

I have a friend that has talked about using one. He said it works for him.

 

That’s what I do. In fact, time for a fire so I’ll get it going and take a pic





I open the bypass and shove the end of the heat gun right into the flue opening and use a short piece of I-beam and chunk of farwood to prop it up. Usually let it run a couple to 5 minutes or until the pipe feels warm a couple feet above the stove. PO had a T in the flue before it turns to go out and would pull that plug and set the heat gun there. I may try that sometime too.

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When I lived in Wisconsin my stove was in the basement and I used a heat gun when my stove pipe had a cold plug. The wadded newspaper trick ALWAYS filled my basement with smoke. My stack was just too tall for that to work. The heat gun worked good!

 

I think your issue is that your pipe has a couple of angles as it leaves your foundation and goes up your house. Tough to heat that thing on a cold damp day. I say for the damp days some kind of small fire starter lit for a few minutes like one of Backwoods Savages super cedsrs

 

You sold me on it. Harbor freight here i come. No sense buying a good one for this endeavor. Thanks!

 

Try some newspaper towards the flue

 

Anything that makes heat without smoke will work. Good luck!

 

You can sometimes get draft to "correct" on basement installs by cracking a nearby window open a bit until things take off...