Stove Smoke Leak

F500 here also. There have been a few times where the stove has had either weak draft, no draft, or reversed. Usually I can get it turned around. Only once did I need to grab all of the splits with the welders mitts and pitch them outside. One thing I like to watch is how the smoke rolls after leaving the chimney. Sometimes it's straight up. A lot of times straight out with the wind. But sometimes it's straight down to the ground and stays there. That last bit are the times where the stove here struggles with draft. Heavy air, temp inversions, mild temps still and foggy , can't see air move and what it's doing but it's interesting trying.
As far as leaking through seams etc - I've checked mine by shining a light inside, looking for light outside, testing gaskets etc. Everything comes up good. But one time long ago the stove backpuffed , hmm, looked like the really steamed dude on the cartoons blowing smoke out of every orifice. They say they are air tight - they are not.

 

Lit our first fire of the year last night and had a 'bit' of smoke spillage, nothing cracking the window couldn't resolve.

I've not heard before of Dennis' Super Cedar technique till afterwards, will have to give that a try.


I've also had backpuffs if I damper it down too soon.


Holly (our dog) is not a fan of that behavior from the stove.


As to stoves being "air tight", the stove needs to breathe, so there's that.

 

Before my Woodstock IS I had a jotul 500, great stove! I opted for the IS because it’s a hybrid with secondaries and a cat. The Jotul just had the secondaries and I wanted longer burns.
I didn’t read all the responses in this thread but I would have concerns of smelling a wood smoke odor if I smelled it.