Wood Burning Stove Question

[Dennis1209]

Live and learn I guess!

 

Since I moved here five years ago I've attempted to locate a chimney sweep to professionally clean and inspect my chimney 8" x 8" clay flue pipe and wood burning stove. It seems "chimney sweeps" are a rare occupation anywhere around my area. In the mean time, I was cleaning out my flue and flue piping with your standard wire brush with extensions. Sure is nice to have a nice fire going during cold weather and ice storms.

 

Last year I had a flue fire that got my double wall flue pipe so hot it was smoking. One of the other problems I had was on occasion the damper control would not work properly and the fire would all of a sudden start burning out of control. Closing the damper on the stove had no effect.

 

I finally located a chimney sweep company an hour and a half from here in Jackson, TN. willing to come this way when they got enough business to make it worth their while. I'm here to tell you, that drill actuated weed whip cleaner they used put the brush I was using to shame. It got so clean it could actually visually inspected for any cracking.

 

They found cracking in the clay flue pipe, I'm guessing probably because of the flue fire I had and maybe because of the out of control fires I experienced? So anyway, they're coming out this week to install a stainless steel flue liner, and I'll rest easier knowing it's safer.

 

They inspected all the doors and seals to determine if too much air was getting in causing the out of control fires using a dollar bill. One side door they could pull the dollar bill out, and adjusted the door tighter. It took a little pressure to remove the bill so I can't see that being the source of excessive air entering the stove causing run away fires. Though I could be wrong and they are the professionals. I'm still thinking it might be the damper not closing / sealing adequately, but it's a bear trying to see anything from where it's installed. It's a 500 pound unit so there's no easy way to rotate it around to look where you need to look?

 

Any of you experienced guys that own wood burning stoves have any ideas? Thanks! 

[teecro]

I'm no expert by any means but air has to be able to enter as well as exit and air will not be entering via an exit when it is exhausting heat.

[peejman]

Chimney fires are no joke.  They'll burn your house down almost as fast as a dryer vent fire. 

 

That said, I'm not sure how the fire could burn out of control unless the stove has a big air leak.  Most stoves I've seen have manually adjustable air inlet vents in the front and a damper for the flue.  Close the inlet vents and the fire gets little/no air so it dies out.  The flue damper can be adjusted to help limit air flow and try to prevent all the heat from going up the chimney.  A stiff breeze across the top of the chimney can increase the draft and literally suck the air out of the chimney, which can cause the stove to burn hotter than you might otherwise expect.  It all about balancing the air flow in/out.