Wood stoves discussion thread.... (UPDATED:PICS PG.2)

[snowydiamonds]

I LOVE wood stoves! In the last house we rented before my youngest son bought his property, I'd stock up the stove to last the night, intending to go to bed after I got off work at midnight, and once it was all set for lasting the night, I could not go to bed! I'd open the stove door and sit on a blanket in front of the flames like it was a fireplace or a fire outside...I'd sit there all night, basking in the sizzling and popping and the beauty, the warmth I love the smell, the cleaning, the tending of it all, I love the manual labor of preparing the wood and stacking the wood...

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
I'm sure your chimney is fine. The DH goes up on the roof with a chimney brush and scrubs it down. Then the entire stove is cleaned from the inside. We clean ours in the fall (before heating season) then around Christmas week and again the end of February. We heat 24/7 with our stove in sub-zero temps, so I play it safe. Most people clean their chimney's once a year in the fall.

Being as you are in AZ - I suspect you don't really use the stove as much. Also, build-up of cresote is higher here since it is much colder. As smoke climbs up and hits cold air there is a greater build-up. At your temps the range is not as extreme.

I didn't mean to scare you - just clean it once a year in the fall (even if to be sure no critters nested in there).

 

[domino7]

Wow, that doesn't sound right to me. I'm no expert, but a wood burner in the basement is all we use to heat our 2 story home. Where do the ashes end up? I assume there must be a door under where the fire burns for removing the ash pan when it's full. We always open that door first when we check the fire or load the wood. That helps create enough draft to ensure that smoke doesn't blow out the door while we are loading it.

 

[BellLisamo]

Ok ok, here are the pictures of what im working with.
The ashes pile in the bottom of it, and we scoop it out. I do need to shovel and dump it again.

Ignore that black black stuff inside, i just knocked the pipes to see if there was anything stuck... Also, please dont "knock" the design, JUST tell me how I should properly use it. Thanks!

 

[domino7]

I know you said don't knock the design, but I think it's part of the problem. It would be so much better with a way to induce air flow from underneath the fire. If I were to use it, I would start the fire in the back, under the pipe, making sure the damper on the pipe is open. The handle on the damper should line up with the pipe. After you get it going, close the door leaving the vent on the door open, like it is in the pic. After it's going good, you can adjust the damper to slow the fire down, but I wouldn't clowe it all the way. When you need to reload it, make sure the vent on the door is open first. That way, you should be able to tell if you're going to have any back draft.

 

[BellLisamo]

Quote:
Ok, I usually make the fire in the middle of it (its about 2ft long). I was scared that flames going up the pipe would start something on fire. By inducing air flow, do you mean like a rack to hold the wood?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[domino7]

I think it would be a good idea to get a grate to put in the bottom of that. That would help you get more draft, I think.

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
Agreed. The design is the problem. There should be a damper/drawer underneath to induce a draft BEFORE you open that door. I don't have a picture of my stove around - mine is european with white tile and a drawer underneath and damper above. The ashes fall through the adjustable grate. I can open the drawer and then the damper and reload with no smoke entering the house.

 

[BellLisamo]

Quote:
Agreed. The design is the problem. There should be a damper/drawer underneath to induce a draft BEFORE you open that door. I don't have a picture of my stove around - mine is european with white tile and a drawer underneath and damper above. The ashes fall through the adjustable grate. I can open the drawer and then the damper and reload with no smoke entering the house.

isnt that on the front of the door?

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
I don't think that would help. Air is not coming from anywhere to start a proper draft. Not to knock your stove Bell, but I'd consider investing in a quality stove or I'd just let the DH deal with that one. That one would scare me too!