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Smoking stove

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  • 25-06-2020 11:32am
    #1
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,
    I would be grateful for some help. I have a Stratford stove when I open the door it lets smoke into the room. I am convinced it is draft and that I need to extend the chimney. The chimney has Flexi flu installed in it.
    How can I extend the height of the chimney ? Is it possible to attach a pipe to the flexi flu ?
    Any help appreciated.
    6541


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    #2
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    New or old house if new how new. Often the problem is nothing to do with the chimney on a new house and more to do with no where for the air to come in from.

    Provided you have at least 4 meters of chimney above the stove and the chimney is higher than the roof you shouldn't need to extend it.


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    #3
    Stigura
    Registered Users Posts: 3,413 ✭✭✭Stigura


    Before ye do anything more drastic, may I just suggest ye get ye hand in to where the stove meets the wall / chimney?

    One of my stoves was filling the entire place with smoke. It was ridiculous. I was thinking of everything. Till a mate took all the guts out of the stove and shone a torch in.

    Yep. A doughnut of 'carbon' had built up in the ring where the stove fitted to the chimney. Not encrusted and blocked, mind. Just maybe making an eight inch hole a seven inch one?

    Ripped that away with his fingers. Stove is now absolutely perfect. Time? Fifteen minutes all told. Cost? A heart felt " Thanks, mate! "


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    #4
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    It is a 1970's bungalow, if that helps.


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    #5
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    It is a 1970's bungalow, if that helps.

    Should be plenty of air flow in one of those :D

    Assuming the chimney isn't blocked and isn't anywhere stupid like the side of the house and below the ridge, what happens if you shut all the doors/open doors?


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    #6
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Thanks for this. Chimney definitely isn't blocked. It doesn't matter if I open or close doors windows, it constantly smokes.
    however I will say, if I need to load it with fuel and I leave the stove door open for 10 minutes pre loading it reduces the smoke output to the room. But I still get some some to the room.


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    #7
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    So describe the chimney.


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    #8
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    I will attach a photo shortly. Thanks again


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    #9
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Please see attached image - thanks again


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    #10
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    To save me a lot of writing I found this online How a chimney works.

    Even with a cold chimney there should be enough of a pressure difference between the top of the chimney and inside the house for air to be draw up through it.

    So to state the obvious that isn't the case for your chimney and stove so we need to find out what is causing the problem. The pressure difference that gets the smoke starting to go up the chimney is very small so it is easy to upset it.

    From what you've posted so far it seems you can get the fire going OK but when you open the fire door smoke comes out. Does this happen if you open the control vent on the fire first and then open the door very slowly and how much smoke actually comes out and does it keep coming or is it just a quick puff then back to going up the chimney. I'm trying to get a handle on how bad the problem is.


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    #11
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Thanks for all your help. When I start a fire the smoke will bellow out into the room. So what I do is load it and and light it and close the door straight away.

    If I open the control vent and open the door slowly it reduces the amount of smoke coming into the room. But I still get a lot of smoke.

    What do you think ?


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    #12
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    I'm wondering if those trees near the house are anything to do with it?

    The other thought is that the liner isn't joined fully to the stove so air is getting in from somewhere else reducing the pull up the chimney.

    Another is how big is the stove not unusual to have a massive stove thats far to big.


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    #13
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Its a big stove.
    https://manualzz.com/doc/23720406/stratford-eco-boiler-he-stove

    Attached is a picture of the stove


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    #14
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    Is the top vent for air flow to keep the glass clean? Is there another vent for temperature control?

    What happens if you close the top vent and open the door slowly.

    Decent size stove but I doubt its oversize for the room.


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    #15
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    yes top vent is for air flow to keep glass clean, on the left hand side there is a temperature dial.
    I would have to test what happens if you close the top vent and open the door slowly - Why do you ask this ?


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    #16
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    yes top vent is for air flow to keep glass clean, on the left hand side there is a temperature dial.
    I would have to test what happens if you close the top vent and open the door slowly - Why do you ask this ?

    Any air or smoke going up the chimney will take the course of least resistance.

    If air can relieve the pressure difference in the room by going up the chimney via the top air vent it will. Closing it will show if that is part of the problem. Probably not be but worth checking. The air movement to clean the glass may also push smoke out as the door is open?


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    #17
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Would there be any value in putting on a H Cowel or one of those Cowl Extractors ?


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    #18
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    Would there be any value in putting on a H Cowel or one of those Cowl Extractors ?

    I've personally never seen any value in them. If you can pinpoint the problem and say for sure its the trees then maybe an H Cowel would be worth it but I think you need to get to the bottom of the problem first.

    I run a range on less chimney height with the chimney in a poor location on the side of the house and while when the wind is in one direction it smokes, most of the time its fine. I don't even seal the joints in the flu pipe. Once you have that air pressure difference it just works.


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    #19
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Hello - Just looking for an added opinion. I lit the stoves last night as last night was like winter.
    So here is the deal, loads of some comes into the room when the door is open - its constant smoke.
    I opened all windows and doors for added draft and its still the same.
    I also tried the top air vent thing as well and this makes no difference - Does this information point to any root cause ?


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    #20
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    Sorry for more questions but have to ask has this stove ever worked without smoking?


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    #21
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    I am afraid not - This is in my fathers house and I am sure it has never worked.


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    #22
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    If you've not done it then you need to take a look up the chimney. If you can't then you have to sweep it anyway because you can't say for sure it isn't blocked up. If that stove is used all winter or even a couple of nights every week it needs sweeping at least once and probably twice a year.


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    #23
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    I will do that - but I definitely swept it last year and I recall it was still smoking. Based on that what do you think ?


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    #24
    Andrea B.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭Andrea B.


    Keep chatting. Have same problem and will try some of the vent/door trials tonight.


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    #25
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    I will do that - but I definitely swept it last year and I recall it was still smoking. Based on that what do you think ?

    Based on the fact our range smokes when it needs sweeping. Often its just the bottom 3 feet that start to choke up and if not sweep at every couple of months the 5inch (think its 5) ends up with not much more than a 2 inch hole.

    If you have any bends near the bottom of the chimney they can collect soot and have the same effect. Chimney may be fine but the joints could be full from soot fall or just from tar in the smoke. Right angle bends are worse for this and should be avoided.

    In your case though I would have thought the chimney was attached to the top of the stove. But that could also be where you have a problem. If the liner isn't attached to the stove and just sits on top of it then it won't work correctly. Just think how awkward it is to connect the liner to the top of that insert stove so maybe it wasn't done right?


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    #26
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    "In your case though I would have thought the chimney was attached to the top of the stove. But that could also be where you have a problem. If the liner isn't attached to the stove and just sits on top of it then it won't work correctly. Just think how awkward it is to connect the liner to the top of that insert stove so maybe it wasn't done right?"

    If this is the case I have a serious problem - I would have to take down that brick fire place - that is a huge expensive job.


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    #27
    zimmermania
    Registered Users Posts: 4,689 ✭✭✭zimmermania


    The pipe from the back of the stove should be properly attatched to the flexi flue so that air and smoke cannot escape from the flue,i was never a fan of the flexi flue.

    A flue reducer works better imo 8 inches reducing to 5 or 6 inches as the case may be works really well,it pushes up into the existing flue and in a house of that vintage it is most likely an 8 inch flue.


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    #28
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    "In your case though I would have thought the chimney was attached to the top of the stove. But that could also be where you have a problem. If the liner isn't attached to the stove and just sits on top of it then it won't work correctly. Just think how awkward it is to connect the liner to the top of that insert stove so maybe it wasn't done right?"

    If this is the case I have a serious problem - I would have to take down that brick fire place - that is a huge expensive job.

    If you can take out the top baffle then you can carefully feel around and see whats going on, beware there may be pointy ends of screws on the inside of the pipe. With a mirror you can probably see right up the chimney.

    Also when the chimneys lit does any smoke come out around the liner at the top as opposed to coming out of the liner like it should.

    My thoughts are that air must be getting in somewhere else for the fire to smoke like that unless its blocked. A damaged or burnt out liner might also cause that problem if air can get in at the base of the chimney.


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    #29
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Jayaus Folks - is it all pointing to the connection to the flexi flue ?
    Anything else i can do before I have to resort to taking out the brick fireplace ?


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    #30
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    6541 wrote: »
    Jayaus Folks - is it all pointing to the connection to the flexi flue ?
    Anything else i can do before I have to resort to taking out the brick fireplace ?

    Do your best to take a look. I'd go as far as buying a cheap inspection camera to do it. Don't forget anywhere you can get a hand in you can probably get in a mobile phone and take a picture.


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    #31
    6541
    Registered Users Posts: 1,943 ✭✭✭6541


    Okay - next steps please correct me if I go anyway wrong here.
    1) Clean chimney
    2) I am going to take out top baffle - and try and see what is going on. Also is it okay to light stove with top baffle out - Just another test to see does it continue to smoke.
    3) When Stove is lit I will check to see does smoke come out between flexi flu and chimney.


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