Among all the different kinds of home heating appliances, the wood stove may be the one that has seen the most innovation in design and efficiency across the last several decades. If you own a wood stove, you know how warm and cozy they make a room and how great they look as part of a home’s décor. What you may not know is how to deal with common problems that can arise with all stoves.
Drafting issues and excess smoke
If smoke is filling the stove and emptying into the room, there’s some kind of drafting issue. Let’s address the six most common reasons for this.
1. Obstructions in the chimney. If you’re venting your stove through a traditional chimney, smoke backing up into the house may be because there are obstructions within the chimney. Particularly if there’s no chimney cap, all manner of debris such as leaves and twigs as well as small animals and their nests can enter the flue and cause obstructions. The solution is adding a cap and having the inside of the chimney professionally cleaned.
2. Door with a faulty seal. Over time, door gaskets on wood stoves can lose their ability to form an air-tight seal and allow smoke to escape. A new replacement gasket should solve the problem.
3. Clogged cap. If the flue pipe or chimney has a cap, excess debris stuck into the wire mesh will impede drafting and cause smoke to fill and then exit the stove into the room. Solve this problem by cleaning out the cap.
4. Faulty flue connection. Examine the connection between the flue and the stove. If there’s a compromise in the seal, you might want to call a professional to come out and make a proper connection.
5. Home is too air-tight. Wood stoves, like fireplaces, need air on both sides of the fire in order to draft properly. Newer homes may be too air-tight and not provide the necessary internal air for a good draft. Cracking a window or two should supply the necessary amount of air.
6. Wrong size flue. Wood stoves that are installed without closely following the manufacturer’s recommendations often have a flue or chimney that isn’t the correct size for the stove. A chimney technician can determine exactly what the problem is and recommend how to solve it. Usually this will entail purchasing the correct size flue or modifying the flue within the chimney.
Other common wood stove issues
If your stove doesn’t have a self-cleaning glass door, you need to clean it regularly. Never clean when the stove is hot, and don’t use household cleaning fluids. A clean cloth dipped in ashes does a good job, followed by wiping with a wet cloth. Ask your hearth store about special solutions for cleaning glass stove doors.
A final issue with some wood stoves is the smell of paint when a fire is burning. This is normal with a new stove because the paint on the unit is curing. The smell should be gone after several days.
For all your hearth needs including the best in wood stoves and fireplaces, FyrePro of Fort Collins, Colo., is here to help. You can shop for a new appliance and get all your questions answered at our showroom located 4631 South Mason St. Reach us by phone at (970) 266-8556.