why do i keep having explosions!!!???

[aaronmach1]

what is going on in my stove!? this happened once today and twice yesterday. Ill be in the room the wood furnace is in (today about 5 mins after i loaded it) and all the sudden a small boom and puffs of smoke come out the exhaust seams and the loading door slams out about a 1/2 inch into the door lock then back down. external flue temps were about 200-250 and oven thermodial was at about 130.
Ive noticed when i burn this black walnut it pops and crackles some but not exploding. The walnut has been cut split stacked for about 2 full years. Ive been mixing mostly ash and walnut, and little maple.
On another note i noticed a little flame light on the bottom side of the loading door where its supposed to seal with the rope seal. About 4 inches long and could probably fit a playing card through it. Do i need to replace this asap?

 

[CrappieKeith]

Your smoldering your wood without enough air in the room to replace what you need....every now and then the smoke burns fast...it explodes.
Add air...make up air and cycle burn rates if POSSIBLE.

 

[laynes69]

It's a buildup of smoke that when enough oxygen hits it, boom. Lack of draft, or not giving the fire enough air will cause this. Usually giving the fire more air will help this. If your feed door came out 1/2" you need to fix it. Also if your seeing gaps in the gaskets they must be changed, or the door adjusted.

 

[aaronmach1]

Your smoldering your wood without enough air in the room to replace what you need....every now and then the smoke burns fast...it explodes.
Add air...make up air and cycle burn rates if POSSIBLE.

im sorry im really new here.. can u explain more? You mean there is not enough oxygen in the basement? the room its in is probably 24ftx30ft or so.when this has happened i feel light headed and crappy too.

 

[aaronmach1]

i need to add when this happens its after i get home from work and the women has been makin her famous smoulder fires all day and then i come home and try to make a hot one to burn off her newly created creosote.

 

[CrappieKeith]

There's only so much air in your home..if you have a 8 inch pipe that's 160 some cubic inches of air leaving your home a minute...what about clothes dryers..bathroom fans...what's replacing all of this air leaving...is there a hot water heater being vented??????

Hello...fires need air to burn and burn properly...10 bucks says if I wrap my hands around your throat and squeeze...breathing becomes difficult....not that I would just saying...if you choke off air to the fire it will loose draft and smolder...if there is a lot of smoke and all of a sudden get a wisp of air...boom....were we not just talking about draft speed or temps on another 2 threads.

Dude....get up with the manufactures manual and comply.

 

[aaronmach1]

There's only so much air in your home..if you have a 8 inch pipe that's 160 some cubic inches of air leaving your home a minute...what about clothes dryers..bathroom fans...what's replacing all of this air leaving...is there a hot water heater being vented??????

Hello...fires need air to burn and burn properly...10 bucks says if I wrap my hands around your throat and squeeze...breathing becomes difficult....not that I would just saying...if you choke off air to the fire it will loose draft and smolder...if there is a lot of smoke and all of a sudden get a wisp of air...boom....were we not just talking about draft speed or temps on another 2 threads.

Dude....get up with the manufactures manual and comply.

I do not really have a manual or anything. i cant find one anywhere.

 

[olyman]

get a outside air intake in..preferably 6 inch dia....thats the makeup air keith is speaking of..off of a south or east wall. ive got a 5 inch,,and a lot of air moves thru it when the fire is humming along..directly below the stove air intake..

 

[darkbyrd]

Look for threads and on the internet for 'backpuffing'. I had the same problem. The smoke builds up, some fresh air gets to it from down the chimney or through normal means, and boom! I had little ones, but I had 3 when I first started burning that shook the house, like a tree fell on the roof! Quick answer is to give it more air and/or burn hotter, but the specific adjustments will depend on your stove. Fix the gaskets and air leaks!

 

[aaronmach1]

get a outside air intake in..preferably 6 inch dia....thats the makeup air keith is speaking of..off of a south or east wall. ive got a 5 inch,,and a lot of air moves thru it when the fire is humming along..directly below the stove air intake..

Does it have to be by the wood furnace? or just in the same room? wont this cool the room down in the winter? especially when im not burning?

 

[myzamboni]

To put it in simple words: You've dampered down/closed the air intake on your stove too soon. Let the stove run with full air for awhile after loading, then reduce the air once everything is burning well.

 

[reaperman]

You WILL invest in a carbon monoxide detectors. If your furnace is in the basement without sufficient combustion air, it will cause negative pressure in your basement. Negative pressure is a source for carbon monoxide poising. Detectors are cheap compared to what odorless, carbon monoxide gas can do.

Below is a picture of a 4" insulated flexible hose that feed fresh air to my furnace.

 

[darkbyrd]

To put it in simple words: You've dampered down/closed the air intake on your stove too soon. Let the stove run with full air for awhile after loading, then reduce the air once everything is burning well.

+1

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Are there small bumps on the sides and top of your stove?!!!
Did you take any wood off of my very back pile?
:wink2:

 

[Wife'nHubby]

i feel light headed and crappy too.

Sounds a bit like carbon monoxide poisoning. Suggest you don't burn until you:

1. Get some fresh air feeding that burner
2. Install carbon monoxide detectors a.s.a.p.!

Shari

 

[8433jeff]

If your Mrs. is smoldering fires all day, as you said, you may have a chimney problem. If thats all plugged up, adding draft will burn your house down sooner. Get yourself a CO detector ASAP. A nice hot fire if the chimney can stand it for a couple hours will provide more heat than a smoldering one will all the day long, I suspect this will take some show and tell to convince others in your house.

 

[blackdogon57]

Some great advice from guys who know what they are talking about - but you need to have your system looked at by a professional. Forums are great for small problems - yours may need a unique solution. - good luck.

 

[aaronmach1]

wow thanks alot to everyone all great advice. I currently have 2 new carbon monoxide detectors in the house none have went off. The poster that said im adding new wood to just coals is probably exactly right. Like i said when i get home i have to fix the burns she comes up with. i just rake her mess around till some heat and coals start and throw in some wood then flames start and i close the door and have the ash damper set at two turns out and flue damper 3/4 closed. wow i have alot of learning to do about how to work the two dampers.... i also have a high/low knob to open a flap on the door that i cant figure out either.
Thanks everyone for all the great help so far! Im slowly learning!
EDIT: also i forgot to mention, the chimney has a new stainless 6x10" flue liner. less than a week old so should be in good shape there.

 

[darkbyrd]

I leave the ash door open until the load of new logs are black and/or lit, then back to my regularly scheduled burning. Use a timer so you don't forget to close it! (That is how I taught my better half to do it.) Get it roaring for a half-hour a day and that should keep the chimney clean. If you feel comfortable doing it, get a brush and sweep your own chimney, and inspect it regularly. Take pictures (we <3 pictures!). There are 1,001 things to know about burning wood! Burn safe!

 

[apattie]

What you were having was a flash back, when air is introduced into a smoke filled environment. But agree with what other have said and yes new clean chimney will help and burn your fire hot before you shut it down.. Put a new gasket around the stove.