stove smoking with door open?

[ontario026]

Hey all, I run a newmac classic wood stove, and this is my third winter with it, the chimney is double walled stainless selkirk that runs up through the centre of the house. In the past 2 years I have never had a draft problem, and have never had smoke pour into the room when I open the door, but it is starting to happen now.... I clean my chimney probably every month to month and a half during the heating season, since I will admit I probably burn a little colder than I should for long re-fueling times when at work and such... I normally only collect approx 1/2 a 1kg coffee container of creosote per cleaning or so. I do only clean from inside the house upwards, since I don't like heights and the steep pitch of my roof, I am assuming that my draft problem right now may be caused by the "rain hat" on the top of the chimney may have some creosote build up on it causing reduced flow/draft? is that the most likely cause?

thanks
Matthew

 

[grandpatractor]

Years ago I lived in a house that had a liner that stuck out about a foot above the brick and it tended to build up in that last foot everyso often. I got to be pretty good aim with a slingshot and it would rattle it enough to knock of the buildup with out crawling up on the roof:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[buckwheat]

I suspect you're headed in the right direction with the screen being restricted.

I have a friend who has a small stove in his basement that exits out to a stainless pipe that then goes up two stories. He had a problem where the cap was put on with "regular" screws that simply corroded and caused the cap to drop down flush. From the outside, everything looked fine. It took him awhile to figure out what happened.

 

[PA Plumber]

Cap

Good chance it's the cap. We have triple wall Hart and Cooley and the cap needs cleaned more than the flue pipe. Even with dry wood, the cap gets a black buildup that needs knocked off occassionally (as explained above). Also, our cap does not have a screen, just baffles. It stills needs attention 1 to 2 times per year.

 

[PA Plumber]

I've thought about this a little more. If you are cleaning up, is there a chance you are not getting to the end of the flue because of the cap, or possible packing the cap area with junk? The last few inches may not be getting cleaned at all. Just an idea. The cap is still a good place to start.