How can I cut down the draft on my stove..

[DSS]

I have an Osburn 4100 airtight woodstove which heats my whole house. Nice little stove, made in Quebec.

My problem is this. I live in eastern canada, in one of the windiest places in north america. 70 mph winds are not uncommon here in the winter, and the overall average would probably be 20-30 mph. Even today it is blowing 35 mph in the bright sunshine. That's normal here.

I live in a very open area and sometimes it blows so hard that it's almost impossible to light the stove. I can completely close the damper and it still draws so hard that it puts out the fire before the kindling even gets warm. On a windy night you have to sort of babysit it all the time , because the flame gets sucked right up the flue and the pipe temp goes through the roof. Not to mention the short burn times.

Is there any type of chimmney cap I could use to help this? Right now I have the round top chrome thing with the slots cut in the side.

Or is there a redneck solution that won't burn the house down?

 

[yooper]

do you have an adjustable damper on the chimney?
and with that stove can you put one on?

 

[DSS]

I have a normal damper in the pipe just above the stove, is that what you mean?

 

[Art Vandelay]

I have an Osburn 4100 airtight woodstove which heats my whole house. Nice little stove, made in Quebec.

My problem is this. I live in eastern canada, in one of the windiest places in north america. 70 mph winds are not uncommon here in the winter, and the overall average would probably be 20-30 mph. Even today it is blowing 35 mph in the bright sunshine. That's normal here.

I live in a very open area and sometimes it blows so hard that it's almost impossible to light the stove. I can completely close the damper and it still draws so hard that it puts out the fire before the kindling even gets warm. On a windy night you have to sort of babysit it all the time , because the flame gets sucked right up the flue and the pipe temp goes through the roof. Not to mention the short burn times.

Is there any type of chimmney cap I could use to help this? Right now I have the round top chrome thing with the slots cut in the side.

Or is there a redneck solution that won't burn the house down?

My redneck solution was to install a second damper. Don't know if it will work in your situation. Our average wind is probably 10 mph.

 

[DSS]

My redneck solution was to install a second damper. Don't know if it will work in your situation. Our average wind is probably 10 mph.

You just put another damper in the stovepipe somewhere above the first one? Never thought of that......

 

[Art Vandelay]

You just put another damper in the stovepipe somewhere above the first one? Never thought of that......

Yup, that's what I did. Seemed like a simple solution. Cuts down on a windy day quite a bit.

 

[yooper]

I have a normal damper in the pipe just above the stove, is that what you mean?

yes that is what I meant...I would go with a second. I had 2 on mine when I burnt wood. I live on the south shore of Lake Superior and get heavy north winds in the winter.

 

[DSS]

It amazes me how stupid I am and how smart you guys are. I've been thinking about this for bout two years and it never crossed my mind to put a second damper. I was thinking on a fancy cap , I saw one that had small holes drilled in it instead of slots like mine, but I didn't know how it would work on one of our rare calm days..........

 

[Art Vandelay]

It amazes me how stupid I am and how smart you guys are. I've been thinking about this for bout two years and it never crossed my mind to put a second damper. I was thinking on a fancy cap , I saw one that had small holes drilled in it instead of slots like mine, but I didn't know how it would work on one of our rare calm days..........

You ain't foolin me, I know you ain't no dummy. You were over thinking it that's all. <a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D4%252F4%255F12%255F6%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_12_6.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D4%252F4_12_6%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

 

[DSS]

You ain't foolin me, I know you ain't no dummy. You were over thinking it that's all. <a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D4%252F4%255F12%255F6%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_12_6.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D4%252F4_12_6%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

LOL...probly right about the overthinking part, don't know about the rest. Thanks for the help guys....happy birthday to A.V..

 

[laynes69]

Barometric dampers help regulate your draft. They can really swing from open to closed when its windy outside. One issue I have with a barometric damper is they allow for cool air to enter a chimney, which has alot of negatives. Some manufacturers are against them, so I would check to see if they are recommended. How tall is your chimney, and how big is it?

 

[AKKAMAAN]

You say stove is air tight right??
I have an almost identical stove,

No one have mentioned air supply yet, my stove always start burn slower when I have not cleaned out 4 weeks worth of ashes, that is blocking the air supply......so shouldn't we that the fresh air supply into the discussion also....of course when stove door is open, and the house back door is open, air supply will be unlimited, but after fire is started, stove door closed, I would definitely regulate the the fresh air supply, that's how we regulate the more advanced wood burners for water heating....

Fresh air supply is Oxygen, O2, supply...O2 is a condition for combustion...limit O2=limit fire

Do you have an outside fresh air supply, from crawl space under the flooring???
If your crawl space is well wented, you will bring the wind outside in through the stove....
On my stove, the air supply is entering under the stove foundation....

 

[DSS]

The chimney is the prefab kind, we call them selkirk here, I don't know if thats a brand name or what. It's 7'' i.d. It goes up through almost the center of the house, so there is only about 2' above the peak.

I don't have a barometric damper, only the kind inside the pipe.

 

[DSS]

I don't have a fresh air supply except for the drafty windows....My old house is not extremely tight....you can't fly a kite in the kitchen, but I think there is lots of air reaching the stove for sure.

There is definitely no vacuum when you open a door.

Yes my stove is almost identical except mine has nickle on the door.

 

[laynes69]

How tall is the chimney? I wouldn't want 2 dampers in the flue. Look into a barometric damper. Also check your gaskets in your stove to make sure they aren't leaking.

 

[DSS]

Selkirk is the name of a company that makes chimneys and a very popular double wall insulated chimney they sell is names 'Metalbestos'.

Double dampers may be a good solution like what has been suggested but a lot of dampers have openings in them so even when fully closed some air gets by. Modding your existing single damper so it dosn't let as much air get by when closed down may also work in your situation.

Should the damper be completely tight in the pipe when it's closed, because mine isn't. There is about 1/4'' gap all around. Someone told me that they were all like this so you can't choke the stove off, but IDK to be honest....

 

[DSS]

How tall is the chimney? I wouldn't want 2 dampers in the flue. Look into a barometric damper. Also check your gaskets in your stove to make sure they aren't leaking.

The chimney is only 3 sections I think, just from the living room ceiling through the attic and up through the roof, in a bungalow. 9 feet I think, very short.

The gasket is in good shape, replaced regularly. That was the first thing I suspected.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I don't have a fresh air supply except for the drafty windows....

How is the "air" getting to the combustion zone (fire) when the door on the stove is closed???

In my state it is code the have air supply from out side......Are you 100% sure there is no hole in the floor under the stove???

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I'm a newb to stoves, but it seems like if you have an airtight, and the seals are good, that it won't matter what the draft is. You won't get any more air than your intake can provide. Have you looked at restricting the intake? On mine, I can plug the intake pretty easily if I want.

Ian

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I'm a newb to stoves, but it seems like if you have an airtight, and the seals are good, that it won't matter what the draft is, you won't get any more air than your intake can provide. Have you looked at restricting the intake? On mine, I can plug the intake pretty easily if I want.

Ian

:agree2::wave: