I’m back-peddling some
I’ve posted before that I never use the combustion air intake on my old wood-fired furnace to control the fire… just leave it wide open and use the manual flue damper. Well I’m gonna’ back-peddle on that!
Over the last month (well this whole winter) we’ve had some warm(ish) weather, sunshine and not much wind. Because of the snow cover melting it’s made for a lot of days with heavy, damp air. The smoke comes out the old brick chimney, rolls down the roof, and floats along the ground. I posted a week or so ago that it was messin’ with my furnace, especially if the breeze was coming from the south west… it gets touchy and starts to smolder if the flue damper is closed just a tiny bit to much, and seems like ya’ have to constantly fiddle with it as the fire burns down. If it smolders very long I’ll get a faint smell of smoke in the stairway to the basement, and eventually into the living area of the house if ya’ don’t catch it.
Now, like I said before, I’ve had to deal with this on occasion before… but it usually only lasts for a few hours, or at the most a day, and then the wind or weather changes and all returns to well. The weather this winter, and now this week has been the worst; Warm, sunny days with heavy, damp air and a slight breeze from the south. It’s been driving me near nutz trying to keep the fire burning correctly, without overheating or smoldering. Luckily we haven’t needed a fire going all day, one in the evening after dark and one in the morning to remove the chill… but I’ve been married to the house this week when it’s burning so I can keep fiddling with it.
I was getting sick of it… and last night I tried something different. I turned the combustion air intake all the way in tight, then opened it just one turn and set the flue damper at about half-closed. Guess what? I didn’t need to fiddle with anything last night, no smoldering, no smell and a few coals left glowing this morning. The outside temp this morning is above freezing, with heavy, damp air and a south breeze… tossed in some splits, waited for a good flame and closed the door, set the damper. Smoke is rolling down the roof and hanging next to the ground. But the furnace is hot, no smoldering, no smell of smoke…
So I’m back-peddling… there are times I need to adjust the combustion air intake after all…
Live and learn I guess. Just wish I would have "learned" two weeks ago!
I’ve posted before that I never use the combustion air intake on my old wood-fired furnace to control the fire… just leave it wide open and use the manual flue damper. Well I’m gonna’ back-peddle on that!
Over the last month (well this whole winter) we’ve had some warm(ish) weather, sunshine and not much wind. Because of the snow cover melting it’s made for a lot of days with heavy, damp air. The smoke comes out the old brick chimney, rolls down the roof, and floats along the ground. I posted a week or so ago that it was messin’ with my furnace, especially if the breeze was coming from the south west… it gets touchy and starts to smolder if the flue damper is closed just a tiny bit to much, and seems like ya’ have to constantly fiddle with it as the fire burns down. If it smolders very long I’ll get a faint smell of smoke in the stairway to the basement, and eventually into the living area of the house if ya’ don’t catch it.
Now, like I said before, I’ve had to deal with this on occasion before… but it usually only lasts for a few hours, or at the most a day, and then the wind or weather changes and all returns to well. The weather this winter, and now this week has been the worst; Warm, sunny days with heavy, damp air and a slight breeze from the south. It’s been driving me near nutz trying to keep the fire burning correctly, without overheating or smoldering. Luckily we haven’t needed a fire going all day, one in the evening after dark and one in the morning to remove the chill… but I’ve been married to the house this week when it’s burning so I can keep fiddling with it.
I was getting sick of it… and last night I tried something different. I turned the combustion air intake all the way in tight, then opened it just one turn and set the flue damper at about half-closed. Guess what? I didn’t need to fiddle with anything last night, no smoldering, no smell and a few coals left glowing this morning. The outside temp this morning is above freezing, with heavy, damp air and a south breeze… tossed in some splits, waited for a good flame and closed the door, set the damper. Smoke is rolling down the roof and hanging next to the ground. But the furnace is hot, no smoldering, no smell of smoke…
So I’m back-peddling… there are times I need to adjust the combustion air intake after all…
Live and learn I guess. Just wish I would have "learned" two weeks ago!
