Stove not putting out heat

[meatwagon45]

Hey guys, I have a problem. I have a 5 year old Regency wood insert. When I bought it, it was the "mid sized" stove. I have a 1400 sq ft cape that the stove has had no problem keeping at 80+/- degrees all winter. This year, the stove is struggling to maintain 68 degrees. I have a mix of Ash, Choke Cherry, and Maple wood and most of it has been cut down for 2 years but not split until this fall. Some of the ash was cut and split recently but I thought that I had it mixed in pretty good with the older stuff. I've been closing off rooms to try and build up heat but it is not making a difference. Tonight I ran to my buddies shop to get some dried oak skids (used to transport raw steel coils. Have some oils penetrated into the wood) but I cannot cut them until morning. I used these last year and they worked awsome. Some of the firebrick along the back wall is cracked, but have been for a few years. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jimbojango]

did you blower motor quit by chance? seems stupid but it could be

 

[outdoorlivin247]

Do you have a thermometer on the stove or pipe?...What are your stove temps?...Glass door or no?...Burn times change?...Damper in chimney or just air controls on stove?...

 

[Pulp Friction]

Is it possible that air is leaking around your insert and the chimney is sucking the heat out of the house?

This sounds like what I just posted about in the thread "Heat Loss Mystery Solved"

 

[rwbinbc]

I had some cracked and missing fire brick, and I was going thru alot more wood than before. It would get hot, then cool right back off. I just bought two boxes of fire brick and rebricked it. Its alot hotter and has slowed down on the wood. I put wood in it about 3 hours and mostly still there top is glowing red hot, Inside. I have the century 300010 with glass door.

I'm happy again.........

 

[meatwagon45]

Blower motor is working fine. I vaccumed the air intake grates today to see if they were clogged.

Glass door. No idea what the temps are

Only draft control is on the insert.

I've been burning with the draft open all the way to try and get more heat. Inside the stove, the wood is not burning away like it useto. I'm getting a full firebox of ash for every burn.

I think I'm going to try replacing the firebrick and see what happens

The surround panel is tight to the fireplace. In the spring, I checked up the flue and the insulation appeared to be ok around the pipe

 

[logbutcher]

All of the above with the stove and flue checks out.

Do the simple thing: could there be a new air leak IN THE HOUSE ? Window frame, doors, foundation, basement ? Get a good illegally imported Cuban cigar :biggrinbounce2 $$$$ ) and work the smoke around the perimeter of the room, doors and windows and cellar. Punk stick will work also.

Some states have free or low cost Energy Audits available.

 

[Taxmantoo]

It's not burning like before, and you cleaned the flue?

Try cracking open a window. Does the stove start acting like it gets air when you do that?

 

[rwbinbc]

The brick cost Me $22 for a box of 6 brick, I got two boxes($48 with taxes). That did all of the walls, not the floor. I picked them up at the local hunt's hardware. This morning had it damped down alot there was still half of the wood stove full 6 hours later. I didn't think the brick would make that big of a differance or I would have replaced them earlier.

I hope Your stove keeps You warmer

 

[mga]

has been cut down for 2 years but not split until this fall.

you do realize that wood left with the bark on doesn't dry out as good nor as fast than if it was split right away? split this fall is hardly enough time for proper drying.

not saying this is your problem, just an FYI

 

[hanniedog]

My first thing to check would be the chimney, sounds partially plugged to me and not pulling good draft.

 

[Adam_MA]

Just a couple of thoughts. Late this fall, I cleaned my chimney. After I was done, I couldn't get a good draft, fire was cold, stove wouldn't get hot. Took me a day to realize I left the clean-out cover off when I finished sweeping.

Also, my first winter burning was horrible. My wood wasn't dry, and I was in a constant fight with my stove to burn and produce heat. Dry wood the next year solved that issue.

 

[BSD]

CT does have a low cost energy audit, I know several people have done it and they say it's great, i believe the cost is $75. they spend about 5 hours in an average house and ID problems and give you solutions.

Wet wood is probably your biggest problem. We got a deluge of rain (3.5"+) here last week. stupidly I didn't cover my wood pile. this last load I brought up to the house which had a full 2 yr season on it is basically acting like it was cut and split yesterday. it takes about an hour for each log to steam out. and in that time my temps drop big time. It was cold this morning in the house with 10F outside the stove was doing all it could to keep up with all that energy being used to steam out

 

[savageactor7]

Wood split this fall is NOT seasoned.

As a last resort try spiting you splits smaller...like forearm size and see how that does.

Once you have an established coal bed try seeing how one of your regular splits burn now.

That's about it unless you mix it up with pallet wood.

Good luck btw if you burn lower than WOT the stove will likely produce lots of creosote.

You might consider buying next years wood now as a Christmas present to the household. Wood doesn't start to season until it's split.

 

[nikocker]

Wood split this fall is NOT seasoned.

As a last resort try spiting you splits smaller...like forearm size and see how that does.

Once you have an established coal bed try seeing how one of your regular splits burn now.

That's about it unless you mix it up with pallet wood.

Good luck btw if you burn lower than WOT the stove will likely produce lots of creosote.

You might consider buying next years wood now as a Christmas present to the household. Wood doesn't start to season until it's split.

I agree. That semi-green wood will not produce the same heat that he had in prior years.

Al

 

[rwbinbc]

I would argue that wood doesn't season untill split. I sell tops and if they lay for a couple years people realy like them. I dont get complaints selling tops that are fresh cut and split. Split? I cant stop thinking about the new Fiskar 36" handle splitting axe, I own the old one. That thing is going to be___________

Ford's, Stihl's, and Fiskars'. Thing made in Heaven

 

[CrappieKeith]

you do realize that wood left with the bark on doesn't dry out as good nor as fast than if it was split right away? split this fall is hardly enough time for proper drying.

not saying this is your problem, just an FYI

We have a winner!!!!
At least nothing changes if nothing changes....moisture content of wood is the factor that changed.The tops can be dry but the main trunk...try out some known well seasoned wood to see if it makes a difference...easy enough I'd think.

 

[trapshooter9]

Check your chimney cap. It may be partially plugged with creosote.

 

[CrappieKeith]

Check your chimney cap. It may be partially plugged with creosote.

....there's another very good suggestion.