My new chimney is up and running,but it has a few problems. The fella made it higher than it was, thinking it would be a help in draft, but it seems like it's not drawing well as it is getting a bit smoky in here and I can't find any spots on the pipe where it may be coming from. I did the flashlight test and nothing. Also, I put the pipe the way I usually have, which may not be ther preferred manner. I have the crimped end up, and a bit of creosote is coming out of the seams. Does it need to season? or should I pull it all and re install with the crimps down? Also, why would a slightly higher stack create back draft? Thanks!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), December 25, 2001

Answers

Hey sis! Depending upon many thngs--but the higher the flue the more cold air that has to be "pushed out" by the warm smoke. The cold air is heavier than the hot smoke. This probably isnt the problem but is just one thing to consider. old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), December 26, 2001.

Well I guess I will be spending some time on Saturday on the roof re doing this thing. Thankfully it works well enough to keep it warm in here!!!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), December 26, 2001.

Before you light your fire, light some newspaper so the flames are licking up the flue. When it starts drawing real well, light your kindling fire.

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

I second lighting some newspaper under the flu and letting it "warm" it before lighting the fire. We had that problem last year when it was REALLY cold, ended up with smoke a plenty in the house. We now warm up the chimney air before lighting fires.!! :o)

-- notnow (notnow@blabla.com), December 27, 2001.

Well I am sure it has something to do with the flue heighth. It does fine with the damper fully open, but when I cut it to 3/4's for the actual heat it starts to smoke up in here. I may not have found the sweet spot yet.It isn't good to have all the heat going up the chimney. grrrr. Thanks for your help folks!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), December 28, 2001.

Male end down; that's better for drawing, and better to have your creosote run down into the pipe than down the outside.

Is your pipe as close to vertical as possible? It should be.

Added height should improve draft, all else being equal.

-- joj (jump@off.c), December 30, 2001.

think i was tired last night; male end down better for most stuff, but not for drawing better.

Are you sure you're using good, dry wood?

-- joj (jump@off.c), December 30, 2001.

If the flue is higher than the previous I assume the extra bit is sticking up above the roof? All the flue above the roof is getting cooled by the outside air and I can imagine that if it is a single flue pipe and really high it will be so cold it will chill the rising 'warm' smoke to the point where it does not want to rise anymore. Cold flue gases are bad news and even in our temperate climate it is customary to double wall the flue above the roof level.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), December 31, 2001.

Well I think you hit the nail on the head there, John! It is just a few inches (maybe 5") above the peak line. It seems that I have found the spot to put the damper in so that it heats and doesn't smoke like it was. I'm using very dry wood, so I have started just making a big ole' pile of paper and chips so it roars at the start, and that seems to help.

Thanks a bunch for all of your help. I didn't get up there this weekend, bu when we have a warmish day I will get up there and turn all the pipe around so the male end is down.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), December 31, 2001.

Doreen, I assumed you had a "legal" installation; that is to say, metalbestos or equivalent from your ceiling to the top of the flue. John Hill is correct; don't ever use single wall outside the house. It cools off too much. Don't use it in the attic, either. Cools off too much, and is a fire hazard.

-- joj (jump@off.c), January 01, 2002.

Joe, it is double walled in the chimney (attic area), and it had a stupid attempt at double walling above. The guy thought I should ram another pipe if the same dimension inside the flue pipe. That would have been fine, but it wouldn't ram in far enough and the flue is already too high. I have a friend supposedly coming to help me today, so hopefully I can rectify all of this stuff. Thanks for all of your help folks!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), January 02, 2002.

You're welcome, Doreen.

Careful about stuffing pipes into other pipes! Jerry rigging flues is like legalizing suicide!

-- joj (jump@off.c), January 04, 2002.

We'll I have it all nicely installed now-Yipppeeeee!!! The only "eeh" thing is that the fluted end of the bottom pipe would NOT go into the hole on the top of the box stove no matter what I did, so I had to cut a small collar from another length of pipe and have that female pipe on the bottom. It seems to be working much better and I have no smoking at all in the house now. This pipe is much thicker than the store bought joints of galvanized I have had previously, hopefully it will last longer. Also of interest is that when I open the door to add wood and it is hot, it makes a sound almost like trickling when the cooler room air is sucked into the stack. I don't remember that from any other stoves I have used. I'll check creosote after a few weeks of operation.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), January 04, 2002.

Did you say, "GALVANIZED"? Oh, no! Don't use galvainized. It gives off bad, bad stuff, when it's heated.

learned about that in welding class. When I was young...

-- joj (jump@off.c), January 04, 2002.