FINALLY. SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN. There are so many bad fire starting videos for wood stove beginners. This is the first time I've found any information about the downdraft and how to beat it. Thank you for making this video informative and with great humility!! Really appreciate you!!
Thank you for this excellent and well presented instructive video. I would like to add some attention to the height of your exhaust chimney as this too is important. I am 78years old and have warmed with wood all of my life. I would suggest that your chimney be at least two and a half feet higher than the highest point of your roof. The air flow across your roof causes turbulence that results in back pressure gusts that are troublesome. Also the cold ambient chimney temperature will help draw the warmer (heat rises) air from an even slightly warmer interior house temp. 😊
Excellent presentation and thank you for your advice. I have the same issue with the down draft in the basement. I will start my wood burning stove tomorrow morning and will follow your instruction. I will buy a hand torch too - I liked this idea. Thank you for your time.
I just wanted to say thank you for making this video. I haven’t figured out how to get the downdraft situation under control but you just helped me a great deal. Thanks again
This is exactly what I was dealing with in a new stove installed in my basement. The setup is exactly the same. This video was super helpful and reaffirms what I needed to do.....works perfectly now. Much appreciated guys. Cheers from Alberta!
Great video! We have a new regency wood stove that we got installed in our basement a year ago and have been having this same issue. I tried your method out this morning and it seemed to do the trick! This is definitely the best video out there on this issue and appreciate you sharing it! Also I saw your other video about your stove over firing. I have been having that same issue with my regency as well. Its funny because we have a 2017 regency upstairs and never have that issue. Might have to look at getting a flue damper added like you did
Love your channel! For the past 2 years I have been using the top down burn method. No paper needed just heavy fuel on the bottom building log cabin style to the top with the smallest kindling and then starting. I have a nice long burn in the optimum burn zone.
Hey Bruce, thanks so much for this video. Similar to your story, I just recently smoked out our house. Luckily, we have a window right next to our wood stove, so next time I will spend the time needed to equalize the house. Thanks for the tips! This video was so helpful.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Glad the tips helped out. Every stove install is a bit unique and it definitely takes some time and practice to get the most out of your stove. As far as over firing, wood selection and dryness, wind, draft strength, and outside temperature can all play a roll. Generally when I add a large load of wood to a bed of hot coals I try to place tightly against the next with little air space and I lower the primary air control sooner so the fire grows slowly. As the temperature climbs and more combustion gases are produced that’s when I will close the air supply right down before things get out of control. And yes, even though the manufacturer say that pipe dampers aren’t necessary, they can really help control the burn, especially if it’s quite windy outside. Good luck with the new stove and happy burning.
Thank you very much. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. If you would like to support the channel, please consider subscribing. Merry Christmas.
Not wanting to bore everyone, I’ll skip the details and just say that the (partial) solution to our maddening, longterm backdraft problems has been the installation of a Vacu-Stack chimney cap… and cracking a window on the windward side of the house. (North wind = open window on the North side. West wind = open window on the West side. Overpressure the house and drive the smoke up the stack.)
I've thought putting a Y section in the stove stack just above the woodstove where I can manually hold a fan to try to quickly reverse the downdraft. The part of the Y that is "open" would be coming off the stack at 45deg with the opening at the bottom and have a removable endcap so it's normally sealed shut. I'm pretty sure it would work, just not sure how safe it would be so I haven't. I live offgrid in a 400 sq ft cabin and there are no fans sucking air out to create a negative pressure in the house. House is small enough that when I open the door to get wood it should equalize quickly. I've been doing the preheating trick with a MAP gas torch, which works if you do it long enough and was happy to see your video with you doing the same. At least I'm on the right track. This should be simpler so I'm always racking my brain for a better solution. Thanks for the good video and ideas.
@@steveanimatrix3887 Thanks for commenting. Since you have no fans competing with the draft I wonder if your chimney height is the issue, or nearby trees interfering with air currents. As for the “Y”, the fellow that I cut wood with has a “T” on the inside pipe so that he can clean his chimney straight up from the inside without all the ash dropping onto the baffling plate inside the stove. He’s never had an issue other than a “whistle” from the cap on the bottom of the T when it’s really windy outside and the chimney is drafting harder. Have you ever considered an outside air kit feeding fresh air directly into the stove?
@@buildingthebruce Thank you so much for taking the time and responding. There is a 30 foot setback for trees, but I do have 2 90deg bends and a fairly tall stack to get over the roof, which is a 45deg roof - so a high peak. I'd estimate about 35-40ft total (from stove to top of chimney). Where the pipe comes out of the exterior wall it meets some sort of kit. There's a pipe that has a hole at the bottom that is below where the pipe coming out of the wall meets the external section. I didn't install it and don't know all of the terminology. Oh, I just googled outdoor air kit and yes, that's what we have. Good to know about the T not being an issue. I hope my Y idea made some sense. The reason for the Y as opposed to a T is if I took a fan and blew it into a T the draft would go both up the chimney and also down into the stove blowing ashes all over. With the Y it would be angled up so it only goes up the chimney. At least theoretically :)
Thank you so much for this video Sir!! I've learned how to do alot of things in life and proper ways to make fires outside all day long when it comes to a fireplace i had an insert one along time ago and never did fight this down draft effect but i just bought a new house and it has a fire box just like yours and i had this thing burning and doing what its supposed to do for a week around -10 the whole time and it warmed up to where i dont need a fire during the day and the last two nites smoke in the house like crazy so i cleaned everything the pipes in the box and it still did it again tonite i wad so mad and found your video thinking i was like the last one and wouldnt help but my hats off to you my friend You taught me something new! Fire is going great now! Gonna see if you have other videos later!
I’m glad that you are having a better experience with your stove. Wood heat is amazing, it just takes a bit of time to figure out the tips and tricks. Consider supporting the channel by subscribing and I’m sure there’s some other videos you might enjoy. Cheers
Thank you. Best detailed instruction I've seen. I was almost going to give up on the new stove installed in November. My room kept filling with smoke, even using all the tricks I kept seeing and last week all the smoke detectors were going off,......upstairs!! And the stink gets into the curtains and furniture, etc....terrible. Indeed you end up with all the windows open afterwards anyway. LOL Looking forward to trying it again maybe in a week. A wood stove sure isn't a drive through event. ha
Glad I could help. Your situation sounds very similar to mine before we figured out the house was in a negative pressure situation. We called it “the smoke show”, but it wasn’t very entertaining 😵💫. Hasn’t happened since we started using the tricks in the video. You have to be patient, patient, patient. If you can feel the cold air coming from the stove you will have a room full of smoke. Sometimes it takes a few minutes with the window open, sometimes it’s takes 20 but eventually the stove starts drafting and away we go. Fresh air is good for a home and within 1/2 hour once the stove is burning the room heats right back up. I’ve been leaving a window open 1/4” in the basement this whole winter and I think that helps as well as a make up air source. And it helps to keep the room more comfortable when the stove is running. 80° and a comfy couch are a sure bet for falling asleep. 🔥😴. Thanks for supporting the channel. Good luck.
@@buildingthebruce You are the only one that says check for the draft. I opened the door this morning and felt it blowing down and now know what to do. And fresh air is very important that most people don't understand. I usually keep my place at 15 or 16 unless company comes over, and when I first used the stove in the fall without problems, that was where my afternoon nap took place. Something to look forward to again. Cheers.
Very good video and it does make sense about the pressure in the house. I learned to open the door for a few minutes and then I don't have a smoked up house. Thank you sir
Glad you enjoyed the video. Lots of other good suggestions in the comments as well. Please consider subscribing to the channel for future videos that you may find interesting.
Great information. The "setup" of your home is difficult for wood stoves for some reason. Most people, knowing nothing about any of this, never have a problem if their chimney is inside the house and not on an outside wall. Outside air (a long tube from outside or even from a dog door) is always a good solution, even if the outside air is not perfectly connected or "screwed" to the stove, but just sits a few inches in front of where the stove takes its air. If a house is very new and "sealed up" the stove should start to get most of its air from the outside air line you give it, if it gets close enough. You can use PVC with the last 10 inches being metal and lay the tube as close to where the stove takes its air as you can.
Hi there. Thanks for taking the time to comment. That’s a lot of good information and hopefully some of the others in the community find some helpful tips and tricks from your experiences. I like the idea of positioning the wood to channel the heat upwards like a rocket stove. Consider subscribing to follow along.
Thank funk for my 34 foot chimney. It drafts like a turbo. Even in the middle of summer lol. I wouldn't wish a chimney set up like this on anyone. Good video.
Good video. I just put the propane torch below the pipe opening and aim it up in the stove. I noticed closing the pipe dampener restricts the down draft flow down but allows hot air to rise up.
Thanks for posting the video, I had bad down draft with my new stove. I ended up purchasing a tjerlund chimney fan which helped plenty. It was a little expensive but for me was worth it
What a great informative video. Thanks for going to the effort to help us learn. By the way, I have the same woodstove. It’s cooking right now. (Luckily, no pipe bends, but I did find out the hard way lighting the stove with the bath fan on is not the way to go. lol, thx again 😊
Just added a wood stove, first fire was excellent and no smoke at all. Probably because I was running in and out getting pipe to finish the stove so guess air inside house was fine. After second and 3rd fire I came across your video because smoke has been coming in from stove! pipes everywhere!! Thank you! Now I know what I need once I start my 4th fire! Will let you know if I succeed!!
Good luck with the new stove. There’s definitely a learning curve with every stove and each install is unique. Outside temperatures, wind, barometric pressures can all influence the draft as well as inside air pressures, as I pointed out. Equalize the pressure and get a hot fast fire going and you should be on the right track.
If you have turned off your bathroom fans and kitchen exhaust fans, but still experiencing that much stack effect in your house drawing a vacuum then you should investigate the upper level of the house for possible air LEAKS where the warm air in the house is escaping (which turns your house into its own chimney, drawing air down the chimneys and in every crack). Another tip: Close the stove door, walk over and open the window, then return to the stove to open the door get the torch going on it. Leaving the stove door open before you light the stove allows the downdraft momentum to get going. By closing the door for a moment before you light it, you arrest the downdraft momentum and don't have to fight to get it going the other way. This way you don't need to leave the window wide open for 20 minutes before starting.
That’s pretty interesting reading. For sure the house is drafty. It was built in 1968, 2x4 construction with tar paper for vapour barrier behind the bricks. I don’t think air sealing was given much thought back then. Given the chimney height, location on an outside wall, stove location, and flu geometry, frankly I’m not surprised that this happens and I think it’s quite common given all those factors. Surprisingly, on days when I would think I’m going to have a downdraft issue I go into the basement to start a fire and it’s not an issue at all. So it’s really difficult to pinpoint. Possibly weather, low barometric pressure could also influence this. I do appreciate the advice on opening the window and closing the wood stove door. I’m going to try that out. My Grandfather always said “you can’t heat stale air, leave the window open”. I wonder if they ever had a downdraft in their old farmhouse? Thanks for sharing.
Nice to see someone bring up stack effect. It’s often part of the problem, but very rarely mentioned as much as I thought it would be. There’s a big disconnect between the wood-burning community and the fundamental understanding of building science.
Nice job illustrating a fix to a common issue that basement woodstove burners have ! ever try the top down fire? with all the paper and kindling on top with logs on bottom? that seemed to work for me the best, to get hot flames close to flue and get it pulling.
I have definitely used the top down method. Usually when I’m trying to get out the door in the morning and don’t have extra time to add wood at intervals. It’s nice that all the bigger wood is already in the stove right from the start. I’m thinking about putting a video together comparing top down and bottom up using time and temperature to see how they compare. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for makiking this very informative and helpful very well done video , please keep up the good videos , don't listen to the trolls. I'm also on the bruce, take care God Bless
Hello. I close the air control gradually. Sometimes I will make adjustments both ways until I get the proper burn. I use the stove pipe thermometer to guide my decision making. Generally, when I leave the stove overnight I have the air control 7/8 of the way closed. That gives me 6-8 hours of usable heat, enough coals for an easy relight in the morning and clear glass so I know I had a clean burning fire. Hope this helps you out.
Spot on, that’s exactly what we do when we have a downdraft; crack the window next to the wood stove a few inches until it gets going. Great explanation and video.
is it true , the longer fluepipe will have a better draught , also smoke does not want to travel along horizontal pipes , 45 degrees minimum for good draught
I have a similar wood stove in my garage and have had the same problem on really cold days. Start a small fire and the whole garage fills with smoke. I will have to try this. Thanks.
We run 2 wood stoves also. Our house was built in the 1940s. We ended up putting ducting above the main wood stove that pushed air to the bedrooms. Fixed the problem! When it comes to down drafting here, we’ve always opened the door or a window when we’ve noticed it happening before we light the 2nd stove. We have a straight chimney stack & both stoves are on the same floor, separate ends of the house. I wish there was a less cold way to solve the issue! I’ve noticed that it is worse if the room it’s in is way colder than the rest of the house. Frustrating!
I have the same set up as you have house stove etc! I open a window about 1" & leave it open all day while running my woodstove downstairs! I don't use my woodinsert upstairs anymore! Heat comes up the stairs heats the whole home!
Great video. Just to add, if you opened both windows, you will equal the air pressure far more quickly through continuous airflow. I think it's called the Bernoulli effect
Can’t argue with experience. Next year we’re moving to off grid lifestyle all one level with 2 wood fireplaces, wood cook stove, possibly even a waste oil fireplace included. I thought of using a fresh air supply with a duct fan to help with efficiency in each unit. I have fears and will be ready to learn fast if need be. Do you think it’ll be all positive experiences?
I don’t have any experience with a ducted air intake. That sounds like it would be trial and error. One thing I can say, after having both a free standing wood stove and a fireplace insert is that the wood stove can produce and circulate warm air without any electricity using an Ecofan but the insert needs electricity to run the fans to get the heat out of the unit. The other advice I would give is make sure you have plenty of dry wood. I’m on the 3 year plan. Never burning anything that’s not seasoned for 3 years and always have 3 years supply of wood put up drying.
You have obviously done a lot of research toward finding a solution for your heating issues. But I was surprised that you have not found what, for many, is the best solution. Issue number one is getting the heat to the back rooms. You have a basement. Put a 6" dryer vent pipe between the back room and the room with your stove. Under the floor with register covers. The stove heat will act as an engine, pulling the cold air from the back rooms and replacing it with warmed air. Issue number two is the downdrafting. Install an outside air feed to the stove intake port. I live in northern Maine. We almost always have to open a window to reduce the heat we get from a small Aspen C3 stove!
Hello and thanks for commenting. I have a completely finished drywall basement so the dryer vent idea is out, but it does sound like a good idea to move heat. And yes we have some nice cast iron grates in the floor already, complete with a small fan on a thermal switch that adds a massive amount of heat to the upstairs. Getting heat from the basement up to the fist floor isn’t too hard for us but poor insulation in a house built in 1968 with 2”x4” walls and very little vapour barrier blocking the high winds in my area is the challenge. I like to keep the house around 70° and sometimes it just takes a bit more work running both stoves to get there. Today it’s about 2°f outside and 73 inside the house running 1 stove easily heating the house because there’s no wind.
I've seen people vent outside air into the stove through a pipe to neutralize pressure in the stove until updraft has been achieved, then outside source reduced or cutoff.....thoughts?
I’ve had a lot of comments recommending that I install an OAK - outside air kit. It’s something that I am considering. Because the stove is in a finished basement it’s a bit difficult to hide a 3” pipe coming down a wall somewhere, but I may try to hooks something up as an experiment and see if there’s any improvement to the downdraft situation and the stoves performance. I will definitely be making a video with those results.
An air intake directed at the pipe will solve the issue, you are correct about the air pressure needing to equalize, but a stream of cold air from an open window doesn't improve the heat situation. Outside air that is heated immediately by the hot surface of the stove pipe as it enters the house will equalize the air pressure, and make the stove efficient. It's good that you pointed out the need for a source of external air though.
Same wood stove, same situation (basement with 2 90 degree elbows) , similar area(southern ontario)same exact problem(only when wood stove goes cold (1 or 2 times a year when weather warms up and you let stove go out for a good day).heating two houses exclusively with wood stoves for 20 year now...(good to know about equalizing pressure by opening a window)thx bud
Great video! I've never really thought about opening a window so thank you for the clever idea. Question: Does your stove have dedicated air intake (from a direct vent from outside)? Mine does have one (it needs it as it's a catalytic unit) and I don't have the same issues in down draft. I have two 90 bends but it is a tall chimney (6" ID pipe). I do the same as you with the torch and that is enough to establish my draft. But I've been lucky and haven't run into a cold plug from a low overnight burn, etc. But that was a really great suggestion if I can't get anything else to work - open a window! Much appreciated friend!
@@kennethjohnson347 No, not at all. It’s only if I haven’t been burning for a few days, week, and then the chimney has a chance to cool right down. And it usually only happens once or twice a burning season.
The main problem is that your basement is still relatively warm.. So the cold air outside wants to sink down into the basement and push all your basement heat up into the top of the house. Some tips I would give: Take a little time with a hatchet and cut down your wood into even smaller strips.. or even go outside and pick up a bunch of twigs.. I usually keep an only trash can full of twigs near the fire; that will help your fire start a lot easier. Secondly, instead of using so much paper.. You need to be saving your cardboard. Cardboard burns nice and hot.. I start all my fire with a simple lighter.. the paper lights the cardboard/ the cardboard lights the little twigs/ the twigs light the smaller strips of wood.. which eventually lights the logs.. Third: What I do is build a little channel and stack logs on top and only light the twigs and cardboard inside the channel.... For example, sometimes I'll have 2x6's or 2x8's to burn.. First thing I do is is lean them against each other long ways.. and it forms a triable tunnel underneath.. Then on each side I stack all the big logs I can get in there... Then I put down a cardboard in the bottom and stack the twigs and smaller strips of wood inside that little triable tunnel.. and it basically creates a little rocket stove inside the main stove. That will create it's own little draft and keep the fire going by itself.. You can have the damper closed all this time-- holding that cold air from coming in.. and the little fire will be feeding itself, with it's own draft inside the box.. and the box will be filling with smoke... But it's also building a lot of heat right away. Because cardboard burns hot and so do small twigs... and that will almost immediately light the two 2x6's that are making the tunnel.. since they are catching all the heat............ But pretty soon, if not right away... You can go ahead and open the damper and the whole box should have built up enough heat to push out that air.. At least it works for me, but my stove isn't in a basement.. So that could be a little different. But see... I build my fire up big from the beginning... I'll have a few pieces of paper in there too, with some cardboard... I light it once with a lighter and shut the door right away.. Again, it just acts like a little rocket stove and has a runaway burn right away. If you leave the damper closed too long, it will leak into the room.... but if you open it too soon, that cold air can backdraft like you said.. So you have to just time it right, depending on how good the fire is lighting.. or making heat, to be more preceise.
I have that issue in the basement and I made my own alcohol burner for it. The alcohol burns hot and clean and will heat the pipe fairly quick and then I start building the fire with wood behind the alcohol burner and gradually replace the burner with a bigger wood fire. It works perfectly.
It’s 12”. I’ll run it on all speeds depending on how hot the fire is. Usually it’s on speed 1. I’m a big believer of fans. Really helps to move the warm air around. Plus you get radiant and convection heat from the same amount of wood. Thanks for watching.
Sounds like you definitely have a draft issue...and window may help..but if the flue is clean and the pipe long enough that 62F air should want to naturally flow up the chimney. That 90degree bend works against you (get a 45 if it will work) but I suspect you outside stack should be higher. Also screens on caps get clogged. Do you have an radon gas removal system in the basement--its job is to create a negative pressure there. If so opening a window is probably your only option.
Lighting basement stoves tends to be problematic. That looks labor intensive. Every stove/installation has different drawing/burning characteristics. Your mileage may vary. I have direct access to the inside of the stovepipe and stick a heat gun in there and let it run until it draws - about 30 seconds for my installation. I set the fire in the mean time and light it when the chimney is ready. Starting room temperature is often 40°F. My stove tends to be difficult to light so I cheat by bringing hot coals from my other stove in a small covered metal bucket. Beware if you have pets or little kids around. Birch bark also makes for great fire starting material.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. That’s a great idea about moving the coals. My upstairs stove runs 24/7 so I have an ample supply. This winter has been so mild I’ve only run the basement stove about once per week, usually on the weekends when the whole family is home. I would say I had a downdraft about 25% of the time but never had a smoke out. Opening the window makes a big difference for me and a bit of heat with the torch gets the draft heading in the right direction. Next time I’ll give the coal idea a try. Lots of good ideas have been brought up in the comments.
Thanks for watching. I’m afraid that a heat gun will not work on a double wall pipe and unless you get the cold air to stop flowing into the house no amount of heat will reverse that. The air movement needs to be neutral or balanced before a draft will happen. It’s a losing battle that ends in a smoked out house, and then you open up all the windows anyway to get the smoke and smell out.
I just roll up a peice of news paper lite it and stick the news paper up in the stack to get the draft going. If it's in the teens or lower.I run a hair dryer up and down the chimmey pipe to warm it up. Not telling anyone what to do. Just saying what works for my woodstove.
@@buildingthebruce One day it just started blowing smoke and flame into the room when the door was opened more than about 1/4 inch. The installer has looked at it, and is totally baffled. Still waiting to hear back from Regency (through the dealer, of course).
Thanks for watching and commenting. That’s a great idea. It’s been so mild this winter that I’ve barely run my basement stove but I will give this a try when the time comes. Please consider subscribing to the channel for future videos that you may find interesting.
Yes, you are correct. Cooktop exhaust fan, 2 bathroom exhaust fans, clothes dryer and that extra stove all contribute to the negative pressure. I believe all new homes are built with a make up air exchanger to help combat this exact issue.
Well, like I said it only happens a few times a season and since I’ve figured out the window trick I don’t have smoke in the house. The chimney is in perfect condition, no spalling of the brick and has a poured in place cap, which no one does anymore. I don’t really want to tear that up or have 16” of stainless sticking up out of it as an extension. And honestly, it may improve the draft but it would not eliminate the negative air pressure or the fact that the chimney is on an outside wall. I’ll live with 10-15 minutes of inconvenience and fresh ( cold) air a couple of times a year. But thanks for your thoughts, there’s definitely a few ways to skin a cat.
@richvanorden7026 Absolutely not. A barometric damper Absolutely does not belong on a woodstove. It will add dilution air to the exhaust cooling it and causing creosote buildup. It also wouldn't help this issue at all. All they do is limit maximum draft
Look I'll be very honest, hate to hurt feelings, but you don't have to go through a quarter of this BS... At first I thought this was some sort of a joke
It’s not a joke to people who heat their homes with wood. Take some time to read the comments. I think you need to take a walk in a forest and relax a bit. Life’s too short to spend your day trolling videos.
FINALLY. SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN. There are so many bad fire starting videos for wood stove beginners. This is the first time I've found any information about the downdraft and how to beat it. Thank you for making this video informative and with great humility!! Really appreciate you!!
Thanks for commenting. Glad to help out.
Literally eh
Thank you for this excellent and well presented instructive video. I would like to add some attention to the height of your exhaust chimney as this too is important. I am 78years old and have warmed with wood all of my life. I would suggest that your chimney be at least two and a half feet higher than the highest point of your roof. The air flow across your roof causes turbulence that results in back pressure gusts that are troublesome. Also the cold ambient chimney temperature will help draw the warmer (heat rises) air from an even slightly warmer interior house temp. 😊
Excellent presentation and thank you for your advice. I have the same issue with the down draft in the basement. I will start my wood burning stove tomorrow morning and will follow your instruction. I will buy a hand torch too - I liked this idea. Thank you for your time.
I just wanted to say thank you for making this video. I haven’t figured out how to get the downdraft situation under control but you just helped me a great deal.
Thanks again
Well done sir! Most people appreciate practical videos like this one.
Thanks! Always nice to hear the videos are appreciated.
This is exactly what I was dealing with in a new stove installed in my basement. The setup is exactly the same. This video was super helpful and reaffirms what I needed to do.....works perfectly now. Much appreciated guys. Cheers from Alberta!
Thank you so much for teaching me about this. I had a horrible experience with my first time using my small stove.
Great video! We have a new regency wood stove that we got installed in our basement a year ago and have been having this same issue. I tried your method out this morning and it seemed to do the trick! This is definitely the best video out there on this issue and appreciate you sharing it!
Also I saw your other video about your stove over firing. I have been having that same issue with my regency as well. Its funny because we have a 2017 regency upstairs and never have that issue. Might have to look at getting a flue damper added like you did
Love your channel! For the past 2 years I have been using the top down burn method. No paper needed just heavy fuel on the bottom building log cabin style to the top with the smallest kindling and then starting. I have a nice long burn in the optimum burn zone.
This video is ace. Thanks. I got a wood burner in my garden office and am fed up with getting smokes out! Thanks for taking the time to make it.
Glad you enjoyed it and hope it helps you out. Please consider subscribing to help support the channel and my video making journey. Cheers.
Hey Bruce, thanks so much for this video. Similar to your story, I just recently smoked out our house. Luckily, we have a window right next to our wood stove, so next time I will spend the time needed to equalize the house. Thanks for the tips! This video was so helpful.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Glad the tips helped out. Every stove install is a bit unique and it definitely takes some time and practice to get the most out of your stove. As far as over firing, wood selection and dryness, wind, draft strength, and outside temperature can all play a roll. Generally when I add a large load of wood to a bed of hot coals I try to place tightly against the next with little air space and I lower the primary air control sooner so the fire grows slowly. As the temperature climbs and more combustion gases are produced that’s when I will close the air supply right down before things get out of control. And yes, even though the manufacturer say that pipe dampers aren’t necessary, they can really help control the burn, especially if it’s quite windy outside.
Good luck with the new stove and happy burning.
I truly appreciate your advice- I just got a insert and not sure how to use it-This is a huge help- God Bless you and yours and Merry Christmas
Thank you very much. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. If you would like to support the channel, please consider subscribing.
Merry Christmas.
Great video, I learned some tips from it. Thanks so much taken the time to make the video.
Thanks. I’m glad you found it helpful. Please consider subscribing to the channel for future videos that may also interest you.
Not wanting to bore everyone, I’ll skip the details and just say that the (partial) solution to our maddening, longterm backdraft problems has been the installation of a Vacu-Stack chimney cap… and cracking a window on the windward side of the house. (North wind = open window on the North side. West wind = open window on the West side. Overpressure the house and drive the smoke up the stack.)
I've thought putting a Y section in the stove stack just above the woodstove where I can manually hold a fan to try to quickly reverse the downdraft. The part of the Y that is "open" would be coming off the stack at 45deg with the opening at the bottom and have a removable endcap so it's normally sealed shut. I'm pretty sure it would work, just not sure how safe it would be so I haven't. I live offgrid in a 400 sq ft cabin and there are no fans sucking air out to create a negative pressure in the house. House is small enough that when I open the door to get wood it should equalize quickly. I've been doing the preheating trick with a MAP gas torch, which works if you do it long enough and was happy to see your video with you doing the same. At least I'm on the right track. This should be simpler so I'm always racking my brain for a better solution. Thanks for the good video and ideas.
@@steveanimatrix3887 Thanks for commenting. Since you have no fans competing with the draft I wonder if your chimney height is the issue, or nearby trees interfering with air currents. As for the “Y”, the fellow that I cut wood with has a “T” on the inside pipe so that he can clean his chimney straight up from the inside without all the ash dropping onto the baffling plate inside the stove. He’s never had an issue other than a “whistle” from the cap on the bottom of the T when it’s really windy outside and the chimney is drafting harder. Have you ever considered an outside air kit feeding fresh air directly into the stove?
@@buildingthebruce Thank you so much for taking the time and responding. There is a 30 foot setback for trees, but I do have 2 90deg bends and a fairly tall stack to get over the roof, which is a 45deg roof - so a high peak. I'd estimate about 35-40ft total (from stove to top of chimney). Where the pipe comes out of the exterior wall it meets some sort of kit. There's a pipe that has a hole at the bottom that is below where the pipe coming out of the wall meets the external section. I didn't install it and don't know all of the terminology. Oh, I just googled outdoor air kit and yes, that's what we have. Good to know about the T not being an issue. I hope my Y idea made some sense. The reason for the Y as opposed to a T is if I took a fan and blew it into a T the draft would go both up the chimney and also down into the stove blowing ashes all over. With the Y it would be angled up so it only goes up the chimney. At least theoretically :)
Thank you so much for this video Sir!! I've learned how to do alot of things in life and proper ways to make fires outside all day long when it comes to a fireplace i had an insert one along time ago and never did fight this down draft effect but i just bought a new house and it has a fire box just like yours and i had this thing burning and doing what its supposed to do for a week around -10 the whole time and it warmed up to where i dont need a fire during the day and the last two nites smoke in the house like crazy so i cleaned everything the pipes in the box and it still did it again tonite i wad so mad and found your video thinking i was like the last one and wouldnt help but my hats off to you my friend You taught me something new! Fire is going great now! Gonna see if you have other videos later!
I’m glad that you are having a better experience with your stove. Wood heat is amazing, it just takes a bit of time to figure out the tips and tricks. Consider supporting the channel by subscribing and I’m sure there’s some other videos you might enjoy.
Cheers
Very informative video. Thank you.
Thank you. Best detailed instruction I've seen. I was almost going to give up on the new stove installed in November. My room kept filling with smoke, even using all the tricks I kept seeing and last week all the smoke detectors were going off,......upstairs!! And the stink gets into the curtains and furniture, etc....terrible. Indeed you end up with all the windows open afterwards anyway. LOL Looking forward to trying it again maybe in a week. A wood stove sure isn't a drive through event. ha
Glad I could help. Your situation sounds very similar to mine before we figured out the house was in a negative pressure situation. We called it “the smoke show”, but it wasn’t very entertaining 😵💫. Hasn’t happened since we started using the tricks in the video. You have to be patient, patient, patient. If you can feel the cold air coming from the stove you will have a room full of smoke. Sometimes it takes a few minutes with the window open, sometimes it’s takes 20 but eventually the stove starts drafting and away we go. Fresh air is good for a home and within 1/2 hour once the stove is burning the room heats right back up. I’ve been leaving a window open 1/4” in the basement this whole winter and I think that helps as well as a make up air source. And it helps to keep the room more comfortable when the stove is running. 80° and a comfy couch are a sure bet for falling asleep. 🔥😴.
Thanks for supporting the channel. Good luck.
@@buildingthebruce You are the only one that says check for the draft. I opened the door this morning and felt it blowing down and now know what to do. And fresh air is very important that most people don't understand. I usually keep my place at 15 or 16 unless company comes over, and when I first used the stove in the fall without problems, that was where my afternoon nap took place. Something to look forward to again. Cheers.
Thank you for sharing!
Very good video and it does make sense about the pressure in the house. I learned to open the door for a few minutes and then I don't have a smoked up house. Thank you sir
Glad you enjoyed the video. Lots of other good suggestions in the comments as well. Please consider subscribing to the channel for future videos that you may find interesting.
Great information. The "setup" of your home is difficult for wood stoves for some reason. Most people, knowing nothing about any of this, never have a problem if their chimney is inside the house and not on an outside wall. Outside air (a long tube from outside or even from a dog door) is always a good solution, even if the outside air is not perfectly connected or "screwed" to the stove, but just sits a few inches in front of where the stove takes its air. If a house is very new and "sealed up" the stove should start to get most of its air from the outside air line you give it, if it gets close enough. You can use PVC with the last 10 inches being metal and lay the tube as close to where the stove takes its air as you can.
Hi there.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. That’s a lot of good information and hopefully some of the others in the community find some helpful tips and tricks from your experiences. I like the idea of positioning the wood to channel the heat upwards like a rocket stove. Consider subscribing to follow along.
Thank funk for my 34 foot chimney. It drafts like a turbo. Even in the middle of summer lol. I wouldn't wish a chimney set up like this on anyone. Good video.
Good video. I just put the propane torch below the pipe opening and aim it up in the stove. I noticed closing the pipe dampener restricts the down draft flow down but allows hot air to rise up.
Thank you for that great video!!! I learned alot !!!
Thanks for posting the video, I had bad down draft with my new stove. I ended up purchasing a tjerlund chimney fan which helped plenty. It was a little expensive but for me was worth it
Thank you! 💯👍
Merry Christmas & happy holidays! 🙏✌️
Glad you enjoyed the video. Please consider supporting our efforts by subscribing and have a great Christmas holiday as well.
What a great informative video. Thanks for going to the effort to help us learn. By the way, I have the same woodstove. It’s cooking right now. (Luckily, no pipe bends, but I did find out the hard way lighting the stove with the bath fan on is not the way to go. lol,
thx again 😊
Nice,all body mast to know this information. Hi from Sacramento, I hope I'm with me wife and 2kids ,escape soon from this hell. God bless you.
Just added a wood stove, first fire was excellent and no smoke at all. Probably because I was running in and out getting pipe to finish the stove so guess air inside house was fine. After second and 3rd fire I came across your video because smoke has been coming in from stove! pipes everywhere!!
Thank you! Now I know what I need once I start my 4th fire! Will let you know if I succeed!!
Good luck with the new stove. There’s definitely a learning curve with every stove and each install is unique. Outside temperatures, wind, barometric pressures can all influence the draft as well as inside air pressures, as I pointed out. Equalize the pressure and get a hot fast fire going and you should be on the right track.
If you have turned off your bathroom fans and kitchen exhaust fans, but still experiencing that much stack effect in your house drawing a vacuum then you should investigate the upper level of the house for possible air LEAKS where the warm air in the house is escaping (which turns your house into its own chimney, drawing air down the chimneys and in every crack).
Another tip:
Close the stove door, walk over and open the window, then return to the stove to open the door get the torch going on it. Leaving the stove door open before you light the stove allows the downdraft momentum to get going. By closing the door for a moment before you light it, you arrest the downdraft momentum and don't have to fight to get it going the other way. This way you don't need to leave the window wide open for 20 minutes before starting.
That’s pretty interesting reading. For sure the house is drafty. It was built in 1968, 2x4 construction with tar paper for vapour barrier behind the bricks. I don’t think air sealing was given much thought back then. Given the chimney height, location on an outside wall, stove location, and flu geometry, frankly I’m not surprised that this happens and I think it’s quite common given all those factors. Surprisingly, on days when I would think I’m going to have a downdraft issue I go into the basement to start a fire and it’s not an issue at all. So it’s really difficult to pinpoint. Possibly weather, low barometric pressure could also influence this. I do appreciate the advice on opening the window and closing the wood stove door. I’m going to try that out.
My Grandfather always said “you can’t heat stale air, leave the window open”. I wonder if they ever had a downdraft in their old farmhouse? Thanks for sharing.
Nice to see someone bring up stack effect. It’s often part of the problem, but very rarely mentioned as much as I thought it would be. There’s a big disconnect between the wood-burning community and the fundamental understanding of building science.
Nice job illustrating a fix to a common issue that basement woodstove burners have ! ever try the top down fire? with all the paper and kindling on top with logs on bottom? that seemed to work for me the best, to get hot flames close to flue and get it pulling.
I have definitely used the top down method. Usually when I’m trying to get out the door in the morning and don’t have extra time to add wood at intervals. It’s nice that all the bigger wood is already in the stove right from the start. I’m thinking about putting a video together comparing top down and bottom up using time and temperature to see how they compare. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for makiking this very informative and helpful very well done video , please keep up the good videos , don't listen to the trolls. I'm also on the bruce, take care God Bless
Awesome. Glad you liked it. Where about are you on the Bruce? Can’t wait until spring when I can get back up and get some more trees down.
Would adding pipe to the fresh air intake also alleviate this?
Thank you for this! Will give it a try. Quick question when do you start closing the air control? And do you do it gradually or all at once?
Hello. I close the air control gradually. Sometimes I will make adjustments both ways until I get the proper burn. I use the stove pipe thermometer to guide my decision making. Generally, when I leave the stove overnight I have the air control 7/8 of the way closed. That gives me 6-8 hours of usable heat, enough coals for an easy relight in the morning and clear glass so I know I had a clean burning fire. Hope this helps you out.
Spot on, that’s exactly what we do when we have a downdraft; crack the window next to the wood stove a few inches until it gets going. Great explanation and video.
is it true , the longer fluepipe will have a better draught , also smoke does not want to travel along horizontal pipes , 45 degrees minimum for good draught
I have a similar wood stove in my garage and have had the same problem on really cold days. Start a small fire and the whole garage fills with smoke. I will have to try this. Thanks.
We run 2 wood stoves also. Our house was built in the 1940s. We ended up putting ducting above the main wood stove that pushed air to the bedrooms. Fixed the problem!
When it comes to down drafting here, we’ve always opened the door or a window when we’ve noticed it happening before we light the 2nd stove. We have a straight chimney stack & both stoves are on the same floor, separate ends of the house. I wish there was a less cold way to solve the issue! I’ve noticed that it is worse if the room it’s in is way colder than the rest of the house. Frustrating!
I have the same set up as you have house stove etc! I open a window about 1" & leave it open all day while running my woodstove downstairs! I don't use my woodinsert upstairs anymore! Heat comes up the stairs heats the whole home!
just what i needed, thank you sir!
Great video. Just to add, if you opened both windows, you will equal the air pressure far more quickly through continuous airflow. I think it's called the Bernoulli effect
I’ll have to look into that. Thanks for watching.
Can’t argue with experience. Next year we’re moving to off grid lifestyle all one level with 2 wood fireplaces, wood cook stove, possibly even a waste oil fireplace included. I thought of using a fresh air supply with a duct fan to help with efficiency in each unit. I have fears and will be ready to learn fast if need be. Do you think it’ll be all positive experiences?
I don’t have any experience with a ducted air intake. That sounds like it would be trial and error. One thing I can say, after having both a free standing wood stove and a fireplace insert is that the wood stove can produce and circulate warm air without any electricity using an Ecofan but the insert needs electricity to run the fans to get the heat out of the unit. The other advice I would give is make sure you have plenty of dry wood. I’m on the 3 year plan. Never burning anything that’s not seasoned for 3 years and always have 3 years supply of wood put up drying.
Thanks for the info on down draft!
Proper installation is the key, chimney height and sufficient air. Start there before trying any lighting tricks.
You have obviously done a lot of research toward finding a solution for your heating issues. But I was surprised that you have not found what, for many, is the best solution. Issue number one is getting the heat to the back rooms. You have a basement. Put a 6" dryer vent pipe between the back room and the room with your stove. Under the floor with register covers. The stove heat will act as an engine, pulling the cold air from the back rooms and replacing it with warmed air. Issue number two is the downdrafting. Install an outside air feed to the stove intake port. I live in northern Maine. We almost always have to open a window to reduce the heat we get from a small Aspen C3 stove!
Hello and thanks for commenting. I have a completely finished drywall basement so the dryer vent idea is out, but it does sound like a good idea to move heat. And yes we have some nice cast iron grates in the floor already, complete with a small fan on a thermal switch that adds a massive amount of heat to the upstairs. Getting heat from the basement up to the fist floor isn’t too hard for us but poor insulation in a house built in 1968 with 2”x4” walls and very little vapour barrier blocking the high winds in my area is the challenge. I like to keep the house around 70° and sometimes it just takes a bit more work running both stoves to get there. Today it’s about 2°f outside and 73 inside the house running 1 stove easily heating the house because there’s no wind.
I've seen people vent outside air into the stove through a pipe to neutralize pressure in the stove until updraft has been achieved, then outside source reduced or cutoff.....thoughts?
I’ve had a lot of comments recommending that I install an OAK - outside air kit. It’s something that I am considering. Because the stove is in a finished basement it’s a bit difficult to hide a 3” pipe coming down a wall somewhere, but I may try to hooks something up as an experiment and see if there’s any improvement to the downdraft situation and the stoves performance. I will definitely be making a video with those results.
An air intake directed at the pipe will solve the issue, you are correct about the air pressure needing to equalize, but a stream of cold air from an open window doesn't improve the heat situation. Outside air that is heated immediately by the hot surface of the stove pipe as it enters the house will equalize the air pressure, and make the stove efficient. It's good that you pointed out the need for a source of external air though.
Same wood stove, same situation (basement with 2 90 degree elbows) , similar area(southern ontario)same exact problem(only when wood stove goes cold (1 or 2 times a year when weather warms up and you let stove go out for a good day).heating two houses exclusively with wood stoves for 20 year now...(good to know about equalizing pressure by opening a window)thx bud
Glad it can help. Thanks for watching. If you would like to support the channel, please consider subscribing.
Great video! I've never really thought about opening a window so thank you for the clever idea. Question: Does your stove have dedicated air intake (from a direct vent from outside)? Mine does have one (it needs it as it's a catalytic unit) and I don't have the same issues in down draft. I have two 90 bends but it is a tall chimney (6" ID pipe). I do the same as you with the torch and that is enough to establish my draft. But I've been lucky and haven't run into a cold plug from a low overnight burn, etc. But that was a really great suggestion if I can't get anything else to work - open a window! Much appreciated friend!
ty what happenes when the fire cools down during the night when your sleeping does the downward draft come back and smoke the house then?
@@kennethjohnson347
No, not at all. It’s only if I haven’t been burning for a few days, week, and then the chimney has a chance to cool right down. And it usually only happens once or twice a burning season.
The main problem is that your basement is still relatively warm.. So the cold air outside wants to sink down into the basement and push all your basement heat up into the top of the house. Some tips I would give: Take a little time with a hatchet and cut down your wood into even smaller strips.. or even go outside and pick up a bunch of twigs.. I usually keep an only trash can full of twigs near the fire; that will help your fire start a lot easier. Secondly, instead of using so much paper.. You need to be saving your cardboard. Cardboard burns nice and hot.. I start all my fire with a simple lighter.. the paper lights the cardboard/ the cardboard lights the little twigs/ the twigs light the smaller strips of wood.. which eventually lights the logs.. Third: What I do is build a little channel and stack logs on top and only light the twigs and cardboard inside the channel.... For example, sometimes I'll have 2x6's or 2x8's to burn.. First thing I do is is lean them against each other long ways.. and it forms a triable tunnel underneath.. Then on each side I stack all the big logs I can get in there... Then I put down a cardboard in the bottom and stack the twigs and smaller strips of wood inside that little triable tunnel.. and it basically creates a little rocket stove inside the main stove. That will create it's own little draft and keep the fire going by itself.. You can have the damper closed all this time-- holding that cold air from coming in.. and the little fire will be feeding itself, with it's own draft inside the box.. and the box will be filling with smoke... But it's also building a lot of heat right away. Because cardboard burns hot and so do small twigs... and that will almost immediately light the two 2x6's that are making the tunnel.. since they are catching all the heat............ But pretty soon, if not right away... You can go ahead and open the damper and the whole box should have built up enough heat to push out that air.. At least it works for me, but my stove isn't in a basement.. So that could be a little different.
But see... I build my fire up big from the beginning... I'll have a few pieces of paper in there too, with some cardboard... I light it once with a lighter and shut the door right away.. Again, it just acts like a little rocket stove and has a runaway burn right away. If you leave the damper closed too long, it will leak into the room.... but if you open it too soon, that cold air can backdraft like you said.. So you have to just time it right, depending on how good the fire is lighting.. or making heat, to be more preceise.
Dad is the Hero!!! 😇😁
Man that little story at the end sounds familiar only difference for me is I had 3 kids crying
I have that issue in the basement and I made my own alcohol burner for it. The alcohol burns hot and clean and will heat the pipe fairly quick and then I start building the fire with wood behind the alcohol burner and gradually replace the burner with a bigger wood fire. It works perfectly.
That’s an interesting idea. Never thought about something like that. Good suggestion. Thanks
I do the same with a hairdryer. Takes just a few minutes !
Question: what size fan is that 12 inches? What setting do you run it. 1,2,3?
It’s 12”. I’ll run it on all speeds depending on how hot the fire is. Usually it’s on speed 1. I’m a big believer of fans. Really helps to move the warm air around. Plus you get radiant and convection heat from the same amount of wood.
Thanks for watching.
Sounds like you definitely have a draft issue...and window may help..but if the flue is clean and the pipe long enough that 62F air should want to naturally flow up the chimney. That 90degree bend works against you (get a 45 if it will work) but I suspect you outside stack should be higher. Also screens on caps get clogged. Do you have an radon gas removal system in the basement--its job is to create a negative pressure there. If so opening a window is probably your only option.
Lighting basement stoves tends to be problematic. That looks labor intensive.
Every stove/installation has different drawing/burning characteristics. Your mileage may vary.
I have direct access to the inside of the stovepipe and stick a heat gun in there and let it run until it draws - about 30 seconds for my installation. I set the fire in the mean time and light it when the chimney is ready. Starting room temperature is often 40°F.
My stove tends to be difficult to light so I cheat by bringing hot coals from my other stove in a small covered metal bucket. Beware if you have pets or little kids around. Birch bark also makes for great fire starting material.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. That’s a great idea about moving the coals. My upstairs stove runs 24/7 so I have an ample supply. This winter has been so mild I’ve only run the basement stove about once per week, usually on the weekends when the whole family is home. I would say I had a downdraft about 25% of the time but never had a smoke out. Opening the window makes a big difference for me and a bit of heat with the torch gets the draft heading in the right direction. Next time I’ll give the coal idea a try. Lots of good ideas have been brought up in the comments.
thats what i do with my basement stove, use a small weed torch,small propane tank,5 lbs
just use heat gun works amazing heat up pipe on outside then open door and hold heat gun in fire box pointed to inside of pipe
Thanks for watching. I’m afraid that a heat gun will not work on a double wall pipe and unless you get the cold air to stop flowing into the house no amount of heat will reverse that. The air movement needs to be neutral or balanced before a draft will happen. It’s a losing battle that ends in a smoked out house, and then you open up all the windows anyway to get the smoke and smell out.
I just roll up a peice of news paper lite it and stick the news paper up in the stack to get the draft going. If it's in the teens or lower.I run a hair dryer up and down the chimmey pipe to warm it up. Not telling anyone what to do. Just saying what works for my woodstove.
My stove what we called is back draft or puff, an old timer told me to crack a window about 1 inch, it worked.
Pro tip: put a hairdryer on high in the wood stove for 5 mins.
Then start your fire.
The chimney must be hot before starting the fire.
It's probably the other stove causing the problem. When running 2 wood stoves both need to have fresh air intake to prevent a negative pressure
Temp dropped to 60... LOL, That's what my thermostat is set to on the 1st floor and 52 on the 2nd.
when that happens, i just open the door or a window for a few minutes and it does the trick
I've had a Regency woodstove for almost three years and it still doesn't work. Regency won't talk to owners, only dealers. Total crap.
What wasn’t working? Is there a Regency Internet forum where you can post your experience and maybe get some feedback?
@@buildingthebruce One day it just started blowing smoke and flame into the room when the door was opened more than about 1/4 inch.
The installer has looked at it, and is totally baffled. Still waiting to hear back from Regency (through the dealer, of course).
22 minute video for a 2 minute fire build.
I use 3 to 4 tea light candles to heat the flu up and then I start my fire
Thanks for watching and commenting. That’s a great idea. It’s been so mild this winter that I’ve barely run my basement stove but I will give this a try when the time comes. Please consider subscribing to the channel for future videos that you may find interesting.
Or you could wad up 2 balls of news paper and light it in the clean out on the chimney.
You also have neg pressure inside house from OTHER STOVE..LOL
Yes, you are correct. Cooktop exhaust fan, 2 bathroom exhaust fans, clothes dryer and that extra stove all contribute to the negative pressure. I believe all new homes are built with a make up air exchanger to help combat this exact issue.
You should not have to go through that much effort to start a stove... fix the real issue... the height of the chimney.
Well, like I said it only happens a few times a season and since I’ve figured out the window trick I don’t have smoke in the house. The chimney is in perfect condition, no spalling of the brick and has a poured in place cap, which no one does anymore. I don’t really want to tear that up or have 16” of stainless sticking up out of it as an extension. And honestly, it may improve the draft but it would not eliminate the negative air pressure or the fact that the chimney is on an outside wall. I’ll live with 10-15 minutes of inconvenience and fresh ( cold) air a couple of times a year. But thanks for your thoughts, there’s definitely a few ways to skin a cat.
Called smoking like h#ll.
Barometric damper 🙄,
Got one on my furnace already.
@@buildingthebruce your furnace and wood stove are on the same chimney? That's a big no no. You've got a lot more problems than back draft brother.
No they are separate. Not even the same end of the house. You are mistaken.
@@buildingthebruceput one on the wood burner right on top before it hits the chimney is what I was saying.
@richvanorden7026
Absolutely not. A barometric damper Absolutely does not belong on a woodstove. It will add dilution air to the exhaust cooling it and causing creosote buildup. It also wouldn't help this issue at all. All they do is limit maximum draft
Look I'll be very honest, hate to hurt feelings, but you don't have to go through a quarter of this BS...
At first I thought this was some sort of a joke
It’s not a joke to people who heat their homes with wood. Take some time to read the comments. I think you need to take a walk in a forest and relax a bit. Life’s too short to spend your day trolling videos.
An y just get to the point
I love the video ! Can you do one, how you start turning down the stove ?