down draft from chimney of wood burning stove fills room with smoke is there a solution?

Question

there is no air control adjestment on the stack.

Answer 1

You did not describe your home, but it sounds like your woodstove flue (chimney) may be located relatively low in your building. Generally you may have strong negative air pressure in your home. This can be caused by a number of things:
1. appliances that combust to operate and have thier own flues pushing warm air out [Gas/oil furnace, gas water heater, Gas dryer]
2. Appliances that push air out [stove hood, bathroom vent],
3. The chimney may be too short, and could be in a positive pressure relationship with the roof [Air moves over the roof and is aerodynamically pushed down the chimney].
4. Opening a window may not help if that window is on the lee of the house (away from the prevailing breeze) which will only attempt to draw even more air out.
5. A leaky house (air exfiltration) where warm air (that wants to rise) is able to move out of the house through a collection of small openings, causing the whole house to act as a chimney, making for negative air pressure at a lower flue which will suck in cold air. And lastly,
6. If the chimney is masonry, try a chimney cap. This may aid the aerodynamic problem, but A damp masonry chimney will always be cooler and will take longer to warm up. Cold moist air falls like a brick. Good luck!

In the absence of a big fix, use more smaller very dry material that will self sustain a hot fire for several minutes to heat up the flue. Don't use loads of paper as it burns at a lower temp, and does not have enough BTU's to go very long.

Answer 2

There are several possible solutions listed in the previous answers and there are several solutions that may only compound the problem. What you really need is a "Draft Expert". Someone with years of experience in Chimney Construction, Wood Stove Installations and the issues of chimney draft and homes. This person may be a Chimney Sweep or Wood Stove Installer. This person will not only thoroughly inspect your woodstove and chimney system, he or she will check the dynamics of air flow within your home. Attic doors and fans, bathroom and kitchen exhausts, furnace vents and returns. Grab the phone book and start calling. Tell them what your problem is and ask about their experience and skill in troubleshooting draft problems. Stay away from the guys who tell you on the phone they know what the problem is before they even see your home or that they have a gadget that will fix every problem. They just want your money. You will also find Certified Chimney Sweeps and Certified Installers out there. These certifications show a commitment to learning the trade but are book tests rather than learned knowledge. I was once both a brand new Certified Chimney Sweep and Certified Wood Stove installer. I had only a few years in the business and was not an expert. The right person will probably impress you with their professional approach and be willing to inspect your home and stick with you until the issues are fixed. Good luck with your venture I hope there is the right professional in your area to help you correct your problem so that you can begin enjoying your wood stove!

Answer 3

The easiest solution is to only burn very hot fires. Start the air flow in the right direction by using a lot of newspaper and kindling and make a fast hot fire.

A better solution is to fix the chimney's natural draft. The main ideas are:
1. Fit the chimney size to the stove flue
2. Avoid horizontal sections or bends
3. Insulate the chimney, especially from outside air
4. Clean blockage from the chimney

A metal tube inside the chimney, as another suggested, would go a long way toward keeping the exhaust gases hot and traveling in the right direction.

Answer 4

The guy who said you should get a professional to look at this is probubly right. However it always helps to hear other peoples experiences with the same problem first.

My fathers wood burning Avalon stove had this very same problem. When the wind blew in off the lake at a North direction it was deflecting off tall pine trees near his home and forcing smoke back down his chimney and into the living area. A certified Chimney sweep looked at it and determined the problem right away. He installed a stainless baffled chimney cap that looked like a puff ball mushroom on the top of his tall metal chimney. I believe the cap was manufactured by Lymance. It cost about $500 for the cap and the install but it fixed it and he has not have trouble since it was put on 4 years ago.

Having said this, if your problem is not having enough air draw in your home to get the smoke to go up. A baffled cap will not help at all. That is why a pro would probubly serve you well to diagnose the problem.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
down draft from chimney of wood burning stove fills room with smoke is there a solution?

Answer 6

Down Draft Stove

Answer 7

Downdraft Stove

Answer 8

It's about air flow and hot air rising. Be sure to get your stack heated up as hot air rises at the same time slowly open a window to induce that flow. You might have to experiment with the right window to open, if the window you open is downwind it will cause a low pressure area in that room and the smoke will come back down the stack into that room. Once yuor fire is going you can slowly close that window. If your room /house is too tight/insulated there will be too little/ not enough air to rise up the chimney.

Answer 9

SOME OF THE ANSWERS ARE CORRECT. I WILL NOT REPEAT.
1/ WOOD BURNING STOVES TURN AT A 90 DEGREE WHICH IS NOT GOOD IT SLOWS THE VENTING.
2/ON THE BOTTOM OF SOME MODEL WHERE U CLEAN THE ASHES OUT THAT IS YOUR DAMPER CONTROL TO LET AIR IN
3/ HEIGHT OF CHIMNEY TO ROOF, SHOULD BE ABOVE CLOSES RIDGE LINE AND AWAY FROM THE ROOF FIELD
4/DOES IT GO TO A CHIMNEY OR STRAIGHT OUT THE WALL? MAKE SURE NO BLOCKAGE IN CHIMNEY OR FLUE PIPE.
5/DO U HAVE A SPARK ARRESTOR AND OR WIND RESISTANT FLUE CAP ON THE PIPE?
6/ U CAN BY A ELECTRIC EXHAUST POWERED FAN ATTACHMENT WITH DAMPER CONTROL THIS MAY HELP.

Answer 10

Open the flue more, you should have a flue which would be located about 18 inches above the stove on the pipe that goes out the chimney. If it is too closed it will allow smoke in the room.