by Glenn
(MA)
Hi have a few questions on barometric dampers. It seems that no matter what I do, I can't seem to cut down on the draw in my stove.
I use a Huntsman stove and it heats the house well but I need to keep cleaning the chimney due to creosote problems.
If I don't almost close the 3 adjustments on the front of stove and the damper in the stove pipe it sounds like a furnace.
When I bought this house the prior owner used a coal stove and had a barometric damper in the pipe. I removed it when I replaced the pipe not knowing what it was. Could purchasing one of these help solve the draw problem? Thanks!
Answer
Glen,
It sounds like you have a couple of problems at work here.
First, you mentioned a problem with creosote in your chimney. Burning hot fires that you aren't able to control should not be creating this problem. Unless you are burning wet wood, this shouldn't be happening.
My guess is that the stovepipe damper that you have is contributing to the creosote problem, but from the sounds of it, you need it to control the burn rate.
My guess is that you have a chimney with a very strong updraft and possibly a leak somewhere in you stove. Check the stove door, is the fire rope intact and solid? Does it create a solid seal when you shut the door? This could be the reason that your fires are burning so hot and fast.
I don't recommend using dampers of any kind, unless you are dealing with an older stove that can't be controlled effectively with the air intake. Switching to a barometric damper likely won't make any difference, so I recommend looking at the door to see if it seals properly.
I hope this helps.
-Firewood Matt