Small log-burner sometimes doesn't want to draw

[MisterBoy]

Well talk about teaching old dogs new tricks,. I've been lighting fires of one sort or another for 70 years and heared about this method which I didn't really believe.

I came across that a while back, I really like it. As someone said, I might be 'choking' my flame covering it with wood. I'll try to be more deliberate getting it lit quickly to generate heat and no smoke initially.

It could be a bathroom or kitchen fan causing it. Try a candle in there to warm it up...

Just a big leaky Victorian house But is the idea I want to 'seal' the room temporarily to stop the air circulation down the flue? I could try to shut the door and put a draught excluder across it to see if it helps.

A candle or something is interesting to test as well. Thanks.

 

[foxhole]

The upside down method causes more soot etc as it does not burn as hot ( why it last so long) my installer said having vent fully open reduces burn time but makes for a cleaner burn.

 

[bernardgreen]

But is the idea I want to 'seal' the room temporarily to stop the air circulation down the flue? I could try to shut the door and put a draught excluder across it to see if it helps.

If replacement air cannot get into the room then there can be no air flow up the flue to remove the smoke.

 

[Lower]

I came across that a while back, I really like it. As someone said, I might be 'choking' my flame covering it with wood. I'll try to be more deliberate getting it lit quickly to generate heat and no smoke initially.
Just a big leaky Victorian house But is the idea I want to 'seal' the room temporarily to stop the air circulation down the flue? I could try to shut the door and put a draught excluder across it to see if it helps.

A candle or something is interesting to test as well. Thanks.

The last thing you want to do is seal the room. That is a sure fire way to asphyxiate yourself!

What you need to do is find out, if possible, what is causing the draught down the wood burner flue. It may be the easiest route to replace air leakage from elsewhere in the house, it may be you have an extractor fan on elsewhere in the house, or it may just be a column of cold air in the chimney that is descending into the warmer house when you open the door of the log burner.

It might not be possible to easily fix the cause of the draught, in which case the best option is to heat the chimney with a hot starter fire or similar.

 

[SpecialK]

No, the opposite. With mine if its cold in the burner I open a window and the chimney draws air. Once its warmed up the flue I can shut the window and carry on.

I came across that a while back, I really like it. As someone said, I might be 'choking' my flame covering it with wood. I'll try to be more deliberate getting it lit quickly to generate heat and no smoke initially.
Just a big leaky Victorian house But is the idea I want to 'seal' the room temporarily to stop the air circulation down the flue? I could try to shut the door and put a draught excluder across it to see if it helps.

A candle or something is interesting to test as well. Thanks.

 

[StephenStephen]

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