Wood Stove problem

[coachgrd]

Hello everyone. I had hoped to burn wood in our Quadra-Fire 3100 Step Top stove through March but lately I've finding it very tough to get a fire going and maintaining one. I immediatley thought I must have creosote build up so I went roof top and cleaned the stack. I then cleaned inside of the stove, including the ash pan. Still having the same issues. The stove is 3 years old.

My wood is dry, been seasoning under cover for 2+ years. I did remove the burn tubes and replaced them in the proper order. All seals appear in good shape.

Is there some other maintenance on the stove that I am over looking? It just does not appear to be getting the air flow it did in the past. If I crack the ash pan door, air appears to flow in, fanning the flames. (I know this is a big no-no.) The glass does not appear to be cleaning it self either, which makes me think there must be an air circulation issue.

I'm going to give the place where I purchased it a call tomorrow and see if they have any suggestions...until then, anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks!
Gary

 

[Army grunt]

You may have missed some stuff obstructing the air going in. when you shovel it out there may have been some ash pushed into the air holes. Dont try to vac. these out you could get a hot ash in vac. use a bottle brush.
Army Grunt

 

[Kayakin2]

You might also look at changes which might have changed the air source for the stove. Heavy snowfall might even have blocked normal air inlets. Take a look at the items on page 6 of your stove's installation manual: http://www.quadrafire.com/~/media/Files/Quadrafire/Installation%20Manuals/man_3100_ACC.ashx
Enjoy your stove! :thumbsup:

 

[DennisArrow]

Sounds like you are doing all of the right things........I use on a regular basis one of the "creosote removers" that burn during a really hot fire........Seems to make a difference for me in blasting through some of the smaller orifices in my Waterford Ashling........

Lately, while going into a section of the wood stack, it seemed as if I was having what YOU describe......just would not catch nor burn..........I changed to a different portion of the stack and HEAT with NO problems......Seems I had gotten into a section of what must be really hard, dense, and not dried out hickory.........I now combine this with wood that is further down the stack from different timber and all is well.......Good luck.....Dennis

 

[coachgrd]

You might also look at changes which might have changed the air source for the stove. Heavy snowfall might even have blocked normal air inlets. Take a look at the items on page 6 of your stove's installation manual: http://www.quadrafire.com/~/media/Files/Quadrafire/Installation%20Manuals/man_3100_ACC.ashx
Enjoy your stove! :thumbsup:

Thanks for the replies everyone, keep them coming.

I'm wondering about this snow build-up...this very well may be the problem as we have a good 16-24" on the roof. I will try to shovel some today and report back!
gary

 

[jimmyj]

How high is the top of the chimney over the snow on the roof? I think you need some good distance to help with the draft. Open a window a crack when you are starting the fire too help the draft.

Let us know what you figure out please.

 

[Kayakin2]

Gary,
The heavy snow cover just sometimes seals a home's air infiltration spots causing the house to no longer have the air which normally fed your fire.
Good luck!

 

[scesnick]

have you looked at your stove pipe? I'm guessing there is an elbow on it somewhere. Take it apart and see if it is clogged at the elbow or on any horizontal run of the pipe.

 

[sal64]

is the top of your chimney higher then your roof?

 

[Mousefield]

The other posts have given you good ideas. My guess is snow could be blocking air getting into the house not allowing for a good draft. As previously suggested try opening a window a bit in the room that the stove is in. If that seems to solve the problem then look at the normal vents into your house for blockage by snow. It also could be that, because of cold you have somehow made your house more air tight.

 

[logan97]

when I clean our Vermont Casting after I wire brush it from the roof with poles I have to disconnect the pipe inside that attaches to the stove and remove all of the creosote by hand and vacuum. I always wear cloves and always make sure the stove is completely cool as the other poster mentioned.It also goes into a 6" pipe into the attic and out the roof,should have used a 8" as the 8 draft much better. At the time I was impatient did not want to special order and wait for the 8" will never make that mistake again.

 

[coachgrd]

Clearing the snow away seemed to help...a little anyway. I think I will still the rep tomorrow to see if they have any ideas.

 

[escavader]

TRY opening a window near the stove ,just to see if it is an lack of air problem.Are the grates between the stove and ash pan blocked?Mine need to be shaken if the fire wont burn.Also dont let the ashes build up to the grates ,it will block air flow and warp your grates from lack of air and too hot of grates
ALAN

 

[Mousefield]

coachgrd, any luck getting the stove to burn better?

 

[20 20]

TRY opening a window near the stove ,just to see if it is an lack of air problem.
ALAN

I was going to write the same thing. Cold chimney can also slow down air circulation, once the chimney gets up to temp it causes a better draft.

 

[Highbeam]

If it worked good before and is now sluggish even with a window opened then it's most likely your wood. Easy to check, go source some known dry wood from a supermarket and if that burns well then you know what your problem is.

Your chimney does not need to be above your roof. It is supposed to meet the 10/2/3 rule which states that the top must be 2 feet above any part of the roof within 10 feet and a minimum of 3 feet above the roof penetration. The 2 foot accumulation of snow might render your installation out of compliance with the rule. Still though, it should be close enough to burn.

 

[coachgrd]

If it worked good before and is now sluggish even with a window opened then it's most likely your wood. Easy to check, go source some known dry wood from a supermarket and if that burns well then you know what your problem is.
.

UPDATE: Spoke to the gent who I bought the stove from and who installed it and he ran me through some stuff to check. I had done most of them already. He said one thing that will cause the problems I'm having is a bunched up blanket above the burn tubes. Sure enough, mine has become out of shape. I trimmed it to match the size of the board it sits on and made sure it is pushed flush up against the back wall. It does seem to be burning better.

I have to wonder though, as highbeam suggests, if my wood is OK. I may have to try some supermarket wood as a test. The stuff I'm using is 3 year old Cherry that has been under cover. It is burning better and maybe it's my imagination but I think I've got a better burn in the past, but I used to have just powder ashes in the morning. Now I will have chunks.

At any rate, it does seem to be a bit better. Many thanks to all of you.

 

[dmccarty]

I don't think this is your problem but in a very tight house trying to light a fire with the clothes dryer running can be "interesting."

The fire is trying to draw up a cold chimney...

But the dryer is taking air from the house and blowing it outside....

Later,
Dan

 

[Harvey9]

Coach

As HighBeam suggested try good seasoned wood, if you are finding "chunks" then it isn't burning as it should.

Harvey

 

[arrow]

Just a couple more points as I have this stoves bigger brother (5700) If you still get that blow torch effect when you crack open the stove door, then it is not your draft. This should be a pretty strong, sustaining blow and not only at the beginning when you just crack the door open. A weak air flow here would pin point to a draft problem of some sort as described in previous posts. If your stove is a miniature version of the 5700 Quadrafire, then you should have 2 "air intake" tubes showing their orifice at the back of your stove. Make sure you place a vacuum cleaner over these tubes to suck up any ash that may have dropped inside as a result of cleaning your stove. (even if you have an ash pan, ash can get up into the tubes with logs acting with a bulldozer effect on the ash already in the stove pushing into the tubes. Thirdly and as far fetched as it may seem, the stove activates its draft with actuator rods for primary and secondary air intakes. Make sure the plates they weld to the ends of these rods which act as air dampers, are still welded onto the rods. If one did come off, it could be blocking an air inlet. Stove heat shield would have to be removed which is easy to do for viewing.