# air intake vs. stove pipe damper



## wood burning cop (Jan 21, 2013)

it has been very windy here today and when i lite the stove it was drafting like crazy even with the air intake closed completely.  i have a stove pipe damper, but have never needed to use it.  today i closed it most of the way to get the fire going with out having an overdraft issue.  now comes the question.  i seem to get more heat with the stove damper closed down more. 

is it better to have it open and just use the air intake lever.  or is it better to close the damper most of the way even if you have to open the air intake a little more to keep things going and the flames looking good.  or does it not matter. 

thanks for any input.


----------



## mellow (Jan 21, 2013)

Most install Pipe Dampers for exactly the issue you are experiencing,  over draft on windy days,  the rest of the time they are left open and the air control on the stove is used.


----------



## corey21 (Jan 21, 2013)

I only use my pipe damper when i need to reduce the draft.


----------



## ridemgis (Jan 21, 2013)

wood burning cop said:


> it has been very windy here today and when i lite the stove it was drafting like crazy even with the air intake closed completely.  i have a stove pipe damper, but have never needed to use it.  today i closed it most of the way to get the fire going with out having an overdraft issue.  now comes the question.  i seem to get more heat with the stove damper closed down more.
> 
> is it better to have it open and just use the air intake lever.  or is it better to close the damper most of the way even if you have to open the air intake a little more to keep things going and the flames looking good.  or does it not matter.
> 
> thanks for any input.



I learned from forum member BrowningBar that I could get much more heat from my stove by closing the flue damper.  With this particular stove I can close both the damper and air intake, maintain a strong fire and a hot chimney and find coals for a restart ten hours later.


----------



## tcassavaugh (Jan 21, 2013)

i use it to help control the burn. i also think it helps keep more heat in the box. i think the box is a little hotter when its turned too.  i probably burn a little slow. i like to keep flames visible, but on a smaller scale. my jotul burns well using a combination of the damper and the draft control. i don't use it much to get the stove going but once it is, i want to gear it down and get a longer burn, i turn the draft to about 2 o'clock and the draft is barely open. however, a bi-product of that can be a build up of soot inside the pipe, so i resolve to check more often and clean when needed.

cass


----------



## Bret Chase (Jan 21, 2013)

ridemgis said:


> I learned from forum member BrowningBar that I could get much more heat from my stove by closing the flue damper. With this particular stove I can close both the damper and air intake, maintain a strong fire and a hot chimney and find coals for a restart ten hours later.


 

I can too with my old smokedragon.... it likes it when I use both dampers, and definitely holds more heat in the box with the chimney damper closed.


----------



## begreen (Jan 21, 2013)

I'm not sure either is better. Both slowdown the transfer of air through the stove. As noted, in old stoves one often uses a combo of both to control the burn.


----------



## corey21 (Jan 21, 2013)

I think pipe dampers could cause a soot issues if used to much i think. But i do have to use mine sometimes but that is only when the stove is going like mad.


----------

