# Temp Wood Stove help please!



## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

hello everyone!
I'm new to this forum and found tons of great info on here. Just have a few questions about a wood stove that I have in my basement. I have never used any type of wood burning application before until I moved into my new home which have a pellet stove and a Temp Wood stove in the basement. I got my pellet stove running really well and all thanks to the forum members. I'm first question is how to start this wood stove? How to know if this stove is even safe to burn in? By the looks of it the last owners used it. Also will this allow smoke in the home? I tired to light it and failed. Please help and thanks again


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> hello everyone!
> I'm new to this forum and found tons of great info on here. Just have a few questions about a wood stove that I have in my basement. I have never used any type of wood burning application before until I moved into my new home which have a pellet stove and a Temp Wood stove in the basement. I got my pellet stove running really well and all thanks to the forum members. I'm first question is how to start this wood stove? How to know if this stove is even safe to burn in? By the looks of it the last owners used it. Please help


  this pic may help or not lol


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## Cory S (Oct 20, 2015)

Cold dense air is heavy.  This causes the dense air to force itself down your chimney.  The taller/longer the cold chimney is, the harder it is to create a warm updraft.  With many stoves in basements, this can be a pain to get a fire going.  Especially if most of the chimney is an outside chimney.  We used to have a woodstove like that YEARS ago.  The best way to get the chimney flue warmed up, was to start a fire in the stove, then place a 12-16" fan right over that top hole.  Use a good amount of newspaper, and some good dry kindling.  Usually, within 10 seconds, you will here the "Whoosh" and the draft upwards will start.  Then just add more wood and use your stove normally.


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

Is there anywhere I can find a manual for this temp wood stove? I have found more info on the manufacturing company but just can't  find a manual.


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## Bioburner (Oct 20, 2015)

Will try a move to wood stove section from the Pellet mill, this new format is still a bit problematic


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## Alex C (Oct 20, 2015)

Try this link to another area of the site if you haven't already, but manuals for these older stoves are real difficult to come across from the old out of business manufacturers that pre-dated the web. 

https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/tempwood/

Also, maybe a Mod will move it to the classic stove area where more members may bite on some advice if they are familiar with them. 

Before you go too far, I know the question will be asked, have you made sure the appliance is connected and ready to burn safe? Ok, assuming it is...

Based on the diagram I saw in that link, I would think the best way to get it going is to try to start a hot dry fire with some newspaper and real dry kindling, like construction cut offs or the like to dry to get the stove to pull a draft. If you have any way of introducing air from a window down there that would help on start up too. Keep your questions coming and someone will certainly be able to steer you in the right direction.


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## bholler (Oct 20, 2015)

I have worked on a few of those stoves and they can be decent heaters but they are also a little temperamental and need pretty good draft.  It looks allot like it is plugged into an old fireplace.  Do you know if it is hooked to a liner behind that cover plate?  Have you had the setup cleaned and evaluated


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## Bioburner (Oct 20, 2015)

Moving again


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## Nick Mystic (Oct 20, 2015)

Welcome to the forum. Just a word of caution: you can see on the label you posted that the minimum side and back clearance to combustibles is 36". It looks like there is a bookshelf or some similar piece of furniture much closer than 36" off to the left in your first photo.  Since you said the previous owner had been burning this stove I take it the rear wall meets the 36" clearance requirement?  I'm not sure I'd go with the fan blowing down through the top of the stove when there is a bunch of newspaper burning in it. This might get some warm air moving up the flue, but if your chimney gets some creosote built up in it you'll be sending burning pieces of paper up the flue that could ignite it and set off a chimney fire. Good luck sorting things out.


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## FishKiller (Oct 20, 2015)

it does look like it's attached to a fireplace, you need to find out how it is hooked up to your chimney... since your new, you should have a professional come out and inspect and clean your setup. once that is done you can come back for more help with draft issues.


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## begreen (Oct 20, 2015)

Paging @pen Tempwood owner needing guidance.

Agreed, get a sweep to check it out. This is a downdraft stove. It needs good strong draft. You should establish how tall the chimney is and whether there is a full stainless steel liner, sized to the stove, going from the stove to the top of the chimney.


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## pen (Oct 20, 2015)

It's a very cool stove, but unfortunately I've never run one and I haven't stayed at a holiday inn for a while now either 

I'm with BG,,,, get a sweep out to make certain that chimney is safe to run the stove on and things are ready to go.  After that, I'd say let the experimentation begin!  I'm guessing by saying you failed in lighting it that you had smoke coming into the house and not up the chimney?  

If so, I'm assuming this stove has some way to switch into downdraft mode?  If so, the orientation of that is of the utmost importance.... Additionally, being a basement install, drowndrafts in the chimney are common.  Couple that with a downdraft stove and you may find, even when operating the unit correctly, getting the smoke to go the right way on a cold startup is going to be a pain.... but shouldn't be an issue once the stove is warmed up and the draft reversed to go in the right direction.

Wish I knew of a current stove owner of one of these on the site, but I'm drawing a blank... Keep the info coming on where you are at.

pen


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## bholler (Oct 20, 2015)

I believe i am going to be cleaning one next week if so i will ask them for any pointers.


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

bholler said:


> I have worked on a few of those stoves and they can be decent heaters but they are also a little temperamental and need pretty good draft.  It looks allot like it is plugged into an old fireplace.  Do you know if it is hooked to a liner behind that cover plate?  Have you had the setup cleaned and evaluated


its def hooked up. i took the back cover to check what was behind the stove and it looks like it connected to the furnace but will get a professional in my home before it gets cold out here. thanks


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

bholler said:


> I believe i am going to be cleaning one next week if so i will ask them for any pointers.


Thanks i would really appreciate any info you can give me


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## bholler (Oct 20, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> its def hooked up. i took the back cover to check what was behind the stove and it looks like it connected to the furnace but will get a professional in my home before it gets cold out here. thanks


Ok but what is the stove hooked to?


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

bholler said:


> Ok but what is the stove hooked to?


looks like its connected to the furnace some how idk if that can even be done ill take the cover off again and take some pics so guys can see what im working with. can a stove and furnace be connected at the vent?


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## pen (Oct 20, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> looks like its connected to the furnace some how idk if that can even be done ill take the cover off again and take some pics so guys can see what im working with. can a stove and furnace be connected at the vent?



No, it shouldn't be.  I was hoping I misunderstood and that they didn't share the same flue.


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 20, 2015)

Ok I'll 


pen said:


> No, it shouldn't be.  I was hoping I misunderstood and that they didn't share the same flue.


 ok I'll def get a better look to see how it's connected


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 21, 2015)

I've done some research and there are some wood stoves that are connected to the furnace. I'm going to get behind the wall vent looks like there is a damper behind the vent on my wall.


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 21, 2015)

Just did some looking into my set up and it's definitely connected to the same flue


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 21, 2015)

This is the T connection where they connect. Should I  consider removing the Stove?


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## bholler (Oct 21, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> This is the T connection where they connect. Should I consider removing the Stove?


Wow that is really really scary you need to get a sweep there now.  That pipe is way to close to combustible materials.  Even if it is just the furnace it is still way to close.  And no you cant run a wood stove and a furnace in the same chimney  It is probably a good thing you didn't get that stove lit.


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 21, 2015)

bholler said:


> Wow that is really really scary you need to get a sweep there now.  That pipe is way to close to combustible materials.  Even if it is just the furnace it is still way to close.  And no you cant run a wood stove and a furnace in the same chimney  It is probably a good thing you didn't get that stove lit.


ive read about wood stove and furnace being connected but has to but up to code and what no. should i get it removed? what will a sweep do to help with this situation? also what is considered combustible if its a oil furnace? sorry for all the questions just need to get all the info i can get before me an my wife come up with a decision to keep it or get it removed. Thanks again!


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## bholler (Oct 21, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> ive read about wood stove and furnace being connected but has to but up to code and what no. should i get it removed?


by code you cannot run a wood stove and an oil furnace through the same flue.  So yes the wood stove needs to go or be hooked up correctly to it's own flue.



Gsierra14 said:


> what will a sweep do to help with this situation?


They will look at everything and give you options on how best to make it safe.  from the limited pics i see your setup is far from safe.



Gsierra14 said:


> also what is considered combustible if its a oil furnace?


Anything that can burn.  All of that wood i see in that pic needs to be 18" minimum from that pipe.  The stove will need 36" minimum to anything combustible.  



Gsierra14 said:


> orry for all the questions just need to get all the info i can get before me an my wife come up with a decision to keep it or get it removed.


As it is it can not be used safely.  You need someone to come there and look at the whole situation and see what options you have.  But honestly from what i can see so far i don't think that either the wood stove or the furnace are safe to use


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## Gsierra14 (Oct 21, 2015)

bholler said:


> by code you cannot run a wood stove and an oil furnace through the same flue.  So yes the wood stove needs to go or be hooked up correctly to it's own flue.
> 
> 
> They will look at everything and give you options on how best to make it safe.  from the limited pics i see your setup is far from safe.
> ...


Will get a professional in here ASAP


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## BrotherBart (Oct 21, 2015)

Am I the only one that thinks that tee is galvanized pipe?


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## bholler (Oct 21, 2015)

BrotherBart said:


> Am I the only one that thinks that tee is galvanized pipe?


yeah it is the furnace pipe someone tapped into.


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## rowerwet (Oct 22, 2015)

Wow! Scary. I was going to share what I know about these as I grew up being heated by one, but until you get a safe install...


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## Gworth (Oct 22, 2015)

Gsierra14 said:


> hello everyone!
> I'm new to this forum and found tons of great info on here. Just have a few questions about a wood stove that I have in my basement. I have never used any type of wood burning application before until I moved into my new home which have a pellet stove and a Temp Wood stove in the basement. I got my pellet stove running really well and all thanks to the forum members. I'm first question is how to start this wood stove? How to know if this stove is even safe to burn in? By the looks of it the last owners used it. Also will this allow smoke in the home? I tired to light it and failed. Please help and thanks again



Hello all.  Sorry for being a bit late to this discussion, but I just signed up to the forum.  I currently have one of these stoves in use in my basement and it is a GREAT source of heat, meaning that it will give off a lot of heat and I have always found them very easy to light.  If you are not careful, it can give off too much heat.  The two little holes on either side of the large hole where you put wood in are the downdraft regulators, meaning they control the amount of air going to the fire.  Based on the picture in your first post, these were closed.  I assume that you opened them some in your initial attempt at starting the fire. When first starting the fire, these need to wide open with a nice bed of newspaper and some dry kindling as somebody else commented.  Once the fire starts, these should be closed up some but left maybe half open until the fire really gets burning.  You can tell how much to close them by the sound that the stove is making.  It will give a whoosh, whoosh sound if open too much.  That all being said, I am with some of the other people that posted, that this stove in its' present location and set up is not really safe.  If after you have it inspected, you decide that you do not want to deal with the hassle of getting it properly installed, I would be interested in discussing buying this from you, if it is as good a condition as it appears in the one photo.  As I said to begin with, this is a great old stove.


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