Chimney Fires and Run away stoves

[kevinmoelk]

So tonight I wasn't watching my stove too carefully and when I went to go check on it, the stove temperature was 700 degrees. The secondary tubes were bright red. I quickly closed the air all the way shut, and the stove slowly decreased to a safe burning temperature. It doesn't look like any damage was done, but I'll have to check tomorrow morning when the stove is colder.

However, since experiencing this I'm wondering what exactly a person should do for a run away stove situation?

Also, what does one do for a chimney fire situation? I've read a chimney fire sounds like a jet plane flying too close over your house, is this true?

-Kevin

 

[Roospike]

>What To Do With A Runaway Stove<<<<<<<<<<


https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3934/

 

[kevinmoelk]

Thanks Spike.

(Reading)

-Kevin

EDIT: Just read the entire thread and learned a lot. I then checked my manual to see what information they provided. The manual basically says shut down the air and call the fire department. They also suggested to keep a water hose or fire extinguisher near by, lol. That after just reading that cold water + hot stove = disaster. Hummm. There really should be more information, it seems, in all the stove manuals from manufacturers.

 

[rdrcr56]

Stoves dont run away, stove owners run away LOL.

 

[Jay H]

FYI, for anybody that watches Dirty Jobs on discovery channel, there is a snippet where Mike Rowe goes to Indiana to visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America and they actually simulate a chimney fire in an outdoor firepit with scaffolding on the outside so they can have easy access to the top of the chimney. It was mostly on how the professionals use the brushes to clean the chimney (hence the purpose of the show) but they showed a small chimney fire going on which was interesting.

Jay

 

[MrGriz]

I was just at the gas station and I saw a picture of a runaway stove on the side of one of those bundles of firewood. Sure hope it makes it home safe.

 

[BrotherBart]

An industrial chimney in Singapore lights off. I don't think a 316ti liner would have helped. Or a block off plate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc3Uj03o3Dg

 

[Highbeam]

So tonight I wasn't watching my stove too carefully and when I went to go check on it, the stove temperature was 700 degrees. The secondary tubes were bright red. I quickly closed the air all the way shut, and the stove slowly decreased to a safe burning temperature. It doesn't look like any damage was done, but I'll have to check tomorrow morning when the stove is colder.

-Kevin

Hmmm, I run mine up past 700 on purpose now that I know that this is within the design parameters of my Lopi. What kind of damage to you intend to look for?

 

[kevinmoelk]

Hmmm, I run mine up past 700 on purpose now that I know that this is within the design parameters of my Lopi. What kind of damage to you intend to look for?

Well I checked this morning, basically I was looking for cracks in the secondary tubes, and warpage or sagging of the tubes. They seem to be okay. A little sagging, but it's inconclusive if that was a result of my overfiring or a previous overfire. I bought the stove used and didn't check with a straight edge before, so I don't know.

Also, it's my understanding that prolonged overfiring can lead to a warped top plate. My top plate is ever so slightly warped when I hold a straight edge to it only in one spot. And the varience is not so great as to even allow me to slide a dime under.

-Kevin

 

[CountryGal]

Kevin, I did the same thing right after our break-in fires. Whoa! I was in another room and lost track of the time and when I checked it it was way up there. Shut down the air and it gradually came down. No damage to the stove that I can see. Scary though.

 

[Elderthewelder]

I have one of these Country's that wrench and Gal have, 'cept mine is a insert, ( but basically the same stove) I haved burned basically nothing but dimensional lumber ( 4x4, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8) for the past 2 months and have never had a run away stove, to be honest 1 batch of 4 x 4's that I burned had alot of pitch in them ( pine) I had to put my draft control rod all the way (max) in, and it was still burning hot, but no where near to turn my secondary tubes red. I can not comprehend what it would take to overfire one of these and turn the secondary tubes red or even worse the plate steel red

 

[kevinmoelk]

Howdy Elder, well the plate steel wasn't red thankfully. The tubes were red, but again, it doesn't seem like any terrible permanant damage was done. I'm just a little more careful now as to opening the air slower, or taking note of how much wood I've put in, if the splits I put in are large or small, etc. I think it's just all part of the learning curve. Hopefully I will never, ever do that again. But like Countrygal did, I just shut down the air and everything turned out okay... lesson learned.

Elder, do you have an OAK hooked up?

-Kevin

 

[DiscoInferno]

I've run my stove with the tubes red many a time, they seem to be able to handle it. They'll glow if I let the top temperature go past maybe 650-700, although they'll keep glowing even after I cut the air if there is good secondary burn. Maybe because I have that white insulation material just above the tubes, so they get a lot of reflected heat. No drooping or cracking so far. Hard to say if Security considers this to be overfiring, since the manual doesn't list any temperatures and describes full-open air as an acceptable (if inefficient) long-term operating mode. (I don't, from experience.)

I guess I am curious, though, at what temperature (color?) SS gets soft? Aren't the chimneys and liners rated to 2100 for at least a short while?

 

[Elderthewelder]

Elder, do you have an OAK hooked up?

-Kevin

no