I have a wind problem

[Doug Morford]

I have a wind problem. We live on a plain and the wind is commonly a sustained 10-20 mph. (Yes, it sucks) It causes the flue to draft much harder, making the stove get hotter than I want. It's 75-80 in the house when the wind blows unless I open windows.

Does anyone have experience with different types of caps to reduce wind induced draft? I have an Excel chimney and was considering adding the Rain/Wind Shield. However, their claim is that it INCREASES draft by 40% in the wind. Not exactly what I want. I think that's a misleading statement though. I'm thinking it increases draft in situations where you have a problem with negative draft, but decreases draft when you have my issue. A buffering effect basically. Anyone with real life experiences?

Flue height is the minimum recommended for the stove. Stove is a King. Not particularly interested in a damper.

 

[stoveliker]

How tall is the flue?

 

[Doug Morford]

How tall is the flue?

About 14' from top of stove. Approximately the minimum recommended by blaze king.

 

[stoveliker]

Hm. I see.
I don't know then. Hope someone else can provide good input.

 

[stoveliker]

Btw, how large a place are you heating?

 

[Doug Morford]

Btw, how large a place are you heating?

1600sf manufactured home. 2x6 construction with fiberglass. Part of the problem is the size of the house with the king. Mid 40 outdoor temps is when the house starts to get too hot though when it's not windy, so there's not usually a problem.

 

[begreen]

One solution is the rooster-tail style, wind cap. Another is a Vacu-Stack cap.

Non Air-Cooled Wind-Directional Chimney Cap - Chimcare

Improve your chimney's efficiency with our Non-Air Cooled Wind Directional Chimney Cap. Prioritize safety and airflow. Order now!

chimcarechimneycaps.com

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Doug Morford]

One solution is the rooster-tail style, wind cap. Another is a Vacu-Stack cap.

Non Air-Cooled Wind-Directional Chimney Cap - Chimcare

Improve your chimney's efficiency with our Non-Air Cooled Wind Directional Chimney Cap. Prioritize safety and airflow. Order now!

chimcarechimneycaps.com

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I would think the rooster tail style would increase draft. Maybe that's not correct though. Maybe the vacu-stack would work too. Seems like it would. I think I'm leaning toward toward a "storm shield" like the one I have pictured. I would probably turn it into swiss cheese by drilling a couple hundred 1/4" holes in it. I'd think that would create a pretty good buffer against the wind. I'm leaning toward this because Excel sells it for their pipe. It's not clear what size Vac-stack I'd need to buy for 8" pipe, or how I would install it. Excel pipes have exposed insulation that requires a pretty tight fitting cap to protect it.

 

[EbS-P]

Would you consider adding a damper?

 

[Doug Morford]

Would you consider adding a damper?

That's the other obvious answer. They can be expensive and troublesome though. I don't the idea of worrying if I forgot to open/close it. My decision is made easier by the fact that Excel doesn't appear to make a damper for their 8" pipe; just 6". Since I have a wind issue via the venturi effect at the tip of the flue, not a draft issue caused by flue height, I'm trying to employ a bottom up approach. Dampers also typically retain something like 20% of the flow potential in the flue when fully closed, so I'm not sure a damper would do anything to help this issue when I'm running the stove closed down as low as possible.

 

[stoveliker]

Key Dampers are cheap...
And they do help with too much draft.

I think though that the variability of the wind (venturi) driven draft (if indeed this is the cause of the issues), would make the static damper not work well. Fluctuating draft will remain fluctuating when decreased in magnitude by a damper.

(Barometric dampers are more expensive - and should not be used on normal wood stoves imo.)

So I think a cap that avoids the fluctuations in draft might be the best approach indeed.

 

[begreen]

I would think the rooster tail style would increase draft. Maybe that's not correct though. Maybe the vacu-stack would work too. Seems like it would. I think I'm leaning toward toward a "storm shield" like the one I have pictured. I would probably turn it into swiss cheese by drilling a couple hundred 1/4" holes in it. I'd think that would create a pretty good buffer against the wind. I'm leaning toward this because Excel sells it for their pipe. It's not clear what size Vac-stack I'd need to buy for 8" pipe, or how I would install it. Excel pipes have exposed insulation that requires a pretty tight fitting cap to protect it.

The rooster tail can be effective at preventing gusts from driving smoke down the chimney. The VacuStack is made for 8" as well. It just inserts into the pipe.

 

[EbS-P]

Your at minimum height, what’s your altitude. Yes the wind usually blows but what will any passions to the top do on the rare calm days.

My operating procedure would be look out and observe the wind. set the damper to my determined windy day position. ( I would only have three. (Not windy, windy, and can’t walk out side standing straight up).

The restriction of the damper changes the pressure above the stove. I think a fully closed damper would have more impact on the stove than any of these caps. And no one is saying you can’t do both.

If you have access to a a welder (or need an excuse for a cheap one) an extension could easily be make so a standard 8” single wall damper could be used in double wall. I think.

 

[MongoMongoson]

Excel makes the XB8UBD 8" damper. Excel parts and accessories are certainly more expensive than the Selkirk stuff I have installed.



Chances are, if you installed a damper, you would not have it in the completely closed position most of the time (if ever). Even if you forgot to open it when starting a fire you would realize it soon. The fire wouldn't take off as quickly as you are used to. Remember, with a damper, completely closed is never completely closed.

I had to install a damper for my PE Summit. We don't use it all the time but sometimes we need it. High winds are one reason we use it.

Just dialing it closed by 1/8 of a turn makes a big difference. I just had to turn mine this morning. We had a big pile of coals left from last night so the morning fire wanted to get out of hand. 1/4 turn and the stove dropped from an internal flue temp of 715 down to 636 in a matter of minutes. It is still slowly dropping.

 

[brenndatomu]

Would you consider adding a damper?

I'll probably get roasted for this...but a barometric damper would solve this issue...

6-RC - Field Controls 6-RC - 6" Draft Regulator for Wood, Oil, or Coal

Field Controls 6-RC - 6" Draft Regulator for Wood, Oil, or Coal - The Field RC is furnished as standard equipment on many leading brands of oil or coal-fired heating equipment. It is calibrated to allow for easy adjustment to the furnace or boiler manufacturer?s specifications. Designed for...

www.supplyhouse.com

 

[EbS-P]

I'll probably get roasted for this...but a barometric damper would solve this issue...

6-RC - Field Controls 6-RC - 6" Draft Regulator for Wood, Oil, or Coal

Field Controls 6-RC - 6" Draft Regulator for Wood, Oil, or Coal - The Field RC is furnished as standard equipment on many leading brands of oil or coal-fired heating equipment. It is calibrated to allow for easy adjustment to the furnace or boiler manufacturer?s specifications. Designed for...

www.supplyhouse.com

On BK king? Hard pass….
that thing would would have flue temps at the top of 100 degrees when the wind was howling and it was set to a 24 hr burn.

 

[NickW]

Love my damper. Overnight burn setting is 1/4 open damper, 1/4 open air control (on my secondary combustion stove). I live on the very appropriately named Windy Acres.