Insufficient Air Problem

[Hiker's Dad]

I installed a Hearthstone Heritage this fall and cannot get it to stay burning unless I leave the side door unsecured. The fire dies down and eventually goes out. The same thing happens when I close the bypass door, combustion lessens and the stovepipe and top stones cool down and so I leave it bypass all the time. Opening an exterior door does not help. It gets good and hot as long as the side door is not tight against the body. It's a through-the- roof stovepipe and chimney. I've added a chimney section so the top is about 8' above the roof and about 1' above the roof ridge and about 10'away - we have a low sloped roof. Anybody have similar problems that they fixed?

 

[begreen]

It sounds like either a draft issue or wood that isn't fully dry and seasoned inside.

What is the total height of the flue system from stove top to chimney top? Are there any 90º turns in the flue path?

If possible, post a picture of the stove + stovepipe inside and the chimney outside.

 

[Hiker's Dad]

It sounds like either a draft issue or wood that isn't fully dry and seasoned inside.

What is the total height of the flue system from stove top to chimney top? Are there any 90º turns in the flue path?

If possible, post a picture of the stove + stovepipe inside and the chimney outside.

It's a straight vertical run somewhere around 18 feet. As far as the wood goes you can't throw a rock anywhere on our property without hitting either a beetle-killed pine or drought -killed cedar so our wood supply is bone-dry. We don't cut anything except standing wood that's been dead for at least a couple of years.

 

[begreen]

18 ft should be close to adequate, though there are circumstances where it may not be, especially if this is a one story addition to a 2 story home. This together with a 7,000 ft elevation can weaken draft.