So much smoke with our insert - any ideas?

[ajjava]

We've had this insert for a year now. Every time we light it, we have to suffer through inferno-level smoke throughout the house. I'm talking smoke alarms are blaring, can't see or breathe, open-all-the-doors SMOKE. Research taught us to warm the flue before lighting, so we do. We've transformed a large piece of cardboard by cutting a hole in the middle, one just large enough to hold a hair dryer. We cover the opening with it, and run the dryer for a good 20 minutes. Then, we light a fire-starter. Then we gradually add kindling and, finally, newspaper. No matter what, the house fills with smoke. It's really, REALLY frustrating, especially given the cost of the insert. What the heck else can we try?

 

[bholler]

We've had this insert for a year now. Every time we light it, we have to suffer through inferno-level smoke throughout the house. I'm talking smoke alarms are blaring, can't see or breathe, open-all-the-doors SMOKE. Research taught us to warm the flue before lighting, so we do. We've transformed a large piece of cardboard by cutting a hole in the middle, one just large enough to hold a hair dryer. We cover the opening with it, and run the dryer for a good 20 minutes. Then, we light a fire-starter. Then we gradually add kindling and, finally, newspaper. No matter what, the house fills with smoke. It's really, REALLY frustrating, especially given the cost of the insert. What the heck else can we try?

Have you tried opening a nearby window to see if it is a negative pressure issue? Is the insert installed with a full liner? If so is it insulated?

 

[begreen]

Were the chimney liner and cap cleaned before starting to burn this season?

Is this insert installed on the bottom floor or basement of the house?

 

[Dix]

What kind of a stove is it? (Please add to your signature line ! )

Is the air control open??

Welcome to the forums !!

 

[Woody Stover]

Is the insert installed with a full liner? If so is it insulated?

And how tall is the chimney?

What kind of a stove is it?

BK?

 

[Bad LP]

It happened to me at our old house. The fire department cleans chimneys at the start of the heating season as a fund raiser. Well one of the guys broke off the brush and left it in the flue pipe without telling anyone.

The Deputy, who was a good friend of mine and I had a rather blunt conversation about it.

 

[begreen]

@ajjava did you find the source of the problem? Sometimes it is a simple as finding a bird nest in the chimney. Hope that is the case here, but we can't help further without a response.

 

[Riddlefiddle]

Is your wood dry?

 

[FPX Dude]

Sometimes the "stack effect" will do that, but a hair dryer for a 1min or so., (not 20mins., that crazy), should get it going up the chimney. Open a local window for a little bit, then test with a lighter flame or otherwise to make sure the direction is going up before you light. I usually light a fire starter and hold it up to flue to make sure it's going, then light everything.

 

[jetsam]

Did it work when it was first installed?

All the common causes are covered by the excellent answers above!

 

[Ludlow]

Baffle blanket is bunched up maybe? Sounds like it has been a problem from the very beginning. Hold your phone up above the baffle and post a pic of that area.

 

[EBFIRE]

If it isn't obstructed in any way than it' just a reverse draft and is common. I need to open at least one window for a few minutes with the door to my insert open to get things flowing the right way. With the insulated liner and direct connection to insert it's a freeway for cold air to come down chimney. I have filled my house with smoke rushing to light the fire too soon. I run a grill lighter in the insert to check draft near liner exit. When it's real cold the reverse draft blows the lighter out instantaneously.

 

[Woody Stover]

@ajjava did you find the source of the problem? Sometimes it is a simple as finding a bird nest in the chimney.

Gee, I hope he didn't gas himself.
Don't mess with the Chimney Swift, they are federally protected. From WIKI, "The chimney swift is a medium-sized, sooty gray bird..."