What to do when things go wrong

[SculptureOfSound]

Hi guys, just curious how you handle - or would handle - a situation where the stove needed attending but for some reason you had to leave the house (emergency, critical meeting, etc.)

I ask because today I tried to start my stove and it was a bear to start. I had a lot of smoke rollout and had to keep the door cracked for almost 45 minutes, and the fire was just barely sustaining itself. I went on the roof and sure enough, clogged spark arrestor.

If I would have closed and latched the door the fire would have died and smoked out the house. If I left it open too long - it did eventually start to take off a bit - I would have overfired the stove. Thankfully I had nowhere to be and could take then hour needed to get this fire crawling along but I can't help but think and worry about what to do if some other situation comes up that requires leaving when the stove needs attending to.

Anyone ever had something like that happen?

Curious to hear how you all would handle such a situation.

 

[begreen]

If time was short I probably would have removed the any ignited wood from the stove and placed it in a metal can on a non-combustible surface. If I had an additional 10 minutes I might have pulled the cap to see if it was just the screen or some serious accumulation was also building in the pipe.

 

[missedbass]

You may want to figure out why it was clogged already, Sounds like not enough air or wet wood

 

[BIGChrisNH]

I agree with missedbass. If your spark arrest or was clogged I would think about what caused the blockage. Perhaps think about a bi weekly check of that component if it’s feasible. In my case over the years I’ve tried to resist the urge to feel like I “have to” have a fire if I’m really tight on time. It’s easier said than done sometimes, I hate a cold house as much as the next man. Wood heat is wonderful but it does require an investment of time. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Happy holidays and please be safe

 

[SculptureOfSound]

The weird thing was I had too much draft just two weeks ago. In an effort to combat that I blocked off the doghouse air and also turned down a bit too much and too early. It seemed like everything was fine in the middle stage of the burn but I must have cut off too much air because I'd wake up to a partial log of charcoal. Draft was worse the next day but I thought it was just because I was dijnga cold start and the dryer was running. That fire didn't burn right though and I was starting to wonder what was up. Then today's disaster was the next fire.

I'm going to sweep tonight and see how much accumulation was actually in the pipe vs just the cap. I typically run rather hot 600+ stove top, so I think its mostly just at the cap and from me cutting off all the doghouse air.

Anyhow, still curious to hear what people would do in weird emergency situations. Like say you had just had a cold start and it wasn't ready to have the air turned back, but of course you don't want to leave the air open either.

Pulling the wood is an option, although in a scenario where the wood was really cooking that seems like it could be dangerous and definitely smoky! Perhaps the best alternative in some scenarios, though

 

[Allagash350]

I mean if it was a true emergency and you had to leave I would have probably pulled the wood out of the fire and thrown it in a snowbank then left.
It would need to be a real emergency though for me to leave the stove if I wasn't 100% comfortable though I will say that.

 

[nola mike]

I'll err on the side of caution. Choke it all the way down and look at the billowing smoke coming out of your chimney with shame. Much rather have a smoldering fire when I'm not there than an overfire.

 

[Ludlow]

Toss in a Chimfex, then take the wood out and throw in the snow before it flames up again. Dont forget to time the Chimfex so we know how fast it works!

 

[bholler]

If i had to leave i would just shut the air all the way and left.

 

[begreen]

I'll err on the side of caution. Choke it all the way down and look at the billowing smoke coming out of your chimney with shame. Much rather have a smoldering fire when I'm not there than an overfire.

A smoldering fire with subpar wood can lead to some wicked puffbacks. Why I wouldn't risk it.

 

[firefighterjake]

A smoldering fire with subpar wood can lead to some wicked puffbacks. Why I wouldn't risk it.

Not to mention that the OP said it was smoking up the house . . . and coming back to a house full of smoke isn't very pleasant.

I would do as others have said . . . extinguish the fire and remove the wood.

That said . . . I have never been in this situation.

 

[nola mike]

I guess it depends on the draft. If you're dressing well, would back Puffs still be an issue? And again, if you had a good draft, you shouldn't have any smoke intrusion into the house. don't know that extinguishing the fire and removing the wood would be either a time-saver, or help with the smoke

 

[Ricknasty]

I guess it depends on the draft. If you're dressing well, would back Puffs still be an issue? And again, if you had a good draft, you shouldn't have any smoke intrusion into the house. don't know that extinguishing the fire and removing the wood would be either a time-saver, or help with the smoke

I dont see how the man's outfit would affect the puffbacks

 

[begreen]

I dont see how the man's outfit would affect the puffbacks

 

[nola mike]

A man's outfit affects everything

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I dont see how the man's outfit would affect the puffbacks

I've always wondered why chimney sweeps wear tuxedos and top hats. I think we may be on to something here.

 

[Sawset]

Yes it has happened here at least twice. Once when there was a stretch of consistently cold temps (several weeks of well below zero temps and a plugged cap), and once with strangely mild temps (pronounced air inversion). I keep a pair of welders gloves in the kindling box, so after fiddling with startup a bit too long, and smoke rolling out and no sign of it correcting itself, out it all went and into the snow bank. Brush the pipes and clean the cap, and wait for better weather condions were the solutions. Not sure what I was wearing, but most likely green dickies and a red plaid jack shirt. And if there truely was an emergency, and I didn't have time to comfortably do it right, and if it was too far along to remove it all, then I would shut everything half to most of the way and call it good for now, realizing that whatever gets messed up can be inspected and corrected later.