What will create a larger up draft?

[MagdalenaP]

We have some major wind gusts coming our way. Last year we had North winds that ended up coming down our chimney and smoke started billowing in. We tried hard to reverse the draft, opened up the air and added a ton of cardboard and 2x4's, it worked somewhat, a few puffs. We did not end up getting a different chimney cap, as it has only happened once in the past 5 years that we've had our stove.

Anyways, I'm wondering, to keep up with the up draft:

1. Is it better to keep the air open and less wood?
Or, 2. More wood, air intake semi closed?

More wood, more heat, more up draft?

Any other tips/ideas? I also read that slightly cracking a window near the stove might help.

Thank you in advance

Edit to add: We never have issues lighting the stove in the morning. Rarely do we get smoke when opening the stove. This is just an issue with NORTH wind gusts. I'm not asking for advice on caps/moving the stove/extending the chimney. Just about the 2 questions I've asked, thank you!

 

[Eman85]

Opening the air equals hotter fire which should create a stronger draft but you can't beat mother nature.

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

Opening a window on the windward side of the house might help. Any opening on the leeward side is likely to make it worse. If you have air leaks you can reduce on the leeward side, that might help also. Problem leaks can be sneaky and only show up when the draft damper is overcome by winds - dryer vent, range hood vent, generally any kind of exhaust or inlet opening can be a culprit.

 

[Murray01]

Heat your stove pipe with a heat gun before lighting or stuff a blow torch in the firebox. You should be able to tell if the heat gun/blow torch is working by lighting a match just outside the door with it opened a crack. The match flame will tell you which way the draft is going.

 

[MagdalenaP]

The stove is running well right now and I'm topping up...soon I'll be in a bikini! haha

Rocky, thanks for the info about windward and leeward!

Another question: Our house is a 2 story, we today are only heating the main floor where the woodstove is.

Would be be a better idea to open a door to our 2nd story bedrooms? Or would that be worse for draft?

 

[bigealta]

We have some major wind gusts coming our way. Last year we had North winds that ended up coming down our chimney and smoke started billowing in. We tried hard to reverse the draft, opened up the air and added a ton of cardboard and 2x4's, it worked somewhat, a few puffs. We did not end up getting a different chimney cap, as it has only happened once in the past 5 years that we've had our stove.

Anyways, I'm wondering, to keep up with the up draft:

1. Is it better to keep the air open and less wood?
Or, 2. More wood, air intake semi closed?

More wood, more heat, more up draft?

Any other tips/ideas? I also read that slightly cracking a window near the stove might help.

Thank you in advance

Edit to add: We never have issues lighting the stove in the morning. Rarely do we get smoke when opening the stove. This is just an issue with NORTH wind gusts. I'm not asking for advice on caps/moving the stove/extending the chimney. Just about the 2 questions I've asked, thank you!

I have the same problem with NW winds in Utah. If i know those winds are coming i don't have a fire. Tried hot stove and more closed vent and for me i can't stop back puffing if the wind is strong enough.

 

[Caw]

As a fellow big dog owner I'm enjoying your wolfhound!

Ok dog break over back to the thread!

 

[vatmark]

We have the same issue with northerly winds. If I know it is going to be really windy I won't start a fire. We have had issues several times with some back drafting where smoke came out of some areas of the stove and wisps from stove pipe. One time we had a good fire going for a while. Big gust of wind sent air down the chimney and put the fire out completely.