Vermont Castings Intrepid
Draft Testing
An easy way to test your chimney draft is to close the stove’s damper, wait a few minutes to let the airflow stabilize, then see whether you can vary the strength of the fire by swinging the air control open and closed. Re- sults are not always instant; you may need to wait a few minutes for a change in the air control setting to have an effect on the fire. If there’s no change, then the draft isn’t strong enough yet to let you close the damper, and you’ll need to open it for a while longer and manage the fire with the air inlet until the draft strengthens. If you keep track of your burning habits and relate them to their effects on the stove’s operation, you’ll be rewarded with good performance and a safe system.
Negative Pressure
Good draft also depends on a supply of air to the stove; a chimney can’t pull in more air than is available to it. Sluggish draft results when a house is tight enough to prevent the ready flow of air to the stove, or by competi- tion between the stove and other equipment that sends indoor air outside - especially
sealed, in the case of fireplaces and/or other stoves), then you simply need to be careful with timing the use of the other equipment. If you need to crack a nearby window or door to enable the chimney to draw well, that’s a sign that you should install an
Conclusion
Woodburning is an art rather than a science. Once the stove and chimney system are in place, the stove user can only vary technique, mostly your timing, to achieve good results. If you keep track of your burning habits and relate them to their effects on the stove’s operation, you’ll be rewarded with good performance and a safe system.
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