Barometric Damper

I'm sure this maybe has been covered before, but I was wondering if I could get a lil more info on barometric dampers. I have a Harmon Mark 1 with a 6" stove pipe that clears the peak of the roof by 3 foot. I'm not sure the total height of the pipe, maybe 15 to 20 feet. Today when I was leaving for work the wind was really bad. When I was setting the stove up before I left, it seemed the draft coming down the pipe into the stove had more control than the stove draft could control. More or less with the draft almost shut the flames would rage up at times. I was wondering if a barometric damper would control that. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also I was curious is it better to let the coal burn almost out before adding coal or does it matter?

hi vaguy
I think that a properly set baro is the way to go I have one on my harman mark I and it is great i get consitant 12 to 14 hr burns if at all posible you want to try not to let the fire get to low before reloading

In addition to regulating the draft on a solid & oil fired burner, the baro damper is also a safety device used to prevent downdrafts from reaching the firebox. A strong draft in the wrong direction could be a hazard, especially on a windy day.
I got a face full of ash last year when I wasn't being careful on a windy day and my baro was sealed off with tin foil.

Cap wrote:In addition to regulating the draft on a solid & oil fired burner, the baro damper is also a safety device used to prevent downdrafts from reaching the firebox. A strong draft in the wrong direction could be a hazard, especially on a windy day.
I got a face full of ash last year when I wasn't being careful on a windy day and my baro was sealed off with tin foil.

I had smoke pouring out of the air intakes on the wood stove (that I had where the Harman is now) due to a sudden gust of wind and a strong downdraft. So much for the chimney cap that was suposed to prevent wind-induced down drafts.

Do you guys close off the baro damper when reloading the stove, to increase the draft temporarily for firing off the new coal?

Vaguy wrote: Also I was curious is it better to let the coal burn almost out before adding coal or does it matter?

It matters, if you wait too long, you could lose the fire. You need to keep a full bed going. If you lose a portion, bye bye fire.

Hi vaguy, the scenario you described with a strong wind, and being unable to control the air to the fire with the vents on the stove is exactly what a baro is designed to control. Once a baro is installed and set, you will have a much more consistant draft, and the setting of the air vents on the stove a much simpler process.

As for controling a back draft, I can't see a baro doing much to correct that, I'll have to look at my baro and see if it can flip backwards and relieve pressure in the flue as well as excess draft [vacuum] in the flue.. I don't think it can. ??

Greg L

My baro damper won't flip backwards, the travel is limited by a tab on the side of the flap which extends into a cut out in the housing (Field Controls Type RC). However, in the closed position there is space around the flap, it is not a tight seal. That may help during a back draft to some degree.

LsFarm wrote:As for controling a back draft, I can't see a baro doing much to correct that, I'll have to look at my baro and see if it can flip backwards and relieve pressure in the flue as well as excess draft [vacuum] in the flue.. I don't think it can. ??

Nope, it can't do that. You want a chimney cap for that.

Greg, Coalsweat,

What am I missing here?

Last year when I wrapped foil on my baro in order to increase draft to help revive a fire, a strong wind blew ash out of the ash pan door as it was open at the time. The wind also blew or nearly popped a hole in the foil as the flapper attempted to blow open. I was using the heavy duty foil, the type you use on the barbecue grill. It held back the wind. And I do have a flue cap, a very nice one. And for what it's worth, I read somewhere, a baro protects from wind down drafting back into the box?

duplicate

A cap will help reduce the effects of the wind significantly but will not stop downdrafts completly. There are skirted caps that are more effective, but they look like something from Star Wars, pretty ugly on a house.

coaledsweat wrote:A cap will help reduce the effects of the wind significantly but will not stop downdrafts completly. There are skirted caps that are more effective, but they look like something from Star Wars, pretty ugly on a house.

Agreed. I have a standard stainless steel cap with a screen on the chimney. It does help regarding down drafts due to wind, but I've had short down drafts due to extreme gusts of wind. It mainly keeps water from entering the chimney during rain storms.

I'm gonna check into getting one next week. This forum has been great, I've filled 2 pot holes in my gravel driveway so far with the ashes, and not burned my house down or had really any issues. All to which I owe thanks to the advice and information from this site. So thanks to everyone.