Co Problem

Rob R. wrote:Poor draft? Have you checked the flue pipe for fly ash?

Well since I originally did this post I had 2 more issues with co in the basement. Normally I do not do a mid season cleaning but since today was pretty warm and I had the time I figured might as well see if I can figure out what is causing this. I shut the stove off last night and today I cleaned out the draft tubes with a brush and vacuumed all the fly ash. I took off the barometric damper and pipe and to my surprise there was 2-3 inches of fly ash in it. I vacuumed out the pipe to the chimney and brushed out and vacuumed out the rest of the pipe. I put it all back together (the temperature in the house was 66 degrees at this time) and started her up. Readjusted everything after burning on a full burn for a little while. Now my full burn manometer reading is just under -.03 and on idle it is reading -.02. Now my draft is as strong as the day the stove was put in. This has not only solved my co issue but also my low draft problem at idle. Never had this much fly ash in the previous 2 years burning. Does anyone know if because this year I am burning buckwheat that could have caused the issue or could it be the quality of the coal. The coal does seem to burn good and put out nice heat. I don't know what could have caused so much fly ash. Kudos to Rob R. you hit the nail on the head. Too bad I couldn't get to it sooner. I was able to keep the draft at bay by keep adjusting the combustion blower (closing it most of the way on warmer days and then opening it up more on colder days). Also I've noticed that when I take a reading on the manometer it isn't bouncing near as much.

Thanks to everyone for their help!!!!!!

Rich

Rich9876 wrote:

Rob R. wrote:Poor draft? Have you checked the flue pipe for fly ash?

Well since I originally did this post I had 2 more issues with co in the basement. Normally I do not do a mid season cleaning but since today was pretty warm and I had the time I figured might as well see if I can figure out what is causing this. I shut the stove off last night and today I cleaned out the draft tubes with a brush and vacuumed all the fly ash. I took off the barometric damper and pipe and to my surprise there was 2-3 inches of fly ash in it. I vacuumed out the pipe to the chimney and brushed out and vacuumed out the rest of the pipe. I put it all back together (the temperature in the house was 66 degrees at this time) and started her up. Readjusted everything after burning on a full burn for a little while. Now my full burn manometer reading is just under -.03 and on idle it is reading -.02. Now my draft is as strong as the day the stove was put in. This has not only solved my co issue but also my low draft problem at idle. Never had this much fly ash in the previous 2 years burning. Does anyone know if because this year I am burning buckwheat that could have caused the issue or could it be the quality of the coal. The coal does seem to burn good and put out nice heat. I don't know what could have caused so much fly ash. Kudos to Rob R. you hit the nail on the head. Too bad I couldn't get to it sooner. I was able to keep the draft at bay by keep adjusting the convection blower (closing it most of the way on warmer days and then opening it up more on colder days). Also I've noticed that when I take a reading on the manometer it isn't bouncing near as much.

Thanks to everyone for their help!!!!!!

Rich

Might you mean combustion blower???

Rich9876 wrote:I don't know what could have caused so much fly ash.

Maybe because the temps have been so much colder this year and you are burning more coal. We all should be checking for fly ash based on the amount burned, not by the number of months burning.

Yes combustion blower. That is a very good point Titleist1. Just didn't know if coal quality or the fact I went from rice to buckwheat had anything to do with it.