Why Doesn't My Hitzer 503 Heat My Small House
- freetown fred
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If you could get some insulation in that old fireplace damper hole--you'd acquire about 75% more heat in the house
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Very important that you stuff insulation there. It could make a big difference with draft. Up top also has to be sealed.Emerald7 wrote:Fred, there is no insulation or filler plate. It is a very tight squeeze up through there but I'm sure there's room for insulation. That will be one of the first things I do when this girl shuts down.
- freetown fred
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Did you shut your ash door & open those vents & open the stove damper?
- Emerald7
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I guess I could shut her down for a couple days to do that. Update, we're at 71°. I think it has been a success evening in troubleshooting the hitzer. Time for me to tweak her for the night. 4 a.m comes real early. Thank you for all your advice, greatly appreciate it!
- freetown fred
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E, the sooner you correct those issues, the more enjoyment you will get with that stove--sleep tight dude
- Emerald7
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Update, 11pm 71° damper 1/2 and air vent open 80%, temp outside was -17°. 4 am , -27° house at 63 so boiler was running, because I have it set at that temp. So not very impressed there. Now, with it wide open from 4 - 7:30 it's 65......doing something wrong, or need insulation in those areas, that is my next adventure.
- freetown fred
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You're doing the basics right--that insulation in the fireplace & top of chimney is a must--FYI--if you hired someone to do that install, you should get hold of him & punch him in the face--if you did it---wait for it---punch yourself in the face--I sure wish you would of taken advantage of this FORUM, DURING, the install Oh well, ain't hindsight a bitch
Last edited by freetown fred on Wed. Jan. 22, 2014 8:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Emerald7
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Ouch that hurt..a friend and I installed it, and yes I was told to go on the forum for advice and of course, hadn't. My temp is holding at 66 and have to leave shortly so it will be on its own until evening.
- freetown fred
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The good news is all is fixable--again, the sooner you shut down, the sooner you'll enjoy the benefits:) the fireplace GAP would be my priority--stuff the hell out of it--get foil face insulation & put as much up there as you can--NO, it will NOT catch fire. When you get that done, check back in & we'll do a step by step SETTINGS session--for the record--after burning wood for 30 + yrs, when I started with coal, I was an idiot--YEP, self proclaimed
Last edited by freetown fred on Wed. Jan. 22, 2014 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
- michaelanthony
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I can honestly say that I have never heard a person running there Hizter with air vents open 80% and not being blown out of the room by the heat. Could there be fly ash build up in the turn up the chimney...HAVE YOU ORDERED YOU MANOMETER YET!? Do you have a c.o. detector?
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Emerald,
I suspect once you insulate the chimney are you are going to see a big improvement. Heat from your stove is getting sucked outof the house before it has a chance to well.... HEAT your home. That and MINUS 20 something temps can make it hard for any stove to keep the house around 70 or so. That is BLEEPIN' COLD. Too cold for this old South Western transplant. Don't know how you and my pal FreetownFred deal with those temps. Things on a guy could turn varioius shades of blue if left exposed. You know.. fingers.. toes.. So get your mind out the gutter Fred!
I had to stuff insulation around my exaust pipe on my unit installed in a fireplace as well. 6 inch stove pipe from the Chubby into an 8 inch opening this time around. Prior to that I used a reducer from the 8' to the 6' but wasn't really happy with that. Anyway point being I know if I didn't insulate around the pipe the chimney effect would suck the heat from the stove right up the chimney or allow a boat load of cold air to drift down and into the house.
Your Hitzer is a monster of a stove and should be able to handle keeping your house warm. Keep us posted and WELCOME to NEPA!!
I suspect once you insulate the chimney are you are going to see a big improvement. Heat from your stove is getting sucked outof the house before it has a chance to well.... HEAT your home. That and MINUS 20 something temps can make it hard for any stove to keep the house around 70 or so. That is BLEEPIN' COLD. Too cold for this old South Western transplant. Don't know how you and my pal FreetownFred deal with those temps. Things on a guy could turn varioius shades of blue if left exposed. You know.. fingers.. toes.. So get your mind out the gutter Fred!
I had to stuff insulation around my exaust pipe on my unit installed in a fireplace as well. 6 inch stove pipe from the Chubby into an 8 inch opening this time around. Prior to that I used a reducer from the 8' to the 6' but wasn't really happy with that. Anyway point being I know if I didn't insulate around the pipe the chimney effect would suck the heat from the stove right up the chimney or allow a boat load of cold air to drift down and into the house.
Your Hitzer is a monster of a stove and should be able to handle keeping your house warm. Keep us posted and WELCOME to NEPA!!
- Lightning
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The cold chimney thing makes sense.. The room air going up along the liner could be bringing it's temp down as well as causing excessive cold air infiltration from outside cannibalizing your attempts to raise the temperature of the room. Not only that, the neutral pressure plane is raised higher in the house, further hurting negative pressure strength in the stove relative to the room..Emerald7 wrote:I have a 995 sq ft home, with a 17' tile lined chimney and a 6" liner, then with a chimney cap.
Not meant to make it complicated just needs sealed is all...
Like franco b said, top and bottom...
- Dennis
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when you have the ash pan open for that long,what does the fire look like,if you can take a pic. of it,so we can see if the fire is starving for air or a raging inferno.That hitzer should heat your little house without a problem.And welcome,you'll get it straightened out.Emerald7 wrote:So not very impressed there. Now, with it wide open from 4 - 7:30 it's 65......doing something wrong,
- Emerald7
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Dennis,
here's a pic with ash pan door open and damper. The only way I can get heat out of her. Shut the ash pan door, and leave the air vents open and damper half way and she starts to act starved, and this is afer its been shook and pan emptied.....what the _heck.
someone asked the question if I had a co2 monitor and yes I have 2. After this fire burns out I will insulate over the weekend and try to stop this craziness. Its driving me NUTS! Guess my pic didn't upload, I will try again.
here's a pic with ash pan door open and damper. The only way I can get heat out of her. Shut the ash pan door, and leave the air vents open and damper half way and she starts to act starved, and this is afer its been shook and pan emptied.....what the _heck.
someone asked the question if I had a co2 monitor and yes I have 2. After this fire burns out I will insulate over the weekend and try to stop this craziness. Its driving me NUTS! Guess my pic didn't upload, I will try again.