That is correct, Clearview do not recommend the use of fire lighters. The reason is that certain firelighters contain chemicals that can react with the glass in certain conditions. The problem only occurs with the stove door closed, when air is drawn through the airwash system and only when the firelighters contain chemicals. That is why I leave the door ajar whilst the firelighters are burning, avoiding the problem. Also I recommend eco firelighters that do not contain petro-chemicals.
I was having smoke come out of the front of the fireplace. It would come out regularly regardless of how long the fire was burning. It turned out that our stove pipe was not long enough since when had a few 45 degree bends in it. We added 2 feet to the stove pipe and the fire burns without throwing smoke in the room. You have to make sure the stove pipe is supported well on the roof.
Absolutely, a short flue can definitely cause problems. Part J of building regs (in England) states a minimum of 4.5 metres high for a closed appliance and 5m for an open fire. Also there should be no more than four offsets, no more than 20% of the total flue can be offset and the offsets should be no greater than 45deg from vertical.(or less than 45 degrees from horizontal). So for example on a 5m flue 1m is the maximum run that can be offset. Some manufacturers will specify a different height which overrides building regs. Always best to check, check again and then check yet again.
I have fabricated a super efficient wood burning stove .. The afterburner chamber air is drawn in by the flue draft . a flame held near to the afterburner air inlet ports will indicate the airflow in the flue . if the flame is drawn into the flue , ok . if not then the flue will need pre - heating to establish an updraft.
@@TheMasterSweepTV well I'm quite proud of myself. Despite my fear of heights I went on the roof and you were spot on. The flue was absolutely clogged. All nice and clear now. And my open fire is back to giving off heat instead of back firing. I can't thank you enough.
Well done! Incredibly dangerous if left! I’m sure you already do this but it’s very important to ensure you get it professionally swept regularly (a minimum of once a year is recommended and more frequently if required) 👍🏼
@@TheMasterSweepTV there was a gas fire there and I've had it capped off and the pipe moved away, buy a professional obviously. Behind it was an open fire. It was working really well for about 6 - 7 maybe 8 months until the smoke started to come back into the living room. The top of the chimney looks like an upside-down pottery plant pot with vents. The vents were clogged up with what looked like mud and moss so I scraped it all the way and opened the vents up. I really can't believe the difference. It's burning better than it did the first time. But then I suppose years of being used for a gas fire. I have no idea how important vents were. The open fire certainly warms the room up better than the gas fire ever did. I will be booking a chimney sweep to do it properly because I really do not want to be getting up on that roof again. A man might be a bit more flexible. But I'm afraid this old lady wants to take things easy 🤣 thank you once again.
@@Mouzle That sounds alarming! The terminal you are describing sounds like a GC5 cowl which are only suitable for Gas and Oil burning appliances and must never be used with solid fuel appliances. The reason they should never be used with solid fuel is the vents are too restrictive and get blocked up very quickly. Sounds like that is what has happened to you. I would stop using it immediately and get a professional sweep out to check it before you use it again. If you email me a picture of the cowl/terminal I can confirm the type of cowl for you.
Apologies! Didn't mean to delete you, just wanted to reply to your previous comment and must have clicked delete by mistake. Please feel free to re-post!
What about the 4th cause; the flu (many have been replaced in the original chimneys) is too small for the fire place opening into the room, such that the chimney can't cope with the volume of air hence smoke entering
Absolutely right, hence my previous question about the fireplace size. There are set ventilation sizes in the building regulations for standard fireplaces (in the Uk) assuming the flue size is correct at 200mm diameter (or equivalent cross sectional area) and minimum height. Once you go above ‘standard’ you need to calculate the requirements. As a general rule the flue should be 15% of the fireplace opening and the ventilation 50% of the flue. As with all things this isn’t absolute and even with all the correct numbers sometimes they still don’t work! On the flip side we see quite a lot of open fires on 6” liners, doesn’t meet building regs but often they work perfectly, especially on tall chimneys. Having a flue that is too large can also cause smoking back. Mechanical extraction can also be a big factor.
Hi, firstly the only way to be 100% sure the flue is clear is to check the flue internally from top to bottom even if it is new. We have found brand new flues blocked with plastic bags or liners that have been crushed during installation causing massive restriction. Next check the appliance is properly installed and working as it should. Then check the fuel is dry and of good quality and the appliance is being operated correctly. Once that has all been established it is a case of either inadequate air supply or inadequate draw. A simple test is to open a window or door slightly and see if that cures the problem. If so it is inadequate air supply and ventilation should be provided (When checking ventilation there are other factors to be taken into account such as the age and air tightness of the building, flue draft stabiliser, mechanical extraction etc.) If that doesn’t cure it then it is most likely an issue with the flue design, usually too short, incorrect termination, incorrect cross sectional area, too many offsets, incorrectly installed etc. A series of tests can determine this which should be undertaken by an experienced professional with the correct equipment.
Hi, great video. I have an open wood fire, it works great when the living room door is open. When I close the living room door smoke rolls out of the fire. I can literally command the fire and smoke by opening and closing the living room door. I think the room is too tight. Do you think a smoke guard could solve the issue (the fire opening is quite large). Note - the fire has no damper and was recently cleaned. hoping you can help.
Hi is it normal that when I've filled my fire up and it's almost burnt all the wood when I open the door to restock it some smoke comes out of the door.
That is not normal it is known as 'spillage' and could indicate an issue. It would be wise to get that checked to determine the cause as it could be one of a few things....
Usually inadequate draw in the chimney. Common causes are Chimney is too short, badly designed or restricted due to build up internally, or simply not hot enough. Could also be inadequate ventilation to the room. It is quite common to have this issue with a cold flue but once up to working temperature it should not happen when re fuelling (unless the door is pulled open too quickly). Ventilation is an easy test. When the problem occurs open a window or door to the room and try again. If it cures the spillage then ventilation is the issue. If not it’s most likely a problem with the flue. (assuming you are burning good fuel and operating the stove correctly and there is no mechanical extraction in the room) Hope that helps.
@@dna314 It may well help short term (depending what the issue is) but the problem with spinning cowls is they are prone to getting clogged up and require maintaining frequently. If they stop spinning they seriously restrict the flue gasses. The best solution where possible is no cowl as that is the least restrictive but if you really do need one an anti downdraft cowl may be an option. Without seeing the installation it is impossible for me to do anything other than speculate of course.....
That is correct, Clearview do not recommend the use of fire lighters. The reason is that certain firelighters contain chemicals that can react with the glass in certain conditions. The problem only occurs with the stove door closed, when air is drawn through the airwash system and only when the firelighters contain chemicals. That is why I leave the door ajar whilst the firelighters are burning, avoiding the problem. Also I recommend eco firelighters that do not contain petro-chemicals.
I was having smoke come out of the front of the fireplace. It would come out regularly regardless of how long the fire was burning. It turned out that our stove pipe was not long enough since when had a few 45 degree bends in it. We added 2 feet to the stove pipe and the fire burns without throwing smoke in the room. You have to make sure the stove pipe is supported well on the roof.
Absolutely, a short flue can definitely cause problems. Part J of building regs (in England) states a minimum of 4.5 metres high for a closed appliance and 5m for an open fire. Also there should be no more than four offsets, no more than 20% of the total flue can be offset and the offsets should be no greater than 45deg from vertical.(or less than 45 degrees from horizontal). So for example on a 5m flue 1m is the maximum run that can be offset. Some manufacturers will specify a different height which overrides building regs. Always best to check, check again and then check yet again.
I have fabricated a super efficient wood burning stove .. The afterburner chamber air is drawn in by the flue draft . a flame held near to the afterburner air inlet ports will indicate the airflow in the flue . if the flame is drawn into the flue , ok . if not then the flue will need pre - heating to establish an updraft.
good observations .and excellent advice.nice clear video instructions.
Thank you. I will try pushing the hot air up before lighting. Lets see!
That is helpful thanks
Thank you for explaining that. It was great the first time. Now all of a sudden it's like I'm sitting in the actual chimney.
Oh Dear! It might be wise to get the flue/chimney checked if it persists….
@@TheMasterSweepTV well I'm quite proud of myself. Despite my fear of heights I went on the roof and you were spot on. The flue was absolutely clogged. All nice and clear now. And my open fire is back to giving off heat instead of back firing. I can't thank you enough.
Well done! Incredibly dangerous if left! I’m sure you already do this but it’s very important to ensure you get it professionally swept regularly (a minimum of once a year is recommended and more frequently if required) 👍🏼
@@TheMasterSweepTV there was a gas fire there and I've had it capped off and the pipe moved away, buy a professional obviously. Behind it was an open fire. It was working really well for about 6 - 7 maybe 8 months until the smoke started to come back into the living room. The top of the chimney looks like an upside-down pottery plant pot with vents. The vents were clogged up with what looked like mud and moss so I scraped it all the way and opened the vents up. I really can't believe the difference. It's burning better than it did the first time. But then I suppose years of being used for a gas fire. I have no idea how important vents were. The open fire certainly warms the room up better than the gas fire ever did. I will be booking a chimney sweep to do it properly because I really do not want to be getting up on that roof again. A man might be a bit more flexible. But I'm afraid this old lady wants to take things easy 🤣 thank you once again.
@@Mouzle That sounds alarming! The terminal you are describing sounds like a GC5 cowl which are only suitable for Gas and Oil burning appliances and must never be used with solid fuel appliances. The reason they should never be used with solid fuel is the vents are too restrictive and get blocked up very quickly. Sounds like that is what has happened to you. I would stop using it immediately and get a professional sweep out to check it before you use it again. If you email me a picture of the cowl/terminal I can confirm the type of cowl for you.
Very helpful. Thanks.
Apologies! Didn't mean to delete you, just wanted to reply to your previous comment and must have clicked delete by mistake. Please feel free to re-post!
That's a case of inadequate air supply. You will need to provide ventilation. What's the size of the fireplace opening?
What about the 4th cause;
the flu (many have been replaced in the original chimneys) is too small for the fire place opening into the room, such that the chimney can't cope with the volume of air hence smoke entering
Absolutely right, hence my previous question about the fireplace size. There are set ventilation sizes in the building regulations for standard fireplaces (in the Uk) assuming the flue size is correct at 200mm diameter (or equivalent cross sectional area) and minimum height. Once you go above ‘standard’ you need to calculate the requirements. As a general rule the flue should be 15% of the fireplace opening and the ventilation 50% of the flue. As with all things this isn’t absolute and even with all the correct numbers sometimes they still don’t work! On the flip side we see quite a lot of open fires on 6” liners, doesn’t meet building regs but often they work perfectly, especially on tall chimneys. Having a flue that is too large can also cause smoking back. Mechanical extraction can also be a big factor.
What if your multi flue burner is new so can’t be a blockage in flue pipe ?
Hi, firstly the only way to be 100% sure the flue is clear is to check the flue internally from top to bottom even if it is new. We have found brand new flues blocked with plastic bags or liners that have been crushed during installation causing massive restriction. Next check the appliance is properly installed and working as it should. Then check the fuel is dry and of good quality and the appliance is being operated correctly. Once that has all been established it is a case of either inadequate air supply or inadequate draw. A simple test is to open a window or door slightly and see if that cures the problem. If so it is inadequate air supply and ventilation should be provided (When checking ventilation there are other factors to be taken into account such as the age and air tightness of the building, flue draft stabiliser, mechanical extraction etc.) If that doesn’t cure it then it is most likely an issue with the flue design, usually too short, incorrect termination, incorrect cross sectional area, too many offsets, incorrectly installed etc. A series of tests can determine this which should be undertaken by an experienced professional with the correct equipment.
I got deleted :(
Thank you this happened to me
Glad it was helpful. 👍🏼
Hi, great video. I have an open wood fire, it works great when the living room door is open. When I close the living room door smoke rolls out of the fire. I can literally command the fire and smoke by opening and closing the living room door. I think the room is too tight. Do you think a smoke guard could solve the issue (the fire opening is quite large). Note - the fire has no damper and was recently cleaned. hoping you can help.
Lee Riley having the same issues. What did you find that worked?
Hi is it normal that when I've filled my fire up and it's almost burnt all the wood when I open the door to restock it some smoke comes out of the door.
That is not normal it is known as 'spillage' and could indicate an issue. It would be wise to get that checked to determine the cause as it could be one of a few things....
@@TheMasterSweepTV what things would normally cause that issue though
Usually inadequate draw in the chimney. Common causes are Chimney is too short, badly designed or restricted due to build up internally, or simply not hot enough. Could also be inadequate ventilation to the room. It is quite common to have this issue with a cold flue but once up to working temperature it should not happen when re fuelling (unless the door is pulled open too quickly). Ventilation is an easy test. When the problem occurs open a window or door to the room and try again. If it cures the spillage then ventilation is the issue. If not it’s most likely a problem with the flue. (assuming you are burning good fuel and operating the stove correctly and there is no mechanical extraction in the room) Hope that helps.
Thanks for the time and sharing your knowledge with us 😁 would a spinning cowl on top of my pipe help with this very much
@@dna314 It may well help short term (depending what the issue is) but the problem with spinning cowls is they are prone to getting clogged up and require maintaining frequently. If they stop spinning they seriously restrict the flue gasses. The best solution where possible is no cowl as that is the least restrictive but if you really do need one an anti downdraft cowl may be an option. Without seeing the installation it is impossible for me to do anything other than speculate of course.....