My Log Burner...

Do you run the log burner and the open fire together? And is the route open between the two fires, i.e. the doors are open between the two room?

As the log burner could be affecting the draw of the open fire or vice versa. Happens in pubs with multiple stoves, they battle for flue draw. You can check this by opening a window slightly.

Cold block isnt a physical block, its the cold air the chimney which hasn't shifted, usually in the lighting of the stove. If you close it down to quickly there isnt enough heat in the flue, and therefore the smoke hits the cold air and starts to spill back out into the room.
 
No, haven't run both side by side. My wife generally has the log burner on in the day and then the open fire on when i get home later on.

We don't have any controls on the open fire to close it down early. Will try it again tonight with a window slightly open.
 
Our woodburner is a mare to light when its cold. Getting it started is not an issue. getting the flue hot enough to draw is. We have good draw but we have a high chimney stack and shifting that cold air is a pain. As we've just renovated that room I dont fancy filling it with smoke again

So out comes the plumbing gas torch and I pre warm the firebox now.
 
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The guy I worked for had woodburner in his garage/gym and that had problems drawing in cold weather - He was to tight to buy double skin flue pipe for outside and that needed blow torch on steel flue in gym before it would work without having a smoke fog in gym. Don't think he ever cured it.

If you have a fire every day that might warm up chimney over a period of a few days - then it might work. - Do you have a flue liner ??
 
DXP55 said:
The guy I worked for had woodburner in his garage/gym and that had problems drawing in cold weather - He was to tight to buy double skin flue pipe for outside and that needed blow torch on steel flue in gym before it would work without having a smoke fog in gym. Don't think he ever cured it.

If you have a fire every day that might warm up chimney over a period of a few days - then it might work. - Do you have a flue liner ??
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Yes we have a flue liner. We also have a nasty bend in the chimney. Its only when its cold and damp really. It draws really well when hot.
 
mattyg said:
Yes we have a flue liner. We also have a nasty bend in the chimney. Its only when its cold and damp really. It draws really well when hot.
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Did they fill round the flue liner when it was installed - I poured bag of vermiculite down mine and each year after I sweep it I top it up - This is due to brushes moving flue liner up and down slightly and packing what is already there.- I am a bungalow though

This guy I worked for made his own flue pipe for inside (owned metal fabricating com) and that did a 45 deg into wall with 45 deg outside with single skin on - I could understand that being a cold flue but not yours if it's inside a brick chimney.. - This one when lit just leaked smoke from every joint and crack it could find and filled room with smoke -none went up chimney till I got it warm with blow lamp - I know how you feel - And it worked fine when hot. - He asked me if I could fix it but he wouldn't pay for SS double skin flue.
 
I always thought the flue pulls better when its cold outside, get a real roaring fire going quickly.

Tend to build upside down fires, on a bed of crumpled newspaper, with a couple of bio firelighter packets from amazon, light up, leave door ajar, and its roaring in 4 mins.
 
If it is a cold (or especially cold and damp) day we always make a very small fire to warm the flue up. Even just sticking a couple of firelighters in and letting them burn out first. It seems to really help with stopping the smoke falling back down at the start.
 
I have always been under the impression that hot air rises and cold air falls - So if you have a cold flue full of cold air then the hot or warm air of a just lit fire can't rise past the cold air blockage - A good insulated flue won't let the air get to cold to stop the hot air rising. I count myself lucky I have never had a cold flue even though the chimney was quite high - I had 8ft ceilings x2 plus 8ft loft height and high chimney on top. - The walls of chimney in upstairs bedrooms were very warm - almost like a storage heater so that kept flues warm for most of early morning and into early afternoon - then lighting fire at tea time was a doddle.
 
DXP55 said:
I have always been under the impression that hot air rises and cold air falls - So if you have a cold flue full of cold air then the hot or warm air of a just lit fire can't rise past the cold air blockage - A good insulated flue won't let the air get to cold to stop the hot air rising. I count myself lucky I have never had a cold flue even though the chimney was quite high - I had 8ft ceilings x2 plus 8ft loft height and high chimney on top. - The walls of chimney in upstairs bedrooms were very warm - almost like a storage heater so that kept flues warm for most of early morning and into early afternoon - then lighting fire at tea time was a doddle.
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We have 3 floors of 11fT+ ceilings. Plus about 8ft above the roofline. I'll try with just some firelighters next time see if that is enough to warm the flue.

To be honest it may just be because we are mid renovation and downstairs was COLD due to having floors up and gaps in outside walls etc.
 
I’m considering having a log burner fitted in my dining room. Its probably more for looks as I’ve just fitted a full brand new central heating system throughout however I’m sure it will get used occasionally.
The Saltfire ST1 vision seems decent enough, has anyone got any experience with it or could recommend something else around the same price point?
 
Camalot said:
Hi guys,

I have a log burner in living room but yet to finish it. What wood is appropriate for a mantle piece and surround? Would i need to treat it first?

Cheers.
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Any wood really A good Oak beam seems to be the popular choice though. Same with TV's completely ok to hang over a wood burning fireplace.
 
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