dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
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Post by dogbot on Nov 22, 2022 18:38:25 GMT
Man, I love a bit of C4! (disclaimer: and am fully qualified and certified in its handling and usage, officer 😁) quadfather cone of twigs:  Sort of thing. |
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Post by quadfather on Nov 22, 2022 18:41:03 GMT
Oh I see. More the camping / blair witch type approach - got it. Fairly similar to my sister's fella's approach, but just put a metric ton of ovals under the wood  |
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 10:45:05 GMT
Another day, another stove-related issue, and I could with some advice. Last night, after putting my final log on for the evening and shutting the stove down a bit (it was very hot by this point) I started hearing a very loud hissing / sizzling sound (think air hissing mixed with bacon frying in a pan) which got louder and louder. I tracked the sound down and it almost certainly seemed to be coming from the stove pipe, where it joins the stove. I was also getting a bit of a burning smell from the stove. I checked my chimney from outside, and I couldn't see any smoke (or flames, haha). I shut the stove down fully, and after around 30 mins when the stove started to cool, the sound subsided and eventually stopped. I had this stove installed about 2 months ago. I've never had an issue like this before, with the 3 years I had with my old stove. Anyway, I've inspected the stove closely this morning and there's a fine brown powder covering the fire cement and part of the exposed stove pipe rope seal (there's a bit of a gap... pic below). My running theory is that this brown debris (whatever it is) has somehow dropped down my chimney, got through the gap where the register plate meets the stove pipe, deposited on the stove pipe fire cement and rope seal, then started to fizzle when the stove reached a high enough temperature. I do notice bits of debris that've dropped through the register plate sitting on top of my stove quite frequently. An alternate theory is that when I had my chimney swept earlier this month, the stove pipe could have got knocked and the rope seal and/or fire cement is no longer providing a good seal, although this doesn't really explain the loud heat-related hissing noises. I've cleaned all the brown debris off now, and I'm going to apprehensively fire the stove up again today to see if that solves it, but any advice would be most welcome, thanks.   Glorious scenes just before said incident:  |
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Post by technoish on Nov 30, 2022 10:54:04 GMT
Nice, what's the stove? Looks like ours.
I'd ask the chimney sweep tbh, especially if it was done recently.
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Post by henroben on Nov 30, 2022 11:00:13 GMT
I'm presuming you've a metal flue running up your chimney - your installers should have insulated the void in the chimney with vermiculite, which is kind of light brown / yellow in colour and looks a bit like small pebbles / flakes.
Maybe the sweep was a bit too vigorous when cleaning and some is coming through the gap in the register plate - although to be honest it can't have been very well installed if you've got stuff coming through it!!
The fire cement looks like it's coming away - again, maybe badly installed? Or maybe just hasn't bonded correctly, or you've fired it all a bit too hot and the pipe has expanded more than normal and cracked it?
I'd get the guy who installed it back to look at it tbh.
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 11:03:27 GMT
Cheers, the stove's a Woodford Turing. It's not a fancy expensive stove or anything, but I just wanted something basic and efficient. I'm enjoying using it so far and the control is pretty good. Much better than my old Stovax Stockton which was noisy and uncontrollable.
I've already messaged the sweep so I'll see if I can get hit to take a look. The installer doesn't want anything to do with it. He's just deflecting with nonsense advice and blaming the sweep.
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Post by henroben on Nov 30, 2022 11:14:39 GMT
Cheers, the stove's a Woodford Turing. It's not a fancy expensive stove or anything, but I just wanted something basic and efficient. I'm enjoying using it so far and the control is pretty good. Much better than my old Stovax Stockton which was noisy and uncontrollable. I've already messaged the sweep so I'll see if I can get hit to take a look. The installer doesn't want anything to do with it. He's just deflecting with nonsense advice and blaming the sweep. Entirely possible the sweep's knocked something. But stuff coming through the register plate doesn't sound right I must admit. |
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 11:15:47 GMT
I'm presuming you've a metal flue running up your chimney - your installers should have insulated the void in the chimney with vermiculite, which is kind of light brown / yellow in colour and looks a bit like small pebbles / flakes. Maybe the sweep was a bit too vigorous when cleaning and some is coming through the gap in the register plate - although to be honest it can't have been very well installed if you've got stuff coming through it!! The fire cement looks like it's coming away - again, maybe badly installed? Or maybe just hasn't bonded correctly, or you've fired it all a bit too hot and the pipe has expanded more than normal and cracked it? I'd get the guy who installed it back to look at it tbh. Yeah it's a 5" Dura Flue 316. The light brown material you described sounds like what's coming downy my chimney. It's been a problem since I moved into the property, even with my old stove. Tiny amounts just periodically drop down through my register plate and collect on top of the stove. I'm aware the fire cement isn't perfect. I've told the installer and sent him images, but despite it only being installed in September he told me the fire cement is "maintenance for the consumer to fix" and then blamed the sweep for cracking it. He also advised that I'm probably not getting the stove hot enough when lighting it, which is strange advice, given the cracked fire cement. I'm definitely getting it up to temperature quickly. Edit - I should add that the installer only fitted a new stove. He didn't install a new liner or register plate or anything. |
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Post by technoish on Nov 30, 2022 11:20:56 GMT
Did you get a report from the sweep? Mine gives a checklist showing everything is in order.
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 11:30:40 GMT
Did you get a report from the sweep? Mine gives a checklist showing everything is in order. Yes he gave me a chimney sweeping certificate. Everything was ticked as "Acceptable" and no issues flagged. |
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Post by technoish on Nov 30, 2022 11:34:46 GMT
Did you get a report from the sweep? Mine gives a checklist showing everything is in order. Yes he gave me a chimney sweeping certificate. Everything was ticked as "Acceptable" and no issues flagged. Sounds like bad service from the installer. Time for a scathing Google review! |
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Post by henroben on Nov 30, 2022 11:42:20 GMT
The installer is correct that fire cement is usually something that perishes after time, but not after 2 months! More like a few years.
If the register plate issues predate your new stove then you can't blame the installer or the sweep really, was probably badly installed to start with - might even have been installed by the previous owner. Still, you could presumably just seal up around the pipe where it meets the register plate with some fire cement! It's not as though it's moving around or anything after all.
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 11:59:34 GMT
The installer is correct that fire cement is usually something that perishes after time, but not after 2 months! More like a few years. If the register plate issues predate your new stove then you can't blame the installer or the sweep really, was probably badly installed to start with - might even have been installed by the previous owner. Still, you could presumably just seal up around the pipe where it meets the register plate with some fire cement! It's not as though it's moving around or anything after all. Exactly, the fire cement should last years, and I'd be happy to sort it myself, if it wasn't a brand new stove. I've already had issues with the paint which took the installer weeks to rectify (he also supplied the stove) and involved me driving to his bloody house to pick up a can of paint. Register plate issues aside (they didn't affect my old stove, after all) all I want is either the installer or sweep to assess the issue, because I'm no expert, there's definitely something seriously wrong, and it's potentially quite dangerous. I can see this ending with them blaming each other and getting nowhere. |
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Post by quadfather on Nov 30, 2022 12:02:46 GMT
Is it worth getting someone else in to have a look if you're having no joy with those two?
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 12:11:01 GMT
Is it worth getting someone else in to have a look if you're having no joy with those two? I think so yes, although won't be easy this time of year. I'm quite annoyed because I got my new stove fitted the end of August, so it's not like I left anything till the last minute, but I've got nothing but problems now! I've not managed to get hold of the sweep yet though, but he seemed a nice reasonable bloke, so I'm hoping he'll be available to take a look. |
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Post by henroben on Nov 30, 2022 12:14:58 GMT
Sweeps are usually very knowledgable in my experience, will probably have seen this issue many times before in customers houses and hopefully have an idea of how to sort it. Might even be able to sort it themselves, lots do stove installations after all!
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Post by Dougs on Nov 30, 2022 12:20:51 GMT
Given energy bills, I am now trying to get quotes for a new burner and external flue. The house is freezing and I want one room where we'll be warm!
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Post by quadfather on Nov 30, 2022 12:25:50 GMT
Must admit, I'm starting to buy more logs and coal. Just gave my meter reading after using electric heaters for the last few months and it's almost wiped out all my credit, so I need to crank up the fuel for the fire, and all activities in the house are going to be in the living room!
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Post by quadfather on Nov 30, 2022 12:36:18 GMT
That reminds me, dogbot, those emblaze thingies turned up the other day - they're quite good aren't they! |
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dmukgr
Junior Member
Posts: 1,516
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Post by dmukgr on Nov 30, 2022 13:12:08 GMT
I tried to get the gas fire ripped out in the summer to be replaced by a wood burning stove but apparently the brickwork behind wasn't sufficient for it to pass regs. They did say I could have a bioethanal one however, which whilst it doesn't give out a huge amount of heat would be a nice compramise and give of some of the vibes I was after.
Nowhere nearby has them in a shop to look at though.
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Post by Dougs on Nov 30, 2022 13:50:14 GMT
Assume it could be repaired but would cost a bomb?
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Post by henroben on Nov 30, 2022 14:00:39 GMT
Given energy bills, I am now trying to get quotes for a new burner and external flue. The house is freezing and I want one room where we'll be warm! This is basically what I'm doing now - the front room has the wood burner in it, which is where I spend most of my time as I'm still working from home. It's working out pretty well so far, the front room remains toasty at around 22 - 23 degrees with the fire lit, and the rest of the house slowly warms up as well. The kitchen, which is the coldest room and the furthest away from the fire, warms up by around 2 degrees over the 3 or 4 hrs the fire is lit. So not LOADS... but still noticeable. |
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Post by Dougs on Nov 30, 2022 14:02:46 GMT
Chances of getting anything sorted this winter are slim but gas ain't going down, so even if it's next year, I'll be happy. It's a toss up between a wood burner or new bifold doors at the back of the house (darkest room, needs it badly).
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dmukgr
Junior Member
Posts: 1,516
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Post by dmukgr on Nov 30, 2022 14:15:56 GMT
Assume it could be repaired but would cost a bomb? No, it is single layer and to do double would make it so narrow as to be no use. That said, there was some unbeleiveably expensive option with some special materials etc. but by that point I was so fed up with it all etc. |
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dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
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Post by dogbot on Nov 30, 2022 15:13:33 GMT
That reminds me, dogbot, those emblaze thingies turned up the other day - they're quite good aren't they! Almost like cheating, eh? 😁 |
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Post by darkling on Nov 30, 2022 18:28:53 GMT
Just want to say thanks for the sage advice earlier. It's great to have a place like this to discuss niche stove issues with veterans and gain some reassurance with what can be a dangerous home appliance.
I messaged, the stove fitter, who seems overly defensive, trying to pick holes in things I've said, but gave me some advice, and made me do some basic checks. He thinks the loud fizzing sound could be dusty creosote deposits that have liquefied when heated, brought down into the stove after sweeping.
Anyway, good news is the sweep rang me back and he's coming over to have a good look at the fire cement and shove a stick with a camera up my chimney... ooh err.
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Post by quadfather on Nov 30, 2022 18:39:42 GMT
Sounds like progress then. Maybe if you relay the installers advice to the sweep he might be able to do something.
Which reminds me, I still need to buy some fucking logs and coal!
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Post by quadfather on Dec 1, 2022 16:28:27 GMT
I have bought logs and coal. Going to get some roaring fires going over the next couple of days I think  |
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Post by henroben on Dec 1, 2022 17:08:29 GMT
I have bought logs and coal. Going to get some roaring fires going over the next couple of days I think I bought four large bags of logs on Sunday... sadly I got a bit carried away at the time and neglected to check how long they were! All too big to fit in my stove, so I've been spending my lunch hours this week sawing them up... heartily sick of the whole thing, but having seen next week's weather forecast I'm now feeling much better about having got them. |
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Post by quadfather on Dec 1, 2022 17:42:51 GMT
Haha yeah it's a bloody chore isn't it. Still, like you say, good to be prepped!
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