need4speed Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Got a nice woodburner fitted in the livingroom recently. Absolutely love it. BUT Our gable end is extremely exposed to wind. In normal weather conditions there is more than enough draw in the flue. However the extreme winds we’ve experienced here past couple days has highlighted an issue. Not only is the fire a lot more difficult to get going, but when you do eventually get it going and up to temp there is a bit of a smell. Obviously the force of the winds is allowing the gases/smoke to back up. We already have an “anti wind” cap atop the flue and usually it’s fine but it obviously isn’t enough to deal with storms. The very top of the flue/cap currently sits above the roof ridge (probably per code/instructions) however I had an idea. What if I had the flue shortened enough to allow me to fit a semi-circular guard round the anti-wind cap and secured into the wall. Could fab it myself and have powder coated. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Get the installer back, explain the issue and tell him / her to sort it. Presumably he / she is HETAS approved and signed the install off? Failing that a spinning cap might help ...but get the installer back anyway! 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 They’ve been back already. They checked the draw (of course it was a little calmer at the time) and said everything was fine. I just wondered if my idea had any merit. Safe faffing around and arguing the toss.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Lower than the roof line and the wind rushes up over the ridge, then down the other side and also down your flue. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Understood, I think. You want to bring it below the Ridgeline a tad and fab a bit of an additional shield? I have a new woodturning range / stove thingy on order to replace the stove and liner we had fitted ten years ago. Prior to committing I spent months genning up on installs, reading umpteen threads in the various FB woodturner groups and discussing the job with half a dozen HETAS Reg installers who came round to survey and quote [none of who seem keen on providing written quotes]. What I've taken away from all this is that as soon as you start modifying what the HETAS fella has done and signed off it all gets a bit grey should any issues or problems arise. While it's possible to self install and then get the job signed off as compliant with the regs by a HETAS or Local Authority bod it can get tricky if you then start altering the system - once signed off. I'd get the installer back and say sort it - after all it's what you paid them for. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 More thinks... Have you tried playing with the air-wash and other vents during the bad weather? Presumably you've checked the rope seals on the door/s? A flap type flue damper might be worth a go if all else fails. Sometimes damp weather can have an effect on draw. Looks good BTW 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 The probelm with HEATAS is that if you've got £3k and you've got the ticket, you may not have the knowledge. Chap round here, who's about to put anohter wood burner in for me, fits about 100 a year, but fixes about 150 more that haven't been isnstalled right. He's also a sweep. He's been doing it for years, and is happy to take the time to look and think. He's reasonably priced as well Problem with the wind we get these days is it goes round in circles - more so than before global warming messed stuff up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 There’s no requirement for building control sign off in Scotland so that isn’t an issue. I’d say the idea has merit for sure, read up on the regs in terms of where the flue must terminate in respect of ridge line etc. though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Had a woodburner fitted several years ago, flue top is below the ridge line but above window level, have never had issues with downdraught once fire established, odd times when fire has just been lit, once flue has gained some heat this helps with creating the vortex to draw fumes up the flue. There are anti-downdraught flue tops available, have a look at Colt Top Cowls regards Stephen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenden Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 What kind of chimney do you use? The reason for me asking is, that got a new woodburner installed earlier this year but connected it to an existing chimney. The installer was very specific about that we might need to get an steel insert to the stone chimney to keep the temp at the end high enough to keep draught right (135 degrees C he said). His explenation was that newer burners were very efficient and the temp of the gasses often to low to get draught -especially in a stone flue as this absorbs a lot of heat aswell (even if insulated). I have tried to highly scientific 🤓 measure the temps on the open flue just above the burner with my IR gun. It goes 1m turns 90 degrees and goes another 50cm where it disapears in the chimny. When burning the temps along the steel pipe goes from 175 to 90 degrees (on the outside of course) but it does show a relatively low temp in my eyes. The drought in the burner is OK though, but the smoke do seem to "fall down" in the yard from time to time. /mads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted January 13, 2023 Author Share Posted January 13, 2023 As can be seen from the pic it’s not an original chimney. It’s an external flue system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 You're going to regret not having a larger hearth slate with that nice new carpet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 With the flue, ours so this as we are in a valley and its pretty related to atmospherics I think. Ours draw when the doors are closed but can waft a little into the room when refuelling. I'm considering trying one of the anti down draft cowls but I do think my current cowl could simply do with more outlet space (i.e. it needs to be taller) before you reach the 'lid' of the cowl. Its not an option for you but i do sometimes wonder how our desire to line chimneys has decreased their ability to draw. Mum has several unlined chimneys and they never cause an issue Do you have a CO alarm in the room? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 I find the lined chimneys draw more! I think it's the polished smooth consistent bore, rather than the rough stone. Think expensive bespoke stainless performance exhaust versus cheap spurious mild steel. Our last flue to go in was double skin with vermiculite around it, it's caused the fire to really draw well, once lit. Previously it could reverse on occasion, but no more. The stove goes through wood much faster though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 1 minute ago, Gazzar said: I find the lined chimneys draw more! I think it's the polished smooth consistent bore, rather than the rough stone. Think expensive bespoke stainless performance exhaust versus cheap spurious mild steel. Our last flue to go in was double skin with vermiculite around it, it's caused the fire to really draw well, once lit. Previously it could reverse on occasion, but no more. The stove goes through wood much faster though. In theory i agree but the two unlined chimneys at my mums are such big voids theres kinda nowhere else for what ever smoke you produce to go. The other thing is that the more we seal our homes the harder it is for this old way of heating to draw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 That could be it, my place isn't exactly sealed, though it is getting more so. It's late Victorian, so built on the assumption of abundant cheap local coal. Think air bricks, under floor voids, thick socks and ice on the windows inside. One of the first jobs, even before building the workshop, was to suspend rockwool under the joists, with a breathable membrane underneath. Made a huge difference to the warmth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 15 hours ago, reb78 said: In theory i agree but the two unlined chimneys at my mums are such big voids theres kinda nowhere else for what ever smoke you produce to go. The other thing is that the more we seal our homes the harder it is for this old way of heating to draw! Which is why they say woodburners above a certain output require an air brick in the same room to draw air from outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Can you provide a picture of the outside flue installation please? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 I think any additional air intake is very small - it's something like a 50p hole for each kW over and above a certain base / room size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 2 hours ago, Happyoldgit said: Which is why they say woodburners above a certain output require an air brick in the same room to draw air from outside. Yes, but whether people fit them or leave them unblocked once fitted is another thing. Soooo many people are DIY installing these in an effort to save money that I suspect many installations are incorrect. Not saying thats the case for the OP at all. But it does raise an additional question as to whether an air inlet has been fitted with the install as this will affect the efficiency of the flue draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 OP used a HETAS installer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 3 hours ago, Gazzar said: OP used a HETAS installer. Yeah. Hopefully its there but worth asking. Other thing to ask is whether the flue is clear - suspect this isnt an issue at all as its a new install but if you are burning wet or unseasoned wood they can tar up surprisingly quickly. I very much doubt this os the issue here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 That's an excellent point, no one stuffed a draft excluder or balloon in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted January 14, 2023 Author Share Posted January 14, 2023 On 1/13/2023 at 7:48 PM, reb78 said: You're going to regret not having a larger hearth slate with that nice new carpet! It’s actually an old beater of a carpet on top of a nice wooden floor just to give our big dog some traction 😆 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 If it's an outside wall try combustion air that is piped directly to the stove base, make sure the air flow is managed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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