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Vermont Castings Intrepid Multi-Fuel
2000970
Draft Testing
An easy way to test your chimney draft is to close the
stove’s damper, wait a few minutes to let the airflow
stabilize, then see whether you can vary the strength of
the fire by swinging the air control open and closed. Re-
sults are not always instant; you may need to wait a few
minutes for a change in the air control setting to have
an effect on the fire. If there’s no change, then the draft
isn’t strong enough yet to let you close the damper, and
you’ll need to open it for a while longer and manage the
fire with the air inlet until the draft strengthens. If you
keep track of your burning habits and relate them to
their effects on the stove’s operation, you’ll be rewarded
with good performance and a safe system.
Negative Pressure
Good draft also depends on a supply of air to the stove;
a chimney can’t pull in more air than is available to it.
Sluggish draft results when a house is tight enough to
prevent the ready flow of air to the stove, or by competi-
tion between the stove and other equipment that sends
indoor air outside - especially power-driven equipment
like range hoods, clothes dryers, etc. If the chimney
draws well with all other equipment turned off (or
sealed, in the case of fireplaces and/or other stoves),
then you simply need to be careful with timing the use
of the other equipment. If you need to crack a nearby
window or door to enable the chimney to draw well,
that’s a sign that you should install an outside-air intake
to bring combustion air directly to the stove. Vermont
Castings dealers carry adapters to attach to the stove
to connect an air duct for outdoor combustion air.
Conclusion
Woodburning is an art rather than a science. Once the
stove and chimney system are in place, the stove user
can only vary technique, mostly your timing, to achieve
good results. If you keep track of your burning habits
and relate them to their effects on the stove’s operation,
you’ll be rewarded with good performance and a safe
system.