What are the consequences of poor chimney draft?

The chimney draft plays an important role when it comes to a successful wood burning stove experience. The chimney is the engine of the stove and ensures a complete and eco-friendly combustion. In this guide we point out some consequences of bad draft:

• Smoke coming out of the stove
  With insufficient draft the flue gases will not be burned correctly. This will lead a heavy smoke development in the fire chamber. The smoke aims to find the most immediate way out of the stove, which in case of insufficient draft will be through the door and/or stove’s air intakes.
  
  NOTE: Aduro stoves are intended for intermittent combustion. This means that the stove will burn properly with small amount of wood, if there is sufficient air supply, so the flue gasses are released. If the door is opened while there are visible flames, a large amount of cold air will be sucked into the combustion chamber, which may stir up ash and cause smoke problems. Only refill the stove at embers.

• Soot on the glass
  If there is not enough draft in the chimney the flue gasses are not released and soot can accumulate on the glass and on the inside of the stove.

• Fire dies, when primary air intake is closed
  If there is not enough draft in the chimney the flames will die, when the primary damper (Aduro-tronic) is closed. The cause is insufficient air supply, which causes a bad combustion.

• Vermiculite
  If the flue gasses are not released properly the soot can accumulate on the vermiculite, which will turn black over time.

• Smoke and smell in the neighborhood
  With an insufficient draft the stove cannot reach its optimal temperature and the combustion is not clean. This results in smoke and smell in the neighborhood.

In this film we illustrate the consequences of an insufficient draft:

How to increase the draft in your chimney

In this article you can read how to increase the draft in your chimney.