Chimney pipes

[Steve B]

I have a wood burning stove. The other day, it was smoking into the house, so I went out and ran the brush through it. No more problem.

When it was smoking into the house, I noticed that the joint at the flat plate top of the stove and the bottom of the first section of flue pipe had smoke coming out of that, as well as tiny amounts coming out of each seam up to the ceiling.

What type of caulk/sealant would I get to put in this high temperature connection? Websites? Home Depot? Fireplace store?

Steve

[Harry K]

None!! Find out why you are not getting enough draft and fix that problem. Usually, as in your case, it is an obstruction in the chimney.

Harry K

[hrhofmann]

It was probably a big bird that sat on top of the flue!!!!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Never sealed the pipes on my stove. For whatever the reason, you lost the draft and had a positive pressure in the pipe. Best thing to do is eliminate the problem.

Causes are obstruction (build up of creosote scale), weather inversions (especially in the spring) lack of a good burn. Heavy moist air can cause a back draft after the fires goes out and it can take a few minutes to reverse it with heat.

What I did most times was light a bunch of newspaper to get a hot but brief fire going and that would get the air flowing properly.

[Harry K]

Same here, especially when starting a fire with a cold pipe.

Harry K

[LdB]

You should be thinking about improving the draft. Can you extend the chimney? Did your carbon monoxide detector (CO) go of? You do realize you had a close call?

LdB