Trouble with wood burning stove

[Woodchurchzoo]

We have a wood burning stove, new usual sort with glass front door.  When the fire cools down we get a lot of what seems like water or tar trickle out of the pipe and onto the floor below.  The burner was fitted with a tall pipe that goes through the wall to the chimney and joins another pipe from the aga in the kitchen next door before going up the chimney.

Has anyone a clue why we should get this influx of tar/water.  Is there anything we can do about it?

Many thanks

[Pixietoadstool]

This is a form of wood tar and tends to occur when the fire burns low - otherwise it burns off in the heat.

People will be warning you that this will probably cause a chimney fire - when it cools it solidifies into a hard tarry and flammable substance.  They will also probably say you need a double skin chimney liner and such like.

However, we have 2 woodburners, neither chimney is lined, both have pipes, like you, going up into the chimney but one has the tar problem and the other doesn't.  The only difference is that the one where we don't have the problem was installed by a registered plumber/electrician/chauffage/ramonage man.  However, he made no mention of the double lined outlet and the pipes just go straight up the enormous granite chimney (through an asbestos plate).

Valerie

 

[0The Plan ManAll the best,<br><br>StewartddMMyyyy0Falseen-USAll the best,<br><br>StewartTrue]

This is very common when burning un-seasoned wood - the sap and dampness evaporates in the stove, goes up the flue, condenses on the exterior of the pipe and trickles back down. If the fire is roaring, it often re-evaporates - hence it is only noticeable as the fire goes out.

The are two ways of reducing the problem - using drier wood, and better insulating the flue (so that there is less of a cooling effect).

Best of luck!

Stewart

[VJ]

Quote(People will be warning you that this will probably cause a chimney fire - when it cools it solidifies into a hard tarry and flammable substance. They will also probably say you need a double skin chimney liner and such like.

People say this and people are correct.

Do it once, do it right and forget it