Expert: James Ball - 1/9/2010

Question
I went to light my woodburner today and started with a very small fire and smoke bellowed out, even when I shut the door, smoke seemed to be coming out the bottom and also from the back of the woodburner from where the double wall pipe connects to the rear venting flew. It is cold (about 20 degrees) and the chimney runs up about 3 stories as the woodburner is in the basement and goes up an encased chimney. I'm scared to relight it as this is a new woodburner I've only used a handful of times but never had this happen before. I'm afraid it's broken and know the installer had a hard time getting the double walled pipe to fit onto the back. Should smoke be coming out at the point of this connection, smoke out the bottom from the damper? I could feel a decent breeze coming down the chimney and the fire is hard to start. Could this just be a bad draft? I don't think I've over heated the woodburner to do any damage to the gaskets but I'm not sure. Any suggestions to this rookie. It's a Harman Oakwood wood burner we just bought a couple months ago. Thanks, Jeff

Answer
Hello Jeff, try setting the stove up to start to burn (small fire) and then open a window or door fully and see if the "decent breeze coming down" is felt if not try lighting the stove, if might be a negative pressure issue and this is a way to get the stove started (or close off air getting out of the house) and I would have a local Certified Chimney Sweep www.csia.org, there you can look up by zip code to find one near you) take a first hand look at what you have they should be able to help.
Hope this helps
James