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I am having trouble building a fire in my new fireplace. To begin with our house is essentially new, since we gutted the existing house and and insulated it along with the new addition areas. I am a builder and I have installed plenty of prefab “boxes” and have never heard any complaints regarding how they performed. Our unit came with a outside air intake, which we installed and the chimney is the proper height(per code and considering the surrounding houses and trees).
After all this…we have set the smoke alarms off twice and the kids get their coats on when they see me near the fireplace (I have to open the door or the window to avoid filling the house with smoke.
I have consulted with the salesman who has sold this one and many others. He recommended adding to the height of the flue. I did this. It helped, but only a little. I attempted to call the manufacture. This was a dead end. Majestic Fireplace/Vermont Casting? I attempted the website. Their website is set up to sell the product, not service the ones they have already sold. The salesman and the manufacturer both think the house is too tight. Isn’t that the point of the outside air intake.
The forced air heating system was also a concern of the salesman, since a reurn air duct with in 12 feet away my pull the smoke. The problem is I have problems with or with the system on.
The last thing I want to do is pull the fireplace out and the second to last thing I want to do is put those gas logs in there. Does any one have a third choice.
Replies
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Scott,
With an outside air intake and your stack the right height, you shouldn't have any trouble.
Does your fireplace have a door or closure of any type?
Do you start your fires with small dry kindling first and slowly increase with dry firewood that has been properly seasonned?
Are you absolutely sure that your stack hasn't been partially block?
Gabe
*My suggestion is so simple that I am sure you have tried it.I had this problem and was told to burn loosly wadded newspaper on top of the logs first to get the flue warmed and start an updraft. Then light the fire.
*Scott, If pre-warming the flue doesn't work, check out your wind patterns. I lived in a house where the prevailing wind would blow across the intake at just the right angle to rob the fire of oxygen. The installer ended up building a wind shield to protect it and the problem was solved.
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I am having trouble building a fire in my new fireplace. To begin with our house is essentially new, since we gutted the existing house and and insulated it along with the new addition areas. I am a builder and I have installed plenty of prefab "boxes" and have never heard any complaints regarding how they performed. Our unit came with a outside air intake, which we installed and the chimney is the proper height(per code and considering the surrounding houses and trees).
After all this...we have set the smoke alarms off twice and the kids get their coats on when they see me near the fireplace (I have to open the door or the window to avoid filling the house with smoke.
I have consulted with the salesman who has sold this one and many others. He recommended adding to the height of the flue. I did this. It helped, but only a little. I attempted to call the manufacture. This was a dead end. Majestic Fireplace/Vermont Casting? I attempted the website. Their website is set up to sell the product, not service the ones they have already sold. The salesman and the manufacturer both think the house is too tight. Isn't that the point of the outside air intake.
The forced air heating system was also a concern of the salesman, since a reurn air duct with in 12 feet away my pull the smoke. The problem is I have problems with or with the system on.
The last thing I want to do is pull the fireplace out and the second to last thing I want to do is put those gas logs in there. Does any one have a third choice.