My Wood Stove Isn’t Drafting….
We get calls all the time about: “My wood stove isn’t drafting, and we have only had it a year! So, I know there is something wrong with my wood stove.” Nine times out of ten the problem is creosote build up. Even though the stove has only gone through one season and you “KNOW” you have been burning good seasoned wood, you should have your stove pipe swept by a certified chimney sweep. This is a good time of year to get your chimney/pipe swept. If you get this taken care of at the end of the season then you don’t have to worry about it when you actually need your fireplace/stove to work well for you. Many of us get so busy that we forget about the stove/fireplace until we really need it. The downside to this is that everyone is in this boat and then it can be difficult to get a good sweep out when you need him. Be careful when hiring a chimney sweep! Make sure they are certified and that they are reputible. If you are a customer of Pardo Hearth Designs, call or email if you need a recommendation for a good chimney sweep for the Middle Tennessee area. There is very little that can go wrong with a good quality wood stove and more than likely, the wood is a bit wetter than we would like to admit, or we are using less than desirable wood that results in more creosote build up. Additionally, if the stove/fireplace hasn’t been swept it is the best place to start with troubleshooting any issues you are having with your stove/fireplace. If you have it swept and there are still issues with the unit smoking into the house or not drafting then call your dealer and go from there. Starting with having the pipe swept will more than likely save you money as it needs to be done annually anyway and will save you additional service call charges from a dealer to tell you the same thing.
