The woodstove in my cabin has a metal plate inside the goes from the bottom rear to the top of the front. I guess it so the heat gets pushed out but it also pushed a lot of smoke out at times. Can it be removed without creating any problems and what was its purpose?

 

I don't think the plate is pushing the smoke out, I think you have a draft problem with your chimney.

 

Could you post a pic of the plate? My stove doesn't have anything like what you are describing.

 

What is the make and model of the stove, size of your cabin and the diameter and height of your chimney?
It is there for a purpose and I agree that you likely have a draft problem.

If you remove the baffle there is a chance you will send more heat up the chimney and burn more wood.

 

Sorry I have no pics and dont know what brand or type it is. My cabin is 22x34'. The stove pipe goes up through the ceiling, makes a 90, goes through the cabin wall, another 90, the goes up to about 2 feet above the peak of the building. It drafts pretty good usually it just you can see some puffs of smoke come from the front of the stove and it doesnt take much to make a cabin smokey inside.

 

Where is the damper or air control for your stove?

Once the chimney goes through the ceiling, is that a cold space?

Was/is it cold when this puffing occurs?

Is this a drafty cabin or well air sealed?

Sorry for all of the questions, but they will help with answers.

Bud

 

Where is the damper or air control for your stove?- its on the upper part of the stove and I have it wide open.

Once the chimney goes through the ceiling, is that a cold space?- Yes

Was/is it cold when this puffing occurs?- about 65

Is this a drafty cabin or well air sealed?- not perfect but it is not drafty at all.

 

Also, I do leave the front doors open with a screen over it as we like to watch the fire. Does that matter?

 

65° isn't really cold, so concerns about the chimney not being able to establish a draft are out.

Is this a fireplace you have used before where it worked fine and now doesn't?

If this is a new problem, I might go looking for a birds nest or other obstruction. With that 90° bend, anything that fell down there would still be there.

Mine have a glass washing flame path that brings the fire to the front, up and over to the rear. They are giving the path some extra length to increase the burn efficiency. With my door open it will not puff back in as the draft is too strong. Since yours seems to not be strong enough I would check that chimney.

How old is the installation?

Bud

 

Installation is only 2 years old. Probally used about 6 times total. It was way worse cause I didnt have a good draft before due to the pipe not being high enough. Now that I raised it up, it drafts pretty good just lets out a puff or 2 of smoke occasionally but it gets the cabin smokey. I would think if something was blocking it, it would smoke a lot worse and more often.

 

New and little use should mean no creosote build up inside. Is there a screen or something to prevent birds or critters from getting in there. If they partially blocked the chimney it would result in a poor draft.

When the puffing occurs, is there any wind outside? Wind can flow up over a tree and down on top of your chimney and cause a back draft/puff of smoke.

One last question for now. How dry is the wood you are burning. Green wood does not burn as hot as dry wood, I know as I burned green for a whole winter.

As for the plate, my only concern would be allowing too much heat to reach an area within the stove it is not supposed to.

How often do you get to the cabin, north woods or southern pines? I lived in Brick and worked in Holmdel. Left in 79

Bud

 

Wood is definitly dry. I only get up there 3 times a year. Its in SW NY and 6 hours away. I burn anything thats on my property as theres a lot of downed trees but its mostly pine. I know pine isnt good for stovepipe but its mostly what I had split. I will leave the pine for outdoor fires for the future. Theres birch and maple there and maybe some oak.

 

And there was a slight breeze while it was puffing but nothing major.

 

A cabin located in a hole in the trees could be subject to a down draft. Are the surrounding trees taller than the camp, close, and a lot of them? Another 6' of chimney might be a consideration.

You also mentioned this happens with the doors open on the stove. I had an old Dover stove years ago with doors and a screen, and we had to be careful to avoid smoke. With the doors open there just doesn't seem to be a lot of protection. That's one of the reasons we switched to a sealed stove with glass in front.

Bud

 

Yes its surrounded by trees that are all taller.