Show me your wood burner before and after pics

[Crumpet]

I sometimes have to open a window and set fire to a good few handfuls of scrunched up toilet roll. It eventually ‘unlocks’ the flue and starts it drawing again.

[juggsy]

jb2410 said:

Windows closed and an extractor fan on somewhere nearby?

Windows were closed but no fans on.

Snow and Rocks said:

One of our old unlined stone chimneys sometimes does this in certain weather conditions. The downdraught completely reverses the normal flow somehow and makes the room smell strongly of peat smoke (which i only burn occasionally).

If you try and light a fire while it's doing it, it fills the room with smoke and will only draw properly of you get a good hot kindling fire going.

This is the first time since we moved here (18 months ago) we’ve experienced it. Chimney is clay lined, hopefully nothing has degraded in there. Can only assume weather conditions but it was just odd as it’s the first time we experienced it

[LittleBigPlanet]

Crumpet said:

I sometimes have to open a window and set fire to a good few handfuls of scrunched up toilet roll. It eventually ‘unlocks’ the flue and starts it drawing again.

Same.

When I've not used ours for a while (or it's very cold outside), I have to leave the door ajar for 30 mins or so to help the flue draw properly. Otherwise we get a house full of smoke...