When to close the damper in the oven: recommendations to avoid poisoning

Control check

After the droplets of condensation have disappeared, you need to carry out quality control of the dried oven.
For this purpose, firewood is laid that will be used every day. The total mass of burnt firewood will be 20 kg. It is advisable to adjust the draft so that combustion efficiency is maximum. Over the course of several hours, the masonry in the firebox area is inspected very carefully. Ideally, no cracks should occur. But in some situations, the appearance of small cracks is considered normal. Small formations that look like cobwebs do not need to be sealed. The oven is ready for use.

The preparation went well

Types of gate valves

Since chimneys are different, our gate valves are also different from each other. Basically, this difference lies in the form and method of functioning. There are several types of gate valves:

A horizontal gate valve that retracts. This is the most common type of gate valve. Inside the structure there is a plate that is retractable; it is thanks to it that the cross-sectional area is regulated. Most often, this design is used for brick chimneys. To prevent the smoke channel from being blocked 100% in the closed position of the element, small holes are made in the plate. This is done for a reason, because the creation technology complies with fire safety. The peculiarity of the horizontal gate is its simplicity of design and ease of installation, as well as operating efficiency.
Rotary gate. It also has a second name - “throttle valve”. The design is radically different from the previous version. It is made in the form of a pipe, inside of which there is a metal plate. Only it does not extend, but is located on a rotating axis. The device is equipped with a removable rotating disk, which becomes unusable over time. However, due to the rotary mechanism design, it is easy to carry out repairs and replace the part yourself. The valve is located inside the chimney pipe. The principle of operation is to rotate the plate located inside. The advantage of this gate valve design is that it is easy to operate. The home owner will not need to constantly monitor the position of the gate.

Since the second option is more difficult to implement, this chimney damper is not made by hand. Most often, it is the first option that is created – a horizontal valve. I would like to note a few more nuances. A gate valve is needed for wood-burning stoves and other heating equipment that runs on solid fuel. If we talk about gas boilers and those operating on liquid fuel, then the damper is needed more in order to protect the chimney structure from the penetration of atmospheric precipitation, debris and animals.

If we talk about installing a rotary valve for a bathhouse, then it is better not to do this. Why? During operation, the structure will partially allow steam to pass through when closed. And it is difficult to clean when open.

There are three ways to install the gate:

Installation of the product in the fireplace insert. For this purpose, it is installed at a distance of 100 cm from the heating device (stove, fireplace, boiler), which simplifies operation.
The pipe-to-pipe method is based on combining a gate valve with other elements of the heating system, without the use of additional fasteners.
Installation of the valve directly in the ventilation pipe. The purpose of such manipulation is completely different. The valve is needed more to protect the channels from the penetration of foreign objects, debris, sediment and animals. This is done to protect the fan motor.

There are two options for how to proceed if you need to install a valve. The first is to simply buy a kit and carry out the installation yourself according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The second is to make a damper for the chimney yourself. We will consider options for creating both a rotary and a horizontal device.

Forced

The temperature throughout the entire volume of material can only be increased by burning fuel. But this must be done according to a strictly defined algorithm in order to avoid breaks in the solution structure. Before drying the stove after laying, you need to stock up on dry hardwood firewood. The logs must be even and no more than 4 cm in width.

The algorithm by which the first fire will take place is presented in just a few points.

The blower door is opened slightly so that its maximum gap is 1 cm.
The valve in the chimney, which blocks the flow, must be open ½. We can’t open it all the way, since we need to get heat. With the valve fully open, we will burn wood “in vain.”
The channels through which secondary air circulates are not used. All relevant doors are closed.

After complete combustion of the firewood, close the main valve, leaving a gap of 1 cm. The ash door does not need to be touched, and the secondary supply doors also need to be opened slightly. In this position, the oven dries until the next day. Subsequent stages follow an identical scenario. The only difference is in the mass of fuel burned. At the first start, you can heat the stove with two kilograms of wood; with each subsequent session, the weight increases by 1 kg.

Fire in the furnace

It is impossible to determine exactly how many days forced drying should be performed. Its effectiveness can be checked by the absence of condensation on the firebox door. This will mean that all the moisture has come out. Many craftsmen notice that it takes about 10 days to prepare a brick kiln for full use, and in winter these periods may increase.

The danger of intestinal coronavirus

This condition is dangerous not only because an inflammatory reaction develops, but also because during vomiting and diarrhea, the human body loses a large amount of fluid, which can result in dehydration (dehydration). Elderly people with additional chronic diseases are at particular risk. For them, this condition poses a threat not only to health, but also to life.

Diagnostics

By analogy with the respiratory form of coronavirus, diagnosis of the intestinal form of the disease is carried out using a laboratory PCR test

The nature of the patient’s complaints is taken into account

Treatment

As with the respiratory form of this disease, symptomatic complex treatment is more often prescribed. In case of severe clinical manifestations, a course of interferons is prescribed, which are one of the main links of immunity. Restoring the water-salt balance is key. For this purpose, a plentiful drinking regimen is prescribed, as well as medications containing the necessary set of electrolytes. The most popular drug is Regidron in the form of a powder for preparing a solution. The drug is used as rehydration therapy for diarrhea, regardless of the cause of its development. Selenium has proven effectiveness in the treatment of all forms of Covid-19, which helps strengthen the body's overall resistance.

A mandatory part of complex treatment is diet. Patients are prescribed a gentle regimen, which involves the complete exclusion of fried and fatty foods, alcohol, seasonings and spices, and sauces from the diet. With care for intestinal health, preference is given to mucous soups, water-based porridges, boiled fish, milk jelly and other products that help coat the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

Regardless of the severity of the manifestations of intestinal coronavirus, it is important not to delay a visit to the doctor. Regardless of whether the disease is of a primary or secondary nature, this pathological condition disrupts the balance of intestinal and gastric microflora, which provokes or aggravates diarrhea

The restoration of intestinal microflora is facilitated by taking the metaprebiotic Stimbifide Plus. Stimbifid plus includes 3 active components that effectively restore the balance of the human intestinal microflora.

Normal microflora helps speed up the healing process in the intestinal form of coronavirus infection, strengthen the body's defenses and prevent the development of dehydration. The effectiveness of the drug has been proven both in the treatment of the intestinal form of coronavirus and in the prevention of the disease. Metaprebiotic is equally safe to use at any age. A full course of taking the metaprebiotic Stimbifide Plus will help minimize the risk of developing complications of respiratory and intestinal forms of coronavirus infection.

09.03.2021

13623

/ Doctor Stimbifeed

Why are there two valves in the furnace?

1. How to clean an oven without doors? Where exactly should I clean?

2. How to clean a hog? In which place?

3. How to use valves?

I have attached a photo of the stove and the hog.

oven 2157

disassemble the hog from above, well, that’s the place where “you can sit down”))) so on top there should usually be something like a “lid”

pecna 10 October 2014 12:02

There's definitely something like a cover, I'll take it apart and try to clean it

Well, as for the oven, it’s not clear from the photo, is the big door an oven?

pecna 10 October 2014 12:03 valerzon 9 October 2014 20:30

1. Damper on the left - ventilation of the space above the stove (serves mainly for ventilation when cooking “smelly” foods, such as fish.)

2. valve on the right - blocks the chimney of the stove.

3. valve on top (but I didn’t see it in the picture) - blocks the common smoke channel.

Typically, stove makers leave a cleaning channel in the form of a half-brick, protruding, and sometimes recessed into the body of the stove or smoke channel.

As a very adventurous option (I decline responsibility), the hog can be cleaned in rainy weather by burning soot on the wall. soot tends to burn actively. It burns with noise and roar, but when it burns out, the stove will be as good as new. In general, before such an undertaking, it is better to insure the house against fire (((

If there are no doors, then you can simply throw a burning torch into the pipe (from above). But again, this is a risky business. You can insert a blowtorch into the ventilation hole in the space above the stove and ignite the soot from the inside.

Personally, I would not clean the hog, but put one person with a fire extinguisher in the attic, a second person on the roof and ignite the soot.

And where are these stinking products being pulled out? Judging by the boletus, nowhere. I think these are additional moves, like some kind of dryer or an additional oven, which is on the back side of the oven. Well, when you bake a lot of bread or cookies of all kinds. I have seen such ovens on Ukraine.

valerzon 10 October 2014 18:48

Hog here is generally a leftist. It is officially believed that the hog is used for spark extinguishing. but here it’s just an extra soot-accumulating knee. Unnecessary element. absolutely.

revenant 10 October 2014 18:53

Actually, the hog was made here, probably in order to bring the pipe closer to the ridge.

valerzon 10 October 2014 20:51

This is an incorrect engineering decision - there is no need to drag the pipe closer to the ridge. If you don’t make a hog, then with a straight pipe the traction will be better and, in general, life will be easier)))

revenant 10 October 2014 20:57

So I'm not saying that this is correct. But for some reason, in almost all the old houses in our area, there are hogs stacked in the attics, which are in such a state that it’s unclear how all these houses haven’t burned down yet!

valerzon 10 October 2014 21:01

SBI. Here's the question! Why are they made??

You can live without a hog and live a wonderful life. It's really strange that everyone hasn't burned yet. pah-pah. I don't wish harm on anyone...

revenant 10 October 2014 21:05

Maybe it made sense to do them earlier so that the soot from a straight pipe would fall onto a smaller Russian pole and accumulate in the hog? Yes, and sediments quite easily fly into the pipe - a shesterik without a cap.

valerzon October 10, 2014 21:18

You know, it's much deeper than that. there is such intrigue here. both about the six and about the Russian one.

If someday I’m not too lazy, I’ll still write my theory of stoves. and their development. My opinion is that some people complicate things.

As one wise man said, it’s not that simple. but not everything is so complicated. there is a good solution..

I think that there were few stove makers as meticulous in their work as you. They just copied it for themselves, and it worked. Then they hired others to do it and off they went, but why it was and what it was for, no one thought about it. Some pulled the hog to the ridge. I made an extra ash pan, and who, everyone has it, and I will do it. And the victims of the fires and the burnt out are beyond counting. A stove is like a car, someone knows everything down to the bolt, and someone just steers and not always successfully. A stove is the same unit, pump, put the boiler on wheels, it’s already a steam locomotive (-_-)))) It’s strange, there were no steam locomotives yet, but Emelya has already ridden on the stove. So sometimes you’ll think about a new chronology. Yes, and Baba Yagya flew on a mortar, and Kashchei (the immortal) wasted away over the gold. In my opinion, nothing has changed since then, Kashchei, the immortal.

aldi55 9 October 2014 20:35

When you add firewood to the firebox, you need to close the ash vent from below so that smoke won’t come into your face; after closing the top door, you can open the ash vent.

That the stove did not smoke in the old days, when the wood caught fire, potato peelings were placed on them and the chimney was cleared of soot.

I hope I helped you.

pecna 10 October 2014 12:05

I will save up cleaning

ykrezo83 October 9, 2014 20:41

To clean the chimney of soot, you need to occasionally heat the stove with aspen.

sokserg October 9, 2014 22:36

You chop off the top bricks of the hog, and clean it with something like a broom, scoop out the soot, then put the bricks back on the clay solution, and cover the seams. business with the hog for an hour.

At the same time, check the condition of the hog. We have the same hog, or rather two, for two stoves, and after buying the house, I checked it, because the pipe was not covered from the rain with a cap, then water flowed into the pipe - as a result, the bricks turned to dust, and all the clay was washed out of the seams, I had to reposition them brick part of the pipe. judging by the blackness near the pipe, you also have water flowing through the pipe there - the cap is necessary for the job, and to prevent it from flowing down the pipe, seal the joint

But to clean the stove, you have to look for the bricks that are taken out, and manually... before the bath

But I would insulate the chambers. Clay with sawdust or straw. (-_-)))).

pecna 10 October 2014 12:06

and where to sleep there?

Yes, who knows what to call them, the floor is shorter in the attic. Well, if you are in the room, then the ceiling is like (-_-))))))

zinaida 10 October 2014 07:35

We had and still have such an oven.. now my sister has it.. but we always throw in beef or pork tubular bones and, in principle, we never cleaned it.. you just melt this oven and it’s immediately warm.. and you can bake anything..

pecna 10 October 2014 12:28

need to get some bones.

Berry 10 October 2014 11:43

I can assume that the lower damper is for ventilation above the stove, the upper right one is a direct channel, the left one is the main one, it closes the stove chimneys. When lighting, you need to close the valve above the stove, open both top ones or just the right one. If the firewood crackles and there is no smoke anywhere, leave only the left valve open. This is according to my logic. In reality, everything may turn out to be completely different. It is not difficult to clean the hog - disassemble the top row of bricks between the pipe from the hog and the pipe from the furnace. Whatever the design of your stove, chimneys usually start at the level of the base of the vent. In the photo there are 2 rows of bricks from the floor. At this height you can try to look for protruding halves of bricks for cleaning. Cleaning stoves on the “2nd floor” are more difficult to find, but one of them is always available in the area where the chimneys exit into the chimney. Somewhere between the slab ceiling and the top valves. Soot from the chimney falls into this last upper chimney and, usually, this is the most problematic place. Unfortunately, stoves are often found without cleaning holes at all. In this case, you can try to look for them by removing (breaking out) half a brick at a time in places where they might be located using a pick, chisel, chisel, etc.

pecna 10 October 2014 12:14

I closed the valve above the stove and the smell of smoke appeared. I don’t know where the smoke is coming from, but it is coming. and the firewood doesn't hum

I closed the right valve - smoke started coming out again and the firewood somehow went out

I closed the left one - there seemed to be no smoke, the wood was crackling as usual.

1. Always keep the left valve closed?

2. Why are these valves needed anyway?

In our previous house we had a furnace with one valve near the very top of the chimney. it had to be pushed in after the stove was completely heated and the ash was removed. With the valve closed, the stove remained warm for a very long time.

In the current furnace I just can’t figure out how to move these valves. I would also like the oven to cool down longer, otherwise now, of course, all the heat flies into the chimney

Berry 10 October 2014 13:45

Perhaps the valve above the stove is a direct valve and the stove, due to clogged channels, only works in this mode. In this case, one can only guess about the purpose of the upper valves. Maybe it's just one, but double valve. This can be found in Russian stoves or fireplaces, when you need to close a large area pipe without using a valve of the appropriate size. There are also stoves with three operating modes - summer, autumn, winter. In this case, you will also need 3 valves and one of the top ones is the main one.

valerzon 10 October 2014 17:02

I think that this is unlikely to be a double valve. There is no Russian. And for a Swede, half a brick is enough. Unless, of course, the stove maker was a die-hard)))

Berry 10 October 2014 17:43

The fact of the matter is that one can only guess here. Sometimes you come across very strange stoves.

revenant 10 October 2014 12:32

The best tool for finding channels and removing bricks is a hacksaw blade, preferably a broken one!

Use the sharp end of the breaker to scratch the seams; when you manage to insert the fabric into the channel, you simply cut out the clay from the seam.

Isn’t there a Russian stove behind the stove? Does the building seem too big for an ordinary Swede?

pecna 10 October 2014 12:54

is this Swedish? there is no Russian stove, there is only this one

valerzon 10 October 2014 17:00

To be honest, I still don’t understand where the bottom valve is? Is it above the stove? You should take a better photo of the bottom valve, otherwise it looks more like fortune telling with cards.

Most likely, here are the main purposes for which these three valves can serve:

1. covering the ventilation duct above the stove (exhaust hood)

2. summer run (for lighting the stove)

3. main valve - to close the main channel after the stove is heated.

This is in theory. And if I'm wrong, then throw a stone at me.

And one more thing: the hog can be easily demolished and a straight chimney can be made.

pecna 10 October 2014 17:53

I can’t take a photo, it’s dark for a mobile phone, and I don’t have a camera. I drew the place where this valve is. circled in the photo

A few tips to make your firebox even more efficient

The firebox will be even more effective if you pay attention to the following points:

wet wood can cause the flame to go out after a while; the reason is the formation of a large amount of carbon monoxide inside the chamber; It’s better to forget about undried fuel altogether, but if an unpleasant situation arises, you need to close the combustion damper and open the chimney and damper for 10-20 minutes; after this, you can open the outer door (of the chamber) for a while;
It is not recommended to move logs that are not at least 50% burned;
It is advisable to shovel the coals that formed earlier than others into the center of the furnace bottom and cover them with burning fuel and hot coals;
It is better that the temperature in the firebox exceeds 200 degrees; in this case, soot almost does not settle on the chimney walls.

Clay castle - what is it?

Any mason: professional or amateur, ceramic production technologist, and even a child who goes to a modeling class, knows that clay dries at a temperature of 18 - 20°. At lower temperatures the clay will also dry out. But it will remain in the so-called leathery state for a long time. It will not brighten and will sag. The consistency will be similar to raw meat.

When the brick absorbs moisture from the mortar, the clay hydraulic lock is activated. In this state, the masonry can stand for a long time.

It appears dry on the outside, but a lot of water remains inside. If you pull out a brick, you will see that it is darker in the middle than at the edges.

Why is it prohibited to heat an undried stove?

A large amount of moisture contained in the structure, when heated, can lead to deformation of the masonry, up to the loss of individual elements, as well as cracking of bricks and cement mixture. This will negate all the efforts of the stove maker; the stove will need to be rebuilt in a new way.

Possible cracks

Even after repairing the furnace, if it is not heated and dried properly, carbon monoxide may enter the living space. The culprit will again be moisture, which, with intense evaporation, forms microscopic channels and cracks through which dangerous carbon monoxide and smoke will enter the home.

Technical characteristics of the gate

For the manufacture of gate valves for stoves and fireplaces, stainless steel is most often used - steel that is least susceptible to corrosion processes. The thickness of the metal should be one millimeter.

The surface of the part is ground to an absolute smoothness, which has no defects, so that it can be easily cleaned from dirt and soot deposits that accumulate over time. This circumstance contributes to the appearance of good draft in the chimney pipe, since there is no resistance to the exit of gas particles.

The damper for the unit can withstand high temperatures - up to 1000 degrees. Due to the fact that the part is made of stainless steel, carbon monoxide is better removed from the ventilation or chimney. The shiber is not at risk from temperature changes.

When to close the oven damper

An open valve provides internal ventilation in the stove - this happens as follows: street air enters the firebox through the ash pan and, after heating, goes out into the street through the chimney. When the damper is open and the fire stops, the heated bricks will quickly cool down.

If it is closed, then the cooling of the stove occurs more slowly, this also happens because the retained hot air warms up the brick walls of the stove more; in this state, a Russian stove is able to retain heat for up to two days.

In other words, the valve allows you to increase the efficiency of using the stove structure installed in the house.

Despite the simplicity of the design, there are different valves. The design, material and dimensions of furnace valves play a role.

By design

Retractable. This type of plug is the most convenient. It is a chimney nozzle with a retractable plate in the middle. It is this plate that moves freely in the grooves of the chimney. This type of damper is most often used in brick stoves. But it can be installed on others. This design is easy to install and does not require installation costs.

This valve is used in brick kilns

A rotary (throttle) gate is a type of valve where a guide is welded in the center to a metal plate. The end of this guide is on the outside and makes it possible to control the damper. By rotating the same plate along the axis, you adjust the draft in the furnace. The design is not as reliable as in the case of a retractable gate, but it has the right to life. Butterfly dampers are mainly used for steel chimneys. The rotary valve is slightly inferior to the sliding valve, but is also confidently popular.

By material

The material from which the gate is made is also very important. Each has its own nuances. There are cast iron and steel plugs.

Cast iron provides an incredibly durable and stable appliance. It is common for furnace valves. The only significant drawback is its impressive weight. Thus, installing the valve in the furnace can become a problematic part and the installation will take more time.
Stainless steel is lightweight, but also durable. She is not afraid of corrosion. With high-quality polishing it can last for a very long time. Just clean it, under the same conditions. Steel dampers are made of absolutely any design and are used for different types of stoves. Stainless steel began to be used quite recently, like cast iron. Maybe there is some modernity and perspective in this. Which one is up to you to decide. The main thing is to understand what is best for your stove.

Natural drying

If you give the constructed structure enough time, then nothing will happen and moisture will not be able to leave the material. This will be facilitated by the natural humidity of the environment. Therefore, the oven is dried before being put into operation.

Drying the oven is a whole set of measures aimed at ensuring that moisture in the form of steam evaporates through the channels, and this process should occur gradually, without causing harm to the masonry.

Natural drying is exactly the state when the oven is left to its own devices. It stands with open channels for about 5 days. During this time, the evaporated liquid (evaporation occurs at any temperature) begins to move due to the draft in the chimney. Naturally, in the warm season this process will be more effective than in the cold season, but it will not be possible to completely dry the stove using the described method, because moisture will only leave the surface layers of the masonry.

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To remove moisture from deeper layers, it is necessary to gradually increase the temperature of the material, and any intervention can no longer be called a natural process, so drying the new device also involves a forced stage.

First kindling

What stoves can be heated with briquettes?

Briquettes are distinguished by their versatility. They can be used in any type of stoves, including brick ones. They emit about four and a half kcal per kg, which is quite acceptable for a heating device made from refractory bricks. The main advantage of briquettes compared to regular logs is that they burn out several times slower.

This fuel is economical and cheap. Regular logs need to be sawed, chopped, flattened and dried. And Euro firewood does not require lengthy preparation: it is enough to purchase it and store it in a dry room in film or original packaging.

The fact that the fuel burns slowly is a disadvantage for some premises. It will take several hours to warm up the house in winter. The heat from such fuel is much less. And after the combustion of briquettes, the ash has a characteristic pungent odor.

Material of manufacture

Copper. Due to its ductility, copper is most optimal for the manufacture of a heat exchanger. A copper tube is easy to bend and give any shape. It has a high thermal conductivity coefficient - more than 380. But copper is also not a heat-resistant material and is expensive. Stainless steel. Also quite flexible and responsive material. Although it has a lower thermal conductivity coefficient. But it is resistant to temperature changes. You can weld any configuration from it

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Large size fireboxes

Large stoves have firebox dimensions of 73x73 cm. The power of such devices is 40 kW, which allows you to heat a steam room up to 50 m³. The maximum load of bath stone is 250 kg. In addition to a large amount of good steam, this makes it possible to steam for 6 hours without worrying about additional loading of firewood.

In addition, there is an original design of sauna stoves with a metal mesh around the firebox. The stoves have relatively small fireboxes for a bath, but can accommodate a large number of stones: the backfill is located around the chamber, and not just inside. This design warms up the room more slowly, but retains heat longer and produces more steam.

What happens if you don’t close the damper in time?

As already noted, the valve is designed mainly to regulate the flow of gases. This process allows us to ensure the safety of the heat that is generated due to the combustion of wood. In addition, the oven is ventilated through the damper.

Failure to close the valve in time can lead to the following consequences:

Quick heat dissipation.
Rapid combustion of fuel, which leads to additional costs for the purchase of new firewood or coal.
Accumulation of carbon monoxide in the room, which in certain concentrations can lead to poisoning of residents.

In addition, if the damper is not closed in time, it can lead to a violation of the thermal regime of the heating device, or, more simply, to overheating of the walls, which is completely unacceptable - the maximum temperature of the furnace walls should not exceed 70 degrees.

That is, the valve is a fairly simple design that ensures the efficiency of traditional stove heating. In the chimney of modern stove equipment, the presence of such a device is simply necessary.

Preparing the premises

After we whitewashed the stove, Misha told us to remove all flammable materials and other debris from it and warned us in the future not to place anything closer than 1.5 meters from it.

Then we climbed into the attic and checked the quality of the chimney. A small spark arrester, which was a curved sheet of iron, was installed at the pipe outlet.

Next we touched upon such an important issue as firewood. It turns out that you can’t store a large supply of them next to the stove.

All this again comes down to fire safety.

Rules for operating stoves and fireplaces

And so we finally decided to try heating the stove for the first time. Misha continued his teachings, from which I understood that:

Do not overload the firebox with wood;
the damper should always be at least slightly open during combustion;
It is better to add firewood in equal portions;
Care must be taken to ensure that the oven does not overheat.

Here it is, our beauty. Regarding our particular stove, the neighbor said a lot more, although I won’t undertake to cite half of it for reasons of censorship, but I must say his advice turned out to be very useful in further work with this miracle.

Useful tips

Drying the stove is accompanied by ignition of the fuel. You will have to deal with this process every time, so prepare in advance for the specific features of your design. It is known that two identically built stoves can melt differently.

Before you force dry the device, you need to make sure that there is draft in the chimney. To do this, a tourniquet is made from newspaper and set on fire. The flame should deflect towards the pipe. With this maneuver we also achieve heating of the air in the pipe, so use this method every time you light the stove.

There are certain restrictions on how to dry the stove, for example, in bad weather it is better to abandon this idea. The total time for one cycle should be about 3 hours. By drying, you have not protected the device from mechanical damage.

Cracks in the masonry can also form if the structure is not treated carefully enough. The firewood must be stacked carefully to avoid hitting the walls of the firebox. Remember safety at any stage of using the oven.

Instructions on how to properly heat a heat-intensive stove.

The procedure for firing a heating fireplace in stove mode:

Heating fireplace. Finishing with artificial stone, plaster.

Place firewood in a clean stove. (as close to each other as possible.)
Light the stored wood. (it is prohibited to use any flammable liquids) It is easier to light the stove if the fireplace damper is switched to the fireplace; when the firewood is already burning, switch to the stove mode.
After ignition, the combustion door must be closed. The air supply to the combustion chamber is regulated by the blower door (damper). The combustion efficiency is controlled by the color of the flame. A dark yellow flame with soot indicates a lack of air. A white, strongly humming flame with the ash pan fully open indicates excess draft, which must be extinguished by closing the damper at the outlet of the furnace. For optimal combustion, the flame should be light yellow and fairly active. The valve on the pipe should be opened as fully as possible. When the damper at the outlet of the furnace is closed excessively, the speed of the gas flow through the furnace decreases and, as a consequence, the conditions in the fuel combustion zone deteriorate. During the combustion process, it is advisable to open the combustion door as rarely as possible (1...3 times to pile up burning firewood in the center of the grate and add a new stack of firewood), because through the open door, an excess amount of cold air enters the oven, which does not participate in the combustion process, but very strongly cools the internal surfaces of the oven.
If the design of the furnace does not allow the coals to burn out quickly enough, then it is advisable to use a coal extinguisher. When the coals become uniform in size, and the thickness of their layer is 5...7 cm, it is necessary to clean the entire surface of the furnace floor from them, collect the coals in the coal extinguisher and close its lid tightly. The coal burner with coals gets quite hot, so it is necessary to prevent contact of the walls of the coal burner with combustible materials. Close the stove damper all the way to eliminate heat leaks through the chimney.

Burning for a long time will damage the stove.

If the heating regime is observed and the heat-intensive stove operates correctly, 1-2 loads of firewood are enough for one firebox.

The procedure for firing a heating fireplace in fireplace mode:

Switch the fireplace valve to the desired position.
Place a small amount of firewood (2-3 small logs) into the firebox and heat it. When operating in the fireplace mode, the firebox door remains open throughout the entire length of the firebox; an influx of additional air from the street (opening a vent or window) must be provided to the room where the fireplace is lit; a lack of supply air can lead to the fireplace becoming smoky.
At the end of the fire, close the valve of the pipe and the firebox door.

Attention! Attention! Attention!

It is forbidden to close the chimney damper if there are smoldering coals in the stove. (Life threatening).

It is not recommended to burn the fireplace in stove mode for more than one and a half hours. (Long-term heating can damage the stove.)

How can I speed up the drying process?

It is better not to force the natural drying process; the stove should release maximum moisture naturally.

But, there are some tricks that increase the evaporation of water from the structure:

It is recommended to use a fan heater, directing the air flow into the combustion chamber.
It is possible to use a powerful incandescent lamp of 200 - 250 watts; it is also placed in the firebox, after which it turns on and slowly heats the air inside all compartments of the furnace.

To intensify drying by heating, the stove is ignited 3-4 times a day, adding a small amount of quick-burning firewood.

It is important that the exhaust dampers are half open and the access of fresh air to the combustion area is closed. After the wood has completely burned out, close the dampers and open the stove door. You can completely dry the stove after laying it after 5–7 days of such procedures.

How to light a fireplace

The principle of lighting a fireplace is in many ways similar to the principle of lighting a stove, but has its own characteristics

How to properly operate a fireplace, what should you pay special attention to? Before lighting the fireplace, burn a bundle of newspaper in the smoke collector - make sure that the draft is normal and the fireplace is ready for use.

Before lighting the fireplace, burn a bundle of newspaper in the smoke collector - make sure that the draft is normal and the fireplace is ready for use.

Before starting the kindling, place the fireplace kindling sticks closer to the back wall of the firebox. In this case, the fireplace damper must be fully open. This will help avoid the initial release of smoke into the room when lighting the fireplace.
Use a metal basket; it will prevent wood from falling out of the fireplace, while at the same time allowing air to enter under the fireplace. Hot coals and ash formed under it concentrate heat well on the bottom of the firebox to maintain the combustion of firewood placed in the basket.
Make it a rule: you need to completely eliminate negligence when lighting the fireplace. Only under this condition can you count on both the absence of smoke in the room and a clean, smoke-free ceiling of the fireplace portal.
Don’t forget to keep the fireplace clean, clear the firebox of ash on time, and periodically wash the outer part of the fireplace with soap.
During normal fireplace combustion, the fireplace damper should be closed so that there is no feeling of burning or specific initial combustion odors in the room.
All types of well-dried firewood can be used as fuel, including spruce, pine, poplar, birch, etc. Give preference to birch for the following reasons: it has the highest calorific value, comparable to such species as oak, ash, and beech. Birch burns quietly, without “shooting” coals out of the fireplace, and the installation of protective screens is not necessary. Drying birch does not require a long time. For comparison, other types of firewood require drying to reduce its moisture content from 60% to 20% for up to 2 years.
Keep in mind that burning fireplaces with damp and poorly dried wood leads to additional formation of vapors, which settle on the walls of the chimney in the form of soot and solid resins, creating problems for cleaning the chimney.
Do not concentrate the fire at the top of the wood stacked at an angle to each other, this is usually done when using long logs. In this case, the highest temperatures from the fire are concentrated closer to the smoke collector, and the heat, without being retained or reflected from the walls of the firebox, is carried away into the chimney.
Choose fuel that does not spark and smokes less. Spruce, pine, and fir sparkle and throw out sparks. Wood smokes more than coal.
It is possible to use coal to fire fireplaces, or peat briquettes. Our practice of using coal and peat briquettes to fire fireplaces is insignificant. This fuel provides 30% more heat than wood.
Use a special set of tools necessary to maintain a fire in the firebox and remove debris: a poker, a dustpan, tongs, a broom, etc.
Use a decorative metal grill not only for protection from “firing” coals, but also for safety, especially when there are children in the house.

Preparing the mixture

As for the mixtures themselves, there are two options:

Make the mixture yourself. By independently purchasing cement, purchasing sand and mixing them in the required proportions.
Purchase ready-made mixtures that are made at the factory. But here, too, it is very important to choose the right manufacturer. That is, you need to take a trial batch, try it out, understand that you are getting the desired result, and then purchase a batch for the entire scope of work.

In order to produce a mixture with the required parameters and properties, the addition of plasticizers is also necessary.

Plasticizer

To obtain a high-quality solution, cement requires a certain amount of water. So, if you add exactly this amount of water, the mixture will not be easy to lay down. In this case, there is a very large overrun, due to the fact that the mixture simply crumbles.

Therefore, when preparing a solution, a plasticizer is used, that is, an additive that draws air into the solution.

At the same time, the “lifetime” of the solution increases; in other words, it dries longer. It is much more convenient for the installer to work with it, as it becomes soft, plastic, and not friable.

At the same time, the volume of the solution increases slightly, so more mixture is obtained with the same mass.

If you knead two identical mixtures, but add a plasticizer to one of them, and leave them for a while, then the mixture without additives will set two or three times faster.

And how often the mason will make batches depends on the “lifetime” of the solution. That is, if the “lifetime” of the mortar is short, then the mason will be able to lay only four bricks.

Further, the moisture will be absorbed into the stone and the solution will crumble. And when the plasticizer is added, the mason will be able to lay two, or maybe three times as many bricks in one go.

Of course, the plasticizers that need to be added to the mixture must be strictly calculated based on the mass of cement.

For example, per hundred kilograms of cement only 300 grams of air-entraining additive is used. As a result, this will approximately amount to about 500 kilograms of the finished mixture.

Fire safety in a bathhouse or sauna

Baths and saunas, popular and in demand by Russian people, can cause a fire if the builders of these facilities do not comply with basic fire safety measures.

The fire safety of a stove in a bathhouse or sauna will be ensured only if a brick stove with thin walls is placed on top of a layer of asbestos and additional roofing steel is placed in relation to the wooden floor.

And only a structure with a fireproof “bottom” can be installed flush with the floor. But these are just a couple of a whole list of important “little things”.

Stove in a metal bath

Even when developing a project for a recreational facility, numerous nuances should be taken into account; let’s consider which ones:

provide for the construction of the furnace after the period of shrinkage of the structure has passed;
include in the project indentations and cuts for the hot parts of the furnace in relation to the walls of the room, as well as covering nearby surfaces with felt or asbestos cardboard impregnated with a clay solution;
in the absence of fire-resistant protection, the surfaces of the brick stove should be located at a distance of 40 cm from the walls, and if the metal stove is in a bathhouse, then fire safety will be observed only if the interval is increased to 1 m;
impregnation of the wooden surfaces of the room with a fire-resistant composition will help to avoid fire from heating (with wood this happens at temperatures above 300°), but it will not be possible to overheat the stove;
between the floor and the ash pan it is necessary to provide a space of 13-15 cm, a gap of 20-24 cm should be to the bottom of the chimney.

Recommended: install primary fire extinguishing means near the bathhouse in your areas.

Fire safety of the bathhouse

Why do you need a chimney damper - what is a damper, types, installation rules

A damper is a damper, a valve for a stove chimney, designed to improve draft in it. This part is made of metal. It is installed at the stage of construction of the chimney pipe and ventilation passage.

Draft is of great importance for the functioning of the heating unit. When it is strong enough, the fuel burns completely, resulting in reduced costs. When the draft is poor, a fire can occur at any moment, and to prevent this, install a damper for the stove or fireplace.

The valve prevents the division of mechanical inclusions released during fuel combustion, which are gas bubbles and particles. Due to this property of the gate, it is used when heating a room with gas, coal, oil products, etc.

How long does it take to dry?

It is not recommended to use the oven until the solution is completely dry. When using different materials, this period may vary. Using heat-resistant glue as a putty, the layer of solution will dry within a few hours.

It will take more time for the solution of clay and sand to dry and form. In this case, you will be able to use the stove only after a day. Then the brick oven, protected from cracks with mortar, will remain crack-free for a long time.

Therefore, we do not advise you to rush, immediately flooding your Russian stove with a stove bench. Repairing cracks in a furnace is a simple but important job. The choice of material for the solution is a purely individual matter. The main thing is to do the work carefully and responsibly. Then your house will always be light and clean, without the smell of burning and smoke penetrating through the cracks in the walls of the stove.

Why do you need to dry a new brick kiln?

To correctly understand how the process of drying brickwork proceeds, it is enough to calculate how much water was used to prepare the solution.
For a regular clay-sand mixture, you will need 5 parts clay and sand to 1 part water. That is, laying 23-32 full rows of a stove and chimney in an attic of 10-15 rows will require at least 2.5-3 buckets of water. Under natural conditions, drying occurs unevenly. First, the plastered part of the building dries, then the bricks and mortar outside the stove, and only lastly does the moisture evaporate from the internal surfaces of the firebox and chimneys. Stove-makers advise not to rush into drying; some even advise not to open the doors for the first 24 hours so that moisture begins to condense on the internal surfaces of the firebox and chimney. And starting from the second day, open the ash door and the direct flow valve and smoke channels to create natural draft in the furnace.

Some nuances of heating

It is recommended to heat the stove with whole logs after one, or better yet, two batches of small-sized firewood have burned out. It is not recommended to use overly large logs: they form coals that smolder for too long, and most of the thermal energy from them simply goes into the chimney.
During heating, it is recommended to move and turn the coals in order to get maximum thermal energy from them and optimize air flow.
When burning wood, you need to make sure that the flame is uniform and all the wood is burning, not just individual ones. To do this, turn over poorly burning logs and use a poker to move them closer to the epicenter of the fire.

Making a rotary gate yourself

Damper installation option
When using a chimney, it may be necessary to replace the damper, and a standard damper is not suitable for this design. In this case, the damper is made independently according to the dimensions of the pipe.

To work you will need metal scissors, a drill, a grinder and a welding machine.

A frame for the damper is welded from steel corners with a flange size of 35–45 mm. The size of the parts corresponds to the diameter of the pipe.
Holes are drilled in the frame to secure the axle. For a gate with straight rotation, they are located in the horizontal plane, and for an angular one, they are located diagonally.
Bushings are welded from two sections of half-inch pipe, which ensure rotation of the axis.
The damper is cut to the size of the frame; the material is a steel sheet 2–3 mm thick.
An axis on which the damper will be mounted is inserted into the holes in the frame. The second part of the metal piece will become the adjustment knob.
The plate is inserted into the frame and fixed to the axis by welding.
For safe use, there must be a 1mm gap between the flap and the frame.
To ensure the plate is fixed in the open state, a limiter is installed.

Drawing of a rotary gate valve

Note! The choice of damper model depends on the design of the chimney and the type of heating system, but its installation is mandatory. The device allows you to regulate the draft level and keep the heating system in working condition.

How to make it yourself

Materials and tools

If you want to make a stove door with your own hands, you will need:

Main material (cast iron sheet, steel sheet, wood).
Cardboard, felt-tip pen, scissors for making a template.
Grinder for cutting metal, jigsaw.
Wire with a diameter of 1.2 cm (for steel structures).
Handle blanks with fastenings (U-shaped steel rods are more often used).

For decoration you will need: masking tape, heat-resistant varnish, forged parts for decoration (optional).

Drawings and dimensions

No special drawings are required. You can make a cardboard blank with your own hands. Take a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the mouth and make a hole in the center.

The cardboard is placed sideways in the arch, held by the central hole, pressed from the inside to the wall of the firebox opening, and the borders are drawn with a felt-tip pen. Now you need to take out the workpiece, add 3-4 millimeters to the drawn line and cut out the template.

It's worth checking the cardboard stencil before you start creating the main door. You need to try to insert it into the mouth of the furnace. The template should easily move to the middle of the mouth, then rest against the walls (without falling inside).

Step-by-step instruction

The scheme for creating a furnace damper includes the following steps:

The cardboard template is applied to the base and outlined.
Holes are drilled for mounting the handles.
The door is cut out along the drawn contour.
Excess elements that appear during cutting are removed with a grinder or a grinding wheel.
The shield on the reverse side is fastened with dovetail dowels.
To prevent the sheet of iron from bending along the edge, it is wrapped with wire. The ends of the wire are bent from below - these “legs” will firmly hold the valve inside the mouth.
The next step is installing the handle. The ends are secured with steel rivets into pre-drilled holes.
Manufacturing scheme

If necessary, the door is decorated. The simplest decoration option is to cover it with special paint. This is done like this: the front part of the damper is covered with masking tape, and the back part is treated with dark heat-resistant paint. After drying, the masking tape is removed, and the front surface is treated with a heat-resistant urethane agent (clear varnish that gives only shine, or colored paint). You can apply painting on top or attach forged decorative elements by welding.

The design can be improved. Some craftsmen suggest installing timers and thermometers on the barriers. Others insert windows made of heat-resistant glass in the center (allowing you to observe the fire without having to move the door). This deprives the stove of its original national charm, but adds ease of use.

Types of gate valves

The valve for a fireplace or stove comes in several types:

Retractable horizontal installation . In this case, there is a plate inside the gate that extends, as a result of which the cross-sectional size of the ventilation or chimney pipes changes. This type of damper is used when installing brick chimneys; they are distinguished by their horizontal arrangement. The plate has special small holes - even in the closed position they do not completely block the air duct. This feature allows you to avoid future fires.

Classic butterfly valve . Such a damper operates due to rotational movement inside the air duct. Such a gate installation consists of a metal body and a removable rotating disk. If used for a long time, it may become faulty, but replacing the part will not be difficult. You can perform this procedure on your own. Even in the absence of certain skills, you can do the entire design of a classic-type throttle installation with your own hands. This type of gate valve is easy to use and does not require constant monitoring by the property owner.
Air gate valve for chimney . Refers to control parts that control the amount of fuel in the combustion chamber. Workflow management is carried out automatically.

Signs that you're crazy

Carbon monoxide is very toxic. Symptoms of CO poisoning are:

Dizziness;
Hearing loss;
Deterioration of coordination;
Deterioration of vision;
Headache;
Confusion;
Labored breathing.

In the future, nausea and loss of consciousness may occur. At the first signs of poisoning, you should quickly leave the room. It is recommended to cover the lower part of the face with a wet cloth when moving. Under no circumstances should you sit on the floor - carbon monoxide is heavier than air, and its concentration is higher near the floor. Victims of severe poisoning must receive first aid and call a doctor.

Source

How to close the stove damper correctly

We figured out the purpose and installation of the damper in a Russian stove. It helps extend the cooling time of the oven, isolating it from the “outside world”.

Using a cast iron stove damper, we can retain heat indoors for more than 24 hours. This is an important criterion for a heating stove. Now you need to know when and how to close the damper.

It is important to understand that an improperly closed chimney can have a significant impact on your health. If the valve is closed earlier than necessary, combustion products, in particular carbon monoxide, can cause severe poisoning, even death, because the symptoms of poisoning may not appear immediately. To avoid such consequences, it is enough to follow three rules:

To avoid such consequences, it is enough to follow three rules:

It is necessary to constantly stir the coals in order to eliminate the chance that there will be wood left that is not completely burned.
As soon as the coals begin to fade (in other words, the blue fire disappears from the surface of the coals), you can not completely close the stove damper, but it is still too early to close it tightly;
In order for the coals to turn into ash and ashes, it is necessary to open the bottom door, as a result a powerful draft is formed that will maintain smoldering until complete burnout.

Be careful and follow these recommendations so that the use of stoves and fireplaces does not lead to disastrous results.

Air intake volume

The size of the hole directly affects the volume of air that is sucked into the combustion chamber of the furnace. In Fig. Figure 10 shows the dependence of the volume of air passing through a hole with a diameter of 28 mm (area 6.5 cm2) on rarefaction.

Rice. 10. Dependence of the volume of air passing through a hole with a diameter of 28 mm (area 6.5 cm2) on vacuum

Assuming that the inactive burner dampers are left open, the additional volume of air entering the furnace through the inactive burner can be estimated.

The burner neck diameter is 410 mm, which corresponds to an area of 1300 cm2. Assuming that, according to the design, the draft at the level of the furnace bottom is 75 Pa, for a hole with a diameter of 28 mm at the specified vacuum, the air leakage will be 21 m3/h; for a hole with a diameter of 410 mm – 4200 m3/h. For a furnace with a heating capacity of 29 MW when operating with an excess air coefficient of 1.15 (15% excess air, which corresponds to an oxygen content in flue gases of 3% vol.) for gaseous fuel (methane), the air flow rate into the furnace will be 34,100 m3/h (according to thermal calculation). The calculated air leakage in this case will be ~14% of the minimum required stoichiometric amount of air. This means that if the acceptable oxygen content is set at 3% (typical in furnace operation), then almost all of the excess air will come from the idle burner.

With a set residual oxygen fraction of 3/21 = 14.2% (21% oxygen content in the air), the burners in operation will have only 0.8% excess combustion air.

If an automatic draft control system is installed in the furnace based on the oxygen content in the flue gases, this will lead to a strong decrease in draft in the furnace, insufficient air supply to the burners, the formation of an elongated flame with a high level of CO emissions due to incomplete combustion, an unstable flame due to lack of oxygen, and the burners will become unstable and go out.

If the draft in the furnace is not regulated, then operation will occur with a large volume of additional air, which will lead to a decrease in the energy efficiency of the furnace.

Design of a furnace valve and its installation in a pipe

A stove valve is an integral part of any stove, the role of which is to regulate the draft in the chimney when the stove is already flooded and at the end of the fire in order to disconnect the stove from the chimney, as well as to switch the chimneys in combined stoves. The product consists of a frame and a slider. It performs its function by moving the slider in the grooves of the frame, as a result of which the cross-sectional area of the inlet of the chimney changes. This leads to a decrease or increase in vacuum.

In order to close the pipe as tightly as possible after flooding, it is recommended to install two valves, one on top of the other.

Furnace valve design

The furnace valve is a structure consisting of three parts:

Cast iron body - frame (sometimes steel is used instead of cast iron) with side grooves.
The locking part is in the form of a panel damper, thanks to the movement along the grooves of which the sealing of the chimney is controlled.
The control part on the panel damper is in the form of a handle. This makes it easy to operate the panel damper manually.

The shape of the valve must completely coincide with the shape of the chimney; according to this parameter, they can be rectangular, square, or round.

A few words about rectangular valves

A rectangular valve can be of various sizes from small to very large, when the length of the valve reaches up to 600 mm. Large options are usually suitable for Russian stove chimneys, fireplaces, barbecues, etc. The purpose of the design is the same - to block the flow in the air ducts.

The smallest furnace valve has dimensions of 13x13 cm, and the largest is determined according to the individual requirements of the consumer. The most popular size for these structures is 26x13 cm, since these are the dimensions of the chimney of an ordinary Russian stove.

Thanks to square or rectangular stove valves, you can not only stop the air exchange in the pipe, but also adjust the intensity of the fire by changing the chimney draft and throughput. For this purpose, simply close the damper not completely, and then gradually pull the handle towards you, thereby controlling uniform combustion in the firebox.

Round furnace valve or view

A round-shaped stove valve is otherwise called a view. This is a special valve with a slightly different design than the regular version.

The view consists of the following parts:

The housing is in the form of a plate, which can be round or square with a round hole.
A shut-off element in the form of a disk that closes the hole and blocks air exchange in the pipe.
The control part, in the form of a regular handle in the center of the disc valve.

conclusions

Thus, based on the above, the following conclusions can be drawn. Due to the significant influence of air leaks on the operating efficiency of process furnaces, they must be minimized

This is especially important for high-capacity furnaces and for furnaces operating with high vacuum in the firebox, since excessively high vacuum increases air leaks

All possible air leaks must be sealed. Specially designed devices should be used to reduce air leakage into the furnace, such as inspection ports instead of conventional peepholes. Furnaces must be equipped with instruments for monitoring the content of oxygen, carbon monoxide and measuring the vacuum in the combustion space and at the outlet of the furnace. Operators and engineers need to understand the need to identify air leaks and constantly work to eliminate them. It is important to maintain the vacuum in the combustion chamber at the level specified by the design. It is necessary to avoid operating modes of technological furnaces with high or low oxygen content and with an increased content of carbon monoxide in the flue gases, and high vacuum values. For this purpose, it is necessary to control and regulate draft in technological furnaces.

Functional purpose of the gate

To understand the purpose of this part for the chimney structure, you need to understand what a damper in a stove is. The damper provides a change in the traction force in the unit by adjusting the combustion of fuel in the firebox.

This element has an important advantage - it has low resistance relative to the remaining gas bubbles, which must be removed outside the room. When the chimney is inoperative, then the damper is completely closed.

The gate has a significant drawback - sometimes its welding burns out. This problem occurs quite often - its cause is usually a neglectful attitude towards the quality of this product on the part of manufacturing companies.