Homemade Wood Stove Draft Inducer?

You could try opening the controls about half a turn or so for a few minutes before opening the door to load. This will get the heat going up the chimney taking the smoke along with it. Also, we found that when the smoke didn't go up the chimney it was time to clean the chimney.

I hope you have a "Damper" on your stove pipe,that's what controls the heat in your stove plus it helps to keep the smoke down when the door is opened. just before opening the door,open your damper all the way,should be straight up and down,when you are finished loading,and until the fire is going good,leave it that way.

i have also heard that if you put the pipe about 2 feet above the peak that helps to. they say that the wind helps the draft.

Try opening a window a little to get some air FOR a draft moving into the house, don't forget that if you have an energy efficient home it is fairly air tight and there will be insufficiant air flow to create a draft.

Where is the best place to install your damper?

I use a propane torch or kerosene "salamander" heater with the damper closed, to fill the stove with heat for a minute or so, the open the damper and the heat will rise and draft will start up.

Sandi

December 20, 20090 found this helpful

We have our stove pipe going through the wall to the outside of the house like 12 inches or so. The pipe then makes a right angle then goes up many feet to above the roof line. At the bottom of this pipe, ground level, is a cap which can be unscrewed. We twist off this cap and put a piece of twisted newspaper in which is on fire.