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I noticed the recent thread on smoke nuisance, and as i'm about to start work reinstating a chimney and fitting a wood burner i wondered if there's any way to predict or guesstimate ahead of time if there will be any issues regarding inversions, trapping smoke etc. I basically don't want to do a tonne of work fixing up the chimney, flue etc, only to find i cant use the thing without becoming public enemy number one!
How long since the chimney was used and was it OK then?
The main thing with chimneys is to have clear air around them. This means ideally the chimney top should be above the ridge by 600mm or more. Near by trees or other obstructions that are at or above chimney height can cause problems.
If you are going to use a wood burner will you be putting in an insulated liner. This might help any smoke problems a bit by making the out put rise faster due to the smoke being hotter but it will certainly aid the chimney by help preventing deposits and condensation from settling.
cheers peter, no idea when it was last used, fireplace (if it's still there) is covered by 70's looking timber lining, so it'll be at least 30 years. It's definitiely 600mm up from the ridge, and its midway along semi detached single storey cottages. There's a two story block of flats maybe 20-25m away, perpedicular. What worries me is the gardens, ours and neighbours are in a sort of courtyard layout, so while nothing is higher bar the flats, there might be an area of still air in the gardens with certain wind directions. Not that i've ever observed that, nearly always a breeze (or more usually a gale!)
I cant see there being to bad of an issue, some neighbours have presumably open fires, and the smoke never bothers me, but just trying to be a responsible particulate producer :)
If the chimney does not pass the ridge, you want at very least a 2.4m horizontal distance between the top of the flue and the slope of the roof. I *just* have this (after extending with insulated stainless flue) and it's still not great. We still get downdraught on occasion. As far as I know, happily, it has never cuased trouble to my neighbours, though.
If you use the right fuel there shouldn't be much smoke. If you need to use up bad fuel run the stove hot with plenty of air and that will reduce smoke and make the exhaust hotter and less likely to descend nearby on windless days.
Are you in a smokeless zone? If so the rules are tighter. Some stoves approved for smokeless zones have a stop on them that prevents the air being closed off too much. Unfortunately that means some burn too fast all the time. As you sound like a responsible type I would try and avoid a model designed for a smokeless zone if possible, run it with plenty of air every time it's frst lit and whenever more fuel is added. Then once it's settled down you can reduce the air a bit to make the fuel last. If you've ever had a bonfire you know how they smoke a lot when first lit.
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