Reverse thrust why it appears and how to eliminate it
It is recommended to install the boiler in such a way that the window and the smoker are located on the same side. Failure to comply with the rule in a small building is infrequent, but can do without consequences. In a high-rise building in windy weather, this may cause a pressure difference. Violation of the norm in this case leads to the appearance of reverse thrust.
Often, a boiler that has not smoked before passes clouds of smoke into the room at the time of kindling after it has completely cooled down. For the normal removal of exhaust gases, it is necessary that it is warmer in the boiler room than outside. Violation of this rule leads to a natural result - traction will not be restored until the heating equipment warms up.
You can restore normal air circulation using a simple trick - light the paper, after placing it closer to the chimney. At the same time, the ash pan is left open, and the firebox door is tightly closed. Attempts are repeated until smoke appears from the chimney, indicating the restoration of normal draft. After such a signal, you can safely start the heating boiler without fear that it will start to smoke.
Solid fuel boilers for the home help create a fairly comfortable heating, and are able to help the heating system cope with increased demands. They have enough advantages, but from time to time they require maintenance, and always - careful treatment for fire safety purposes.
In this article, we will understand, in such a question that often arises among the owners, why the heating boiler smokes and what to do in such cases. Often, the problem lies in the chimney.
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Smoke from the boiler into the room
If smoke comes into the room from a gas boiler
A wall-mounted or floor-standing boiler and AOGV can smoke for two main reasons: chimney malfunctions or poor gas quality.
First of all, it is necessary to inspect the chimney and carry out the following work:
Check for traction. This can be done either with a special measuring device, or by bringing a lit match. The flame should noticeably deviate towards the boiler. If this does not happen, then for some reason the chimney does not pull smoke out.
View the pipe with a mirror and a flashlight. If necessary, remove snow and foreign objects. If you can't do it yourself, call a chimney sweep.
If you are heating with raw wood, you need to clean the accumulated tar from time to time.
Replace the chimney with a suitable type and diameter for this model. For example, the Lemax Premium device requires a chimney with a diameter of 200 mm. Increase the length of the pipe; in your house, its end should end above the roof ridge. Outside, insulate it with glass wool.
Check the chimney for cracks
Pay special attention to the connecting seams. Remove right angles when cornering and make transitions smooth.
In the room where the gas boiler is located, a window must be open for air to enter. This is especially true in the cold season in high-rise buildings, where a layer of cold air can prevent combustion products from escaping.
If you are heating with a gas boiler and using cylinders rather than a centralized gas pipeline, it is important to purchase high-quality liquefied gas from trusted manufacturers. This allows you to make the Ross Lux model
Causes of reverse thrust
Backdraft is one of the possible reasons why the boiler smokes when the door is opened. It has already been mentioned above.If combustible products are not removed through the chimney, but go into the living room, it is worth analyzing the cause of this situation and urgently take up troubleshooting. As a rule, in this case, the exhaust gas sensor, which is built into the units of all modern brands, also reacts.
For all that, the solid fuel boiler smokes profusely when the door is opened, pollutes the window on the door. The reason is usually the same. All gases circulate from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Natural draft appears when the chimney is brought to the optimum height.
You can check if there is a reverse draft if you bring a lit match to the chimney. In the case of natural draft, the fire will be deflected towards the boiler, if reverse draft - away from the boiler.
The most common cause of reverse thrust is the weather. A gust of wind penetrates the chimney and does not allow harmful waste to escape. Similarly, when the temperature of the air outside the room decreases. Sometimes it is worth simply waiting until the pipe becomes warmer, and the natural circulation of combustion products will improve.
It is also possible that the design and type of the chimney are not chosen correctly. There may be damage. For unhindered removal of smoke, the pipe should have as few turns as possible. The diameter and types of the chimney are selected for each boiler based on its type and power parameters.
This equipment is not too difficult to maintain.
However, due to the specifics of its work, it requires some attention during operation. Further in the article, we will consider ways to eliminate the most common problems and the reasons for their occurrence.
What to do if the boiler "cries"
Condensate starts to flow out of the boiler when the return temperature is too low. This problem needs to be eliminated, since such a problem reduces the life of the boiler. At the same time, soot and soot accumulate inside the equipment. To avoid the occurrence of such a situation in boilers for pellets and wood, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature of the heat carrier in the return line is not lower than 55 gr.
In this case, the best option can be considered 60-65 gr. In order to ensure such working conditions, a Laddomat or three-way mixing valves should be used.
Causes of overheating of solid fuel boilers and ways to eliminate this problem
A solid fuel boiler can overheat mainly in two cases:
If the premises of the house consume less heat than the boiler itself generates. The features of this equipment are such that precise power adjustment is simply impossible. As a result, the coolant is heated until it begins to boil and the excess steam is discharged through a special valve;
Approximately the same situation occurs when the operation of the circulation pump stops for some reason. In this case, boiling occurs as a result of the fact that heat removal from the boiler ceases to be carried out.
How to protect equipment from overheating? Experts advise using a special storage tank for this purpose, as well as a UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
The latter is necessary, first of all, to ensure the stability of the pump, the first is designed to take excess heat. In order to protect the boiler from overheating, it is worth using WATTS STS-20 and REGULUS TSV valves.
Other common problems
Very often, owners of solid fuel boilers are also forced to solve the following problems:
Smokes. The reason is poor draft in the pipe. Most likely, the air heating of a private house will just need to be cleaned of soot;
High fuel consumption.The problem usually lies either in the wrong connection of the boiler (incorrectly selected power), or in the use of low-quality fuel or poor insulation of the room;
Water flows from the chimney. In this case, the latter should be insulated;
The burner in the pellet boiler is clogged. To avoid this, only high quality pellets from certified suppliers should be used.
If the gas boiler smokes
In addition to errors associated with improper installation of equipment, fuel quality plays an important role in the operation of the unit. This issue is especially relevant when using liquefied gas from a cylinder.
After combustion of clean fuel, a small amount of dry soot remains. The flakes of this substance accumulated in the pipe are easy to eliminate. It is enough to tap the chimney from the outside and remove the crumbling soot through the technical window.
After combustion of gas with a large number of impurities on the walls of the chimney, gradually narrowing the clearance, greasy soot sticks. It is quite difficult to clean this substance. A regular pipe brush may be useless. In such a situation, it would be best to disassemble the smoker and clean its components separately.
Quite often, a gas boiler smokes due to improper adjustment of the intensity of the flame. If the user, in violation of all instructions, turned on the burner of a cold boiler at full power, then the appearance of smoke will be a natural result. The problem can be avoided by gradually increasing the combustion temperature after kindling.
What to do when a solid fuel boiler smokes a real example
The reasons for the smoking of a solid fuel boiler can be different. Often, when such a situation arises, the owners of the units immediately look for information on the Internet, analyze sites and forums to find real reviews and comments on how to identify the cause of the problems and fix them. Here is one such example.
One of the members of the forum complained that after installing a Dragon TA solid fuel boiler with a classic stainless steel chimney, after two years of unquestioning work, the unit began to smoke. Combustion products began to come out of the chimney inside the boiler room, from all the doors during the firebox.
Kindling was carried out with various types of firewood: spruce, birch, aspen. Both dry, raw and frozen firewood were used... The boiler functioned perfectly for two years, and then the situation changed. The owner is sure that the weather conditions here have nothing to do with it. The ventilation works great.
The actions of the boiler owner were as follows:
- He dismantled the chimney and cleaned it.
- I rewound all the connections of the structure with aluminum tape.
- Cleaned out the entire boiler.
- Insulated the chimney with 10 cm ROCKWOOL stone wool.
The solid fuel boiler was still smoking inside the boiler room, but the pipe stopped. The owner did not understand what was the matter, why the boiler was smoking.
After much discussion and communication with people who encountered a similar problem, we still managed to establish the reason, which was as follows.
The owner melted the cauldron with dry chopped logs of aspen and birch for two years. In the real season, the cold came already in October, so the dry firewood ran out, and a machine of raw birch firewood was bought.
When using dried firewood, dry soot accumulated in the chimney, which could be removed simply by tapping the vertical part of the chimney with a stick. And everything is clean and tidy. Damp birch logs covered the walls of the boiler and the chimney with tar.
The owner carried out all the necessary cleaning procedures for the boiler. Removed tar. And that's it - the problem is gone.
A solid fuel heating boiler is a good means of heating. But remember that it also requires periodic maintenance and compliance with safety rules.
The boiler smokes: causes and remedies
What problems arise during the operation of solid fuel boilers
one. When loading fuel into the boiler, smoke comes out into the room - The main reason for the boiler to smoke is insufficient draft in the chimney, lack of supply air for combustion. Check the condition of the chimney. And most importantly - consult with engineers about the height and diameter of the chimney.
2. Tar is sticking to the internal walls of the solid fuel boiler - Raise the operating temperature of the boiler to a level of at least 75 degrees, clean the boiler, install a three-way mixing valve to control the temperature of the water entering the boiler at least 61 °. Use quality fuel!
3. Periodically, water appears under the solid fuel boiler - This is condensate. This process occurs when the boiler return temperature is below 51°, to solve this problem, it is necessary to increase the boiler temperature to 75° and install a three-way mixing valve to maintain a stable return temperature of at least 55°.
4. Black smoke coming from the chimney - Not enough air for combustion, or poor quality solid fuel is used.
5. The fuel in the boiler does not burn - The draft of the chimney is weak. Cleaning of the chimney is required or it is necessary to increase the section-height of the chimney of a solid fuel boiler. Read the instructions for the boiler, adjust the regulators.
6. Boiler clogs frequently - Increase boiler temperature, use better quality fuel. Not enough air flow or draft in the chimney.
7. Wood burns normally, but coal does not burn - The size of the chimney does not correspond to the capacity of the boiler.
8. When water is heated in the heating system, the pressure rises strongly - The expansion (compensation) tank is damaged or does not have enough volume.
9. What safety group should be set for a solid fuel boiler - The safety group must comply with the manufacturer's requirements specified in the instructions for the boiler.
10. Solid fuel boiler cannot raise the temperature in the heating system - Raw fuel with insufficient calorific value is used, replace the fuel with a higher calorific value. For example, briquettes, or coal. More or less dry fuel should be used.
The main problems with solid fuel boilers arise from improper installation and selection of the chimney for the boiler. Also, the operating temperature of the solid fuel boiler plays an important role, as well as the temperature of the heating return line (the water that enters the boiler) must be at least 55 °. When buying a boiler, analyze the fuel market, consult with specialists on boiler installation schemes
Also, it is worth paying great attention to the type of boiler and the types of fuels on which the solid fuel boiler can operate.
There are four main types of solid fuel boilers - universal boilers, wood boilers, pellet boilers, combined boilers. These boilers are very different in terms of comfort and quality of work on one or another type of solid fuel.
A lot depends on whether you are ready to use solid fuel in heating your premises, as it will take a lot of effort and time when using manual fuel loading, so you should immediately decide whether you need a boiler with manual loading or automatic.
And do not forget to call and consult - this will give answers to many questions, it will also show the level of engineers who offer you quite specific equipment!
Why does the boiler smoke?
Let's figure out why the boiler smokes, and what are the main possible causes of this phenomenon. Most likely, the problem lies in the chimney.
Here is a list of suspected faults in this node leading to poor traction:
- Chimney pipe clogged. In winter, snow could accumulate in it or it could freeze. Also, a foreign object could get there from above or soot could gradually accumulate. All this can be the reason why there is no traction.
- When burning on wood that is not sufficiently dried, tar accumulates, which greatly narrows the diameter of the pipe and increases the thickness of its walls, preventing it from warming up enough.
- The diameter or type of chimney does not match the capacity of the model.
- Insufficient height at which the pipe ends. In this case, the pressure difference will not be enough for natural draft to occur.
- Cracked or leaking chimney joints. Too abrupt changes in direction and turns of the pipe, where plugs of cold air form.
It can also be caused by a sudden change in the weather. In the cold season, the thrust is stronger than at high temperatures. With strong gusts, the wind blows from above into the pipe.
Unsuitable or poor quality fuel also leads to smoke. For example, gas with a large amount of impurities, damp firewood, foam or other synthetic materials getting into a solid fuel boiler
You should also pay attention to the degree of opening of the gate
There is smoke in the room if no air enters the boiler room during the operation of the boiler. For safety reasons, there should be air flow from the same side of the house to which the chimney is connected. Otherwise, strong winds may cause pressure drop and smoke to form indoors.
Clogging of the boiler or underestimated cross section of the grate can also cause smoke. The device also smokes at the very beginning during kindling, due to the fact that the chimney pipe has not yet heated up.
Troubleshooting Solid Fuel Models
Solid fuel boilers can have the same chimney-related smoke causes as gas appliances described above. When firing, it is necessary to use well-dried raw materials. It should be stored in well-adapted places with a low level of humidity. Do not use synthetic materials as fuel.
Wood boilers such as Buderus Logano SW, Stropuva S and Zhytomyr D must be fired with dry wood only. To be able to use different types of fuel, you need to purchase combined devices such as KST or Smoke. You can experiment with the degree of gate opening in air-heating models from manufacturers such as Siberia. If smoke appears, make the chimney opening larger.
Provide air supply to the boiler room. For safety reasons, the window must be open constantly during the operation of the boiler during the heating season. A solid fuel appliance must be cleaned regularly. This is especially true if it is coal or diesel, working on mining, since these types of fuel clog the burner especially quickly.
Causes of boiler smoke
Some signs help determine what to look for first of all when fumes and soot appear in the room. Conventionally, the causes of smoke can be divided into 4 groups:
- A clogged chimney is one of the most common problems. This may be either a foreign object that has fallen from the outside, or the result of using low-quality fuel.
- The mismatch of the chimney with the power of the boiler or the height of the building is less common and is detected almost immediately, at the very first heating. In a situation where at first everything was fine, and then it began to smoke, this reason should not be considered.
- Damage to the chimney is the least likely case. But if the boiler smokes at the beginning of a new heating season, then inspection of the pipe should be one of the first tasks.
- Weather conditions affect natural draft in only two cases: a low chimney height and an incorrect location of the fresh air inlet point.
The smoker must be raised above the roof ridge. The diameter of the pipe is selected in strict accordance with the power of the boiler: a small section simply cannot cope with the removal of smoke from a serious firebox.You should also avoid right angles in places where the pipe changes direction - this makes it difficult for air to circulate, which is not the best effect on traction. Visual inspection allows you to identify these shortcomings and eliminate them.
