Will Baro Damper Be Damaged by Buring Wood in Hitzer 30-95

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Sun. Dec. 13, 2009 4:54 pm

Ive read it a few places that baros are for coal - not wood, and the 30-95 burns both. I never saw anything that was clear about whether a baro is just unnecessary or whether its problematic when burning wood or if the issue is whether it's on a coal stove or a wood stove.

I have both the baro and the mano now and am ready to install them but want to know if I can still burn wood in the spring and fall when its not cold enough for continuous col burning.

Once I install my baro type M is there any restriction/limitation/caveats on using the Hitzer to burn wood ?

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Sun. Dec. 13, 2009 6:28 pm

It is a safety issue. Burning wood creates creosote in the chimney. creosote is what causes chimney fires. If you had a chimney fire, you want to be able to seal the system off to starve the fire of oxygen. With a baro hooked up, if you hade a fire it would open and feed the fire all the air needed to burn the house down.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Sun. Dec. 13, 2009 10:48 pm

The back of the baro plate will become coated with creosote and it is a bear to get off. It is pretty useless at that point as it becomes so heavy it can't be balanced. Even if you don't burn the house down.

Best bet is to pull the baro and install a pipe cap if you are going to burn wood for any length of time.

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Sun. Dec. 13, 2009 10:54 pm

Pete69 wrote:It is a safety issue. Burning wood creates creosote in the chimney. creosote is what causes chimney fires. If you had a chimney fire, you want to be able to seal the system off to starve the fire of oxygen. With a baro hooked up, if you hade a fire it would open and feed the fire all the air needed to burn the house down.

Sounds like a good way for me to win a Darwin Award.

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Sun. Dec. 13, 2009 11:26 pm

coaledsweat wrote:The back of the baro plate will become coated with creosote and it is a bear to get off. It is pretty useless at that point as it becomes so heavy it can't be balanced. Even if you don't burn the house down.
Best bet is to pull the baro and install a pipe cap if you are going to burn wood for any length of time.

Will it accumulate soot when I burn coal? The inside of my flu stack was sooty when I cleaned it last.

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Mon. Dec. 14, 2009 7:20 am

YES, anything is contact with the exhaust will build up with ash or soot depending on the type of coal you are burning. That is why anyone with a baro should clean the back of them often (1 a month or so) to make sure they stay calibrated correctly. It will build up and throw the weight settings off and then not open when you think it should open and waste heat up the chimney.

FYI

Time to Check Your Coal Burner's Draft!!!

Smoker858 · Post by **Smoker858** » Mon. Dec. 14, 2009 8:30 am

Just curious about wasted heat up the chimney.
I burn wood mostly but will convert the old Vigilant to coal in a few weeks.
The Vigilant is in the living area - Family Room.
Does the Baro allow nice warm room air up the stack?

Post by **coaledsweat** » Mon. Dec. 14, 2009 8:34 am

Smoker858 wrote:Just curious about wasted heat up the chimney.
I burn wood mostly but will convert the old Vigilant to coal in a few weeks.
The Vigilant is in the living area - Family Room.
Does the Baro allow nice warm room air up the stack?

Don't burn wood with a baro. Yes, it allows nice warm room air up the stack. It is a benefit as it keeps the blistering heat in the appliance. I would rather give up 80* air than 400*+ air, wouldn't you when trying to heat your home?

It isn't wasted heat.

ErikLaurence · Post by **ErikLaurence** » Mon. Dec. 14, 2009 8:38 am

Just speculating here, but it seems the combination of sticky creosote and fly ash would make it really hard to get the fly ash cleaned out.

Smoker858 · Post by **Smoker858** » Mon. Dec. 14, 2009 9:34 pm

yup thanks coaledsweat

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Tue. Dec. 15, 2009 7:18 am

also to add onto unsafe operation and creosote build up with a baro burning wood. I've used mine to burn wood just for a day or two, figuring its just a few days and I could get away with it and not use the hand damper. I wasted a lot of wood. I think it burns too quick also, food for thought. get rid of it and cut a piece of sheet metal like I did to put inside of the baro tee. look at "hotblast burning wood" in the alternative heating section in the forum and I got a picture of how I did this.
John

Cyber36 · Post by **Cyber36** » Tue. Dec. 15, 2009 1:41 pm

Yeah, just cover it up tightly with a doubled up piece of aluminium foil OR find a small metal hubcap close to the same diameter of your opening. I just so happen to use a center cap from a 72 Chevy Camaro..............

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Tue. Dec. 15, 2009 2:45 pm

did u find that in the middle of a cabbage field in genesee county?

Post by **coaledsweat** » Tue. Dec. 15, 2009 8:31 pm

You can get a proper cap where you buy your stovepipe supplies, I recommend the local HVAC supply house. A little pricier than the box stores but you get a quality product. You would be amazed at the difference between a Lowe's stovpipe and one that you buy at the supply house. Do not trust foil, one puffback and it's gone, maybe so are you.

Three screws, every joint.