Chubby and barometric damper.

Hi everyone.
Does a barometric damper on a Chubby significantly reduce anthracite consumption? I have a 650 sq\ft. cottage in northern Michigan that I believe is pretty well insulated. With temps averaging in the low to mid 20's, I'm burning one 40# bag of Blaschak per day. Inside temperature is app. 72° daytime, 67° nighttime. From what I've read on the Forum, it seems my consumption is higher then it should be. I know Larry Trainer stresses the need for a baro, I'm just interested in hearing other member's opinion's on this. Thanks!

In my opinion a baro doesn't save any significant amount of coal.. But what it does do is tame the draft and hold it steady so that your heat output will also be steady.

If you have a hard time controlling tbr stove temperature, a baro should help with that and may save you some coal.

I have a Chubby JR with brand new gaskets and even with the ash door vents and MPD closed it runs hot on windy days due to the strong draft. I have been considering a baro.

I plan on installing a baro because on some days it is a struggle to control the temperature. Today happens to be one of those days. We're going to be moving up here this spring and next winter the stove will probably be running through November until the end of April. At the current rate of consumption it's going to take 3 tons to heat the place during that period. That seems to be a lot for a place as small as this. Again, I'm basing that on what I've read on this forum over the past two years. We have electric baseboard heat and I expected a substantial savings burning anthracite, but now I'm not so sure.

Do you have a manometer to see how much draft you have now? Do you have a manual pipe damper? Two thermometers, one of upper side of stove and another on the pipe to kinda figure out how much heat you have going up the chimney? And put the thermo's side by side to see if they are somewhat the same first. Perhaps you have an infrared thermometer and if you do, forget the old fashion thermos. Its a guessing game otherwise, especially without the manometer.

I don't have a manometer but I do have the manual damper and two thermometers. At this moment the stove is 300° and the pipe is app. 100°. Maybe a little less. I can hold my hand on the pipe.

That isnt bad for temps if its like that all the time. It does seem your using a lot of coal though. You probably have nothing to lose except the cost of the baro and the time to put it on to try it.