Wood stove pipe joints smoking

Hi
I just took a live-in position for an elderly woman. Her husband is also her caregiver. I am worried about their wood stove leaking smoke.
I want to know exactly what I’m talking about before speaking to the husband because he is very UNDER-responsive to any concern. He also lets things go until they urgently affect him.
I’m not happy with this but have no ability to leave for several months

First stove use of the season today. Not for heat per se, but he decided to burn his papers that piled up over the summer.
I immediately noticed smoke coming out of the two seams in the pipe leading up to the ceiling. It was blackened in those spots from previous years so obviously not a new issue.
Within 5-10 minutes I had to leave the v area due to the smoke.

So here’s my question/s.
Is this just a matter of sealing the seams with caulk or metal tape?

Could this mean his pipe/chimney isn’t getting a proper draft?
If yes, what should he check for (he’ll never pay a professional to check).

Could it just be that paper doesn’t burn hot enough so it smokes?

Am I missing anything?
I’m terrified of a fire and my cat getting caught in it if I’m not at the house. I also have asthma and can’t be around that but the a$$hole would never be bothered about that.

Advice please?
Thanks

Chimney may just need cleaning. Could there be an exhaust fan or other opening high in the house that might be competing for draft?  Any chance of an odd wind on the day he was burning?  We get a very rare east wind that actually increases our draft, but roof lines and such can do strange things.  A draft is also harder to establish on damp, cool, but not cold days.  The stove might be fine once the weather gets good and cold and a decently hot wood fire is burned.  If none of that fixes it, the chimney is likely too short and not getting enough draft.

The chimney should be cleaned regardless of the smoke. Gray is right though, getting a draft going can be difficult. There are a lot of details that could help people advise you:

-any elbows in the stovepipe, chimney?
-how high is the top of the chimney from the stove?
-is the chimney on an outside wall or does it go up through the house/roof?
-is the woodstove in a basement?

For safety (and health), I think the chimney needs to be inspected ASAP. There could be a partial blockage (bird/squirrel nest) and that's a hazard. Or, if there is a spark screen it may be plugged up with creosote.

Hi D;
It sounds like no matter what, some metal tape over the smoky spots is needed.
As to why it smokes?  All the reasons previously mentioned are very possible.

I suspect that this couple has lived with that wood stove for many years.
I doubt it will burn down the house while you and your kitty are there.
The best you might hope for is getting the poor joint connections metal taped.

Should it be cleaned?  Yes
Should it be inspected?  Probably
Will the grumpy guy want to do those things?  Probably not...
It sounds like your there for a few months so...
If it gets smoky in the house, open the doors and windows until it gets better.

Hi all
Thanks for the responses so far.
I asked him if he checked the chimney/pipe in case it’s not getting a good draft. He said “yes, I check it twice a year.” That still doesn’t tell me if he checked it before lighting today. I doubt if he’s checked it since last year.
When he’s gone tomorrow I’m going to light a piece of paper and stick it in myself to see what kind of draft it’s getting.

Yes it was cool and damp today but not cold.
There are no bends whatsoever. It goes straight from stove and out the roof.
However I think this has been an ongoing problem. I’ve attached a pic with increased contrast and magnification on the two seams so the smoke stain from the leak is visible.
Don’t have a great phone but those smoke stains aren’t from just today.

Go outside and take a look/photo of the chimney cap.

Oh and it’s not in a basement, the stove to roof is maybe 12 ft +\-
And it’s not on a side wall. It’s in the middle of the house more or less.

Mine does that when it doesn't have a good draft which happens when the cap is clogged at the top. If everything is clear, then the smoke moves the path of least resistance, which is up out the top of the chimney.

thomas rubino wrote:Go outside and take a look/photo of the chimney cap.

Will do momentarily if I can. If not I’ll do it in the morning and upload.
I can’t leave the wife for more than a minute

Here’s the outside shot of the chimney
@Thomas Rubino

Bethany Dutch wrote:Mine does that when it doesn't have a good draft which happens when the cap is clogged at the top. If everything is clear, then the smoke moves the path of least resistance, which is up out the top of the chimney.

That’s what I was thinking.
But I’m pretty ignorant.
I had a wood stove 25 years ago but it was like an old cast iron pioneer one—no fan, not airtight. So I’m not evensure what this is in the attached pic. lol.
I’m assuming a fan to put out heat and a damper.

Well the chimney itself looks to be a good proper install.
Maybe in the morning, you could zoom in on the cap.
I suspect it's slightly plugged.
Be nice if the old guy would tape those seams, but all you can do is ask.

As far as the lever on the stove.  
I would shine a flashlight inside when it's not lit and see what that lever controls.

thomas rubino wrote:Well the chimney itself looks to be a good proper install.
Maybe in the morning, you could zoom in on the cap.
I suspect it's slightly plugged.
Be nice if the old guy would tape those seams, but all you can do is ask.

As far as the lever on the stove.  
I would shine a flashlight inside when it's not lit and see what that lever controls.

All good ideas. I’ll inspect everything more thoroughly tomorrow when he’s in town.
I don’t know if I can zoom in. If the b wife is sleeping I can probably find a tall ladder and climb up and snap a pic.

He’d probably tape the seams if I bought the tape. Which I’m not opposed to doing—I have asthma and don’t want to breathe the extra smoke. I can tolerate a little but this was pretty thick.
Thanks for your help Thomas
Dina

Looking at your photos, I can see that the installation has the crimped portion of the pipe facing down.

For a while, in the era of crappy wood stoves, there was a notion that this arrangement would heat the creosote and it would slide down like warm jello back into the firebox. I even recall seeing this in Mother Earth News, the catalogue. This is all good in theory, if the pipe would expand and provide a perfect seal for smoke, but in practice it was a complete failure.

As suggested above, those pipe joints need to be sealed. Muffler tape, or the high temperature gasket glue/sealant that comes in caulking tubes would do the job. A very inexpensive fix.

The woodstove looks like one of the Blaze King models. When I search other forums regarding smoke issues, the first question asked was "are you remembering to open the bypass?".

Can you confirm the make and model or post a pic or two showing more of the stove? The install certainly doesn't look to be a problem.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Looking at your photos, I can see that the installation has the crimped portion of the pipe facing down.

For a while, in the era of crappy wood stoves, there was a notion that this arrangement would heat the creosote and it would slide down like warm jello back into the firebox. I even recall seeing this in Mother Earth News, the catalogue. This is all good in theory, if the pipe would expand and provide a perfect seal for smoke, but in practice it was a complete failure.

As suggested above, those pipe joints need to be sealed. Muffler tape, or the high temperature gasket glue/sealant that comes in caulking tubes would do the job. A very inexpensive fix.

Yes. I opened the damper all the way a few minutes ago and lit some newspaper. Smoke went up the chimney fine, leaked less than yesterday actually.

So I take it the crimped portion should be facing up?

I’m going to get some muffler tape or high heat caulk and seal it myself.
Thanks for the response
Dina

Michael Helmersson wrote:The woodstove looks like one of the Blaze King models. When I search other forums regarding smoke issues, the first question asked was "are you remembering to open the bypass?".

Can you confirm the make and model or post a pic or two showing more of the stove? The install certainly doesn't look to be a problem.

Yes it’s a blaze king.
I will upload two pics I took from the back label. I think the model number is on one. Quality is poor because I can’t really see what I’m doing while taking the v pic so am snapping blindly

When I opened the damper all the way, closed the door and burned a newspaper,  most of the smoke went up the chimney. It did still leak but it was slight.

Those pics didn't help. It looks like there is info for several models on that chart, presumably one of them is the stove you're dealing with. If you could get just a photo of the front of the stove, that might be enough to figure out what model it is.  

D Barzilai wrote:I’m going to get some muffler tape or high heat caulk and seal it myself.
Thanks for the response
Dina

Yeah, that's what I would do.

To fair, it may just be an ill-fitting connection. Though I think it's unusual to switch pipe directions halfway like that.

Michael Helmersson wrote:Those pics didn't help. It looks like there is info for several models on that chart, presumably one of them is the stove you're dealing with. If you could get just a photo of the front of the stove, that might be enough to figure out what model it is.  

Oh I’m sorry I actually took a pic of the front but failed to upload it. Here it is

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

D Barzilai wrote:I’m going to get some muffler tape or high heat caulk and seal it myself.
Thanks for the response
Dina

Yeah, that's what I would do.

To fair, it may just be an ill-fitting connection. Though I think it's unusual to switch pipe directions halfway like that.

Yeah they built this place 14 years ago. Had some help. No telling why the pipes are in the directions they are.
Thanks!
Dina

I'm still not certain I have the exact model, but I believe it is a Blaze King Princess. Here is a link to the manual and an image of the page explaining the catalytic bypass. I'm not saying that is your problem, but you seemed to indicate that you weren't sure what that lever was for.

https://www.blazeking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/180-PE32.pdf (just a guess that this is near to your model)

Michael Helmersson wrote:I'm still not certain I have the exact model, but I believe it is a Blaze King Princess. Here is a link to the manual and an image of the page explaining the catalytic bypass. I'm not saying that is your problem, but you seemed to indicate that you weren't sure what that lever was for.

https://www.blazeking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/180-PE32.pdf (just a guess that this is near to your model)

Thank you. I’ll study it.
Yesterday I did say I had no idea what anything was for. But it became obvious in minutes which was a damper and then there’s a dial to set to warmer or cooler so I’m assuming it blows from the electric fan? But reading a manual will make me feel more competent even though I am a pretty good guesser haha. So I’m definitely going to read through it.
Thanks so much for feedback and help!
Dina