Fan to increase chimney draft. Forced exhaust for a chimney - an overview of methods. Determining traction yourself

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Application area

The heat-resistant fans Cheminair (Spain), BK (Bulgaria) sold by our company are used for equipment of ventilation systems, air conditioning and air heating various rooms(for air supply and exhaust).

Such equipment is usually installed:

In saunas and baths;

In production premises;

When equipping fireplaces;

And so on.

All products are manufactured taking into account high European quality standards, are reliable, and have excellent performance characteristics. Heat resistant fans brands Cheminair (Spain) and BK (Bulgaria) are made of high quality materials (carbon steel) with anti-corrosion coating. This ensures a long service life of the product and its resistance to aggressive environments.

From us you can buy heat-resistant fans of various types from the Cheminair (Spain) and BK (Bulgaria) brands at the most affordable prices in Moscow.

You can order energy-saving duct fans Etaline from the company Ruck (Germany), as well as equipment and components from other manufacturers, both wholesale and retail.

Draft is the natural movement of air from a heating unit into the external environment when removing fuel combustion products from the residential area. The process of burning fuel in a furnace depends on its strength: if it is insufficient, the fuel will burn slowly; if the draft is too strong, a significant part of the thermal energy will be released into the atmosphere.

Lack of draft is also dangerous because some of the combustion products can enter the living space, causing serious poisoning among residents, even death. In addition, violation of the chimney exhaust conditions can cause a fire. The temperature of the flame when burning soot is such that even heat-resistant bricks burn out.

Controlling the hood is an indispensable condition for safe, comfortable living in the house.

Poor hood - reasons

Before we talk about the use of forced draft devices for chimneys, let us dwell on the essence of the process, as well as the reasons for the drop in draft in the pipe.

A set of factors influencing the efficiency of the hood chimney, can be divided into three groups:

1. Internal conditions in the house;
   • Conditions for the movement of air flows indoors.
   • Air temperature in the heated zone of a residential building.
   • The total volume of air inside the rooms, which are connected to the combustion chamber of the furnace through the ash pan.
   • The number of other oxygen consumers living in the house - people or animals.

The draft of the chimney can be influenced by side factors that depend on the design of the house, as well as the changes made to it. For example, installing double-glazed windows instead of conventional windows leads to a drop in traction force, since the latter are more airtight and reduce the flow of oxygen from the atmosphere into the house.

1. External factors:
   • Humidity and air temperature.
   • The size of the atmospheric pressure.
   • The activity and strength of rising air currents.
   • The intensity of inversion air currents in the direction from top to bottom.
   • Energy and direction of wind flows.

The combined effect of the above factors leads to constant changes in chimney draft; this process must be constantly monitored to ensure optimal removal of combustion products from stoves, fireplaces and other heating units.

The influence of the factors in the first section can be conditionally controllable when it does not concern a ready-made chimney. The factors indicated in the second section are absolutely independent, but you can easily adapt to them by using them to improve the hood.

The factors of the third section are completely dependent on the person and can be influenced starting from the design stage, and upon receipt of the finished hood, the shortcomings can be eliminated during repairs - installing a round liner inside the pipe, insulating the walls of the chimney, changing its external structure.

Preventing the condition of the chimney

To avoid the need to use means of forced exhaust of a chimney made of heat-resistant material, it is necessary to use preventive means to maintain it in working condition.

Since the main reason for reducing the intensity of flue gas extraction is the reduction in the passage of the pipe by soot accumulated on the walls, we will consider means of combating this phenomenon.

These methods could be:

1. Burning about half a tablespoon of naphthalene in the furnace firebox. Naphthalene vapors decompose soot into loose components, large ones fall inside the firebox and are subsequently removed with the ash, and small ones fly out through the pipe along with the furnace gases. This product cannot be used for smoke removal from a fireplace and for pipes of open hearths - it leaves a characteristic suffocating smell in the rooms.
2. From time to time, burn potato peelings in the firebox. They are pre-dried. Starch vapors loosen the soot deposit and it will fall into the firebox. Pure starch works similarly, which is fed into a well-lit firebox in the amount of one tablespoon.
3. A good way to remove soot from pipes is walnut shells. It burns at a high temperature, burning off soot deposits on the inner walls. A single dose of shells should be no more than three liters. Frequency of application - as accumulation occurs.
4. Aspen firewood has a similar effect on soot. One or two logs are burned at the end of the last stack of firewood. They burn at high temperatures.

The frequency of use of high-temperature products should be regular, at least twice a week, so that soot does not have time to accumulate. Otherwise, you can cause a serious fire, since the soot burns and releases a very large amount of heat.

In addition to those listed, there are many anti-soot agents on the market for both chemical and thermal decomposition of soot. The use of preventive measures can eliminate the need for forced measures to improve the exhaust hood on the chimney.

Forced exhaust by additional means

Installation required additional funds forced exhaust can occur for natural reasons, for example, trees have grown on the site, which has changed the direction or intensity of wind flows.

Watch the video

You can, of course, rebuild the house or redo the chimneys, but this path is very expensive and labor-intensive. It is easier and cheaper to use forced ventilation devices. To improve the hood, the following additional devices are used.

Weather vanes or wind vanes for forced draft

This is a device to protect the chimney from wind. Its principle of operation is that, like any weather vane, it turns in the wind, protecting the head of the chimney from the wind flow. Flowing around this device, the wind itself creates a vacuum above the mouth of the chimney, thus creating a forced draft of the chimney.

The heat-resistant material for the manufacture of such a weather vane is usually stainless steel with a thickness of 0.5 millimeters. Rotation around the axis occurs on support bearings closed type that do not require maintenance. There is no condensation and no soot deposits on the device body.

However, it requires maintenance to clear the ice. The disadvantages of the design include unstable operation in strong winds. Under normal conditions, the vane fan operates steadily and efficiently, creating forced draft inside the chimney.

Rotary turbines for forced draft

These are mechanical devices installed on the chimney and use wind energy to produce rotation. Produced by industry under the name Turbovent, Turbomax and others. The direction of rotation does not depend on the direction of the wind. Thanks to the design - a ball formed by a system of petals, the turbine rotor reliably protects the chimney outlet from contamination by debris and leaves, as well as from nesting birds during breaks in the heating season.

The disadvantage of rotary turbines is that they do not operate in calm weather and continue to rotate when there is no need for this - during the non-heating period. Often used for ventilation devices.

Smoke exhausters or smoke fans

These devices are heat-resistant fans installed in the chimney duct to forcefully increase draft. A smoke exhaust fan should not be confused with fireplace fans, which are designed to increase draft in a fireplace or hearth and are installed in a room to supply air to the firebox. Fireplace units are designed to distribute heated air evenly in a room.

The smoke fan is a 220-volt electric motor with an impeller. It is designed to create additional draft forcibly inside smoke channels from a fireplace with a reduced cross-section.

Now there are new models of smoke exhausters in combination with a turbovent. In such a unit it works in the absence of wind, and when the wind rises again, the smoke exhauster turns off. When the wind speed is insufficient or absent, the fan turns on and creates the necessary draft forcibly.

High-temperature chimney fans can easily withstand heating of furnace gases up to a temperature of 600 degrees.

Deflectors

The chimney deflector is a device that operates using the laws of aerodynamics. When air flows around the deflector body, a vacuum of air is created above the mouth of the chimney, due to which the exhaust is forcibly enhanced.

What is simple is perfect. This statement applies entirely to deflectors. Side horizontal wind and air flow reflected from the roof surface increase the draft of the smoke channel. Deflectors prevent the draft from tipping over due to strong winds, acting as a smoke exhauster for the chimney, but in calm weather they do not work.

Initially, deflectors were developed for ventilation systems, but then they began to be successfully used as draft amplifiers in chimney hoods. Stainless steel products resist corrosion and successfully withstand high temperatures of furnace gases.

In the absence of wind, the deflectors act as caps, reducing the chimney draft.

Umbrellas, chimneys and hoods for forced exhaust

Smoke umbrellas, caps with skirts made of debris mesh, fungi and other superstructures over chimneys are the subject of creativity of blacksmiths and tinsmiths. Of course, they successfully cope with the protective functions of the chimney, preventing clogging with debris. But any of such devices becomes an obstacle to the exit of hot gases from the chimney and, under certain conditions, especially in calm weather, they reduce the amount of draft and can be one of the reasons for its overturning.

How to make forced exhaust yourself

Most weather vanes and deflectors can be made independently using sheet steel and ordinary fasteners. The calculation procedure for linking to pipe sizes and drawings of these products are abundantly presented on the Internet. To make it yourself, you do not need any special tools or devices, and an average level of plumbing skills is sufficient.

Watch the video

From the foregoing, we can draw an unambiguous conclusion: not every device is suitable for improving draft in a chimney. When deciding on a method to improve traction, you must adhere to the following rules.

Inspect the chimney to determine the causes of insufficient draft. These could be:

1. Clogged chimney walls big amount soot
It is precisely this circumstance that can worsen draft up to the point of complete obstruction of the chimney of a gas boiler. The reason may be the use of firewood from resinous wood, waste furniture production(plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and the like). Cold chimney due to lack of pipe insulation.

2. Excessive number of chimney turns (one turn and no more than two bends are allowed). You may need to take it outside and install a wall-mounted version. It is also permissible to use a chimney fan.

3. Incorrect elevation of the head above the roof ridge, as a result of which the draft is “pinched” by air currents.

4. Chimney height. The distance from the firebox to the upper end should not be less than 5 meters.

5. There are no trees near the house to block the flow of wind.

Only after making sure that there are no such obstacles can you decide to install a device to create forced draft.

The draft in the boiler chimney can be improved by installing a round liner inside a square or rectangular pipe. Such products are produced purposefully and can be purchased on the construction market. If the resulting cross-section is not enough for good draft, you can install a duct exhaust fan inside for a round chimney of suitable diameter.

It is not advisable to use deflectors as a smoke exhaust for a stove chimney if the climate has many windless days. At the same time, the weather vanes at least do not interfere with the escape of smoke by natural draft.

Watch the video

For any case, a heat-resistant chimney fan installed in its duct will be effective.

It often happens that a newly installed stove or gas boiler does not want to burn well. This means that the reason is poor draft - the chimney was built incorrectly. And sometimes the stove, which has always been burning well, begins to act up. This means that the quality of the chimney has deteriorated. You can identify the reasons for this and fix the problem yourself.

Types of chimneys

The chimney is an indispensable part of any stove: Russian, Dutch, contrail, potbelly stove or gas boiler. The chimney removes the mixture of gases resulting from combustion from the room and ensures complete combustion of the fuel.

The correct chimney design, suitable for a specific heating device, helps it perform certain functions. Let's look at the types of chimneys for different heat generators:

Chimney draft

When a chimney is properly designed, built and maintained, it provides good draft.

Definition of traction

The physical meaning of draft is a vacuum that occurs due to the pressure difference in the upper and lower parts of the chimney and ensures the movement of smoke from the heating device into the atmosphere.

Craving can be natural or forced. In the first case, the chimney does not contain any additional technical devices, in the second - equipped with a fan, deflector, stabilizer, weather vane.

If the draft is poor, and therefore if combustion is incomplete, the stove, fireplace or gas boiler has low efficiency, smoke may occur in the room, a fire or, worst of all, carbon monoxide poisoning. This gas has almost no odor and immediately causes drowsiness, which is why the number of accidents from burning is so high.

This is why it is so important to be able to determine whether your chimney has enough draft.

Determination of traction force

There are different ways to measure traction force. Conventionally, they can be divided into “scientific” (using special devices) and folk.

Measuring traction force using an anemometer

An anemometer, which was once called a “wind meter,” is a device for measuring the speed of movement of gases. The name comes from the Greek words ἄνεμος (wind) and μετρέω (measurement). Measurements with an anemometer can be made both with the heating device turned on and not working.

This simple device is inexpensive and quite accessible. Anemometers are:

If the anemometer shows a value between 10 and 20 Pascals, then your chimney is normal.

Since draft is caused by the difference in temperatures inside and outside the room, if we measure it in the summer, when the temperature is almost the same everywhere, we will get a lower value than in winter.

Traditional methods for assessing traction force

Since previously there were no specialized instruments, and thrust was somehow measured, several quite acceptable methods have been preserved that do not require any special devices:

Causes of poor and reverse draft

Backdraft is an extreme case of bad draft. Smoke is not only poorly removed, but is thrown into the room due to a change in the pressure difference at the inlet and outlet of the chimney in the opposite direction.

Backdraft

Reverse thrust usually occurs unexpectedly. Common reasons its occurrences are:

Video: reverse thrust - what to do

Poor traction

There are several reasons for poor traction:

All these phenomena are permanent, their correction is associated with certain costs. It is more or less easy to solve the problem of a steel chimney being insufficiently high or falling into the zone of wind pressure - you need to install a new piece of the pipe on the roof. Other design defects can only be eliminated by using additional mechanisms and devices.

Types of designs to improve traction

To improve draft, devices that are mounted on the chimney are mainly used. Most of them are installed on the head of the pipe, but there are also devices that are built into the very beginning of the smoke channel.

Rotor or rotary turbine

The rotary turbine is mounted on top of the pipe, rotates and creates an air vacuum. It looks like a dome that protects the pipe from rain and pollution. Designed for boilers and conventional ventilation. Minuses:

• effective only in windy weather;
• can be used when the temperature of the gases leaving the chimney is no more than 200 degrees;
• can spontaneously create draft when the heating device is not working;
• not suitable for heating devices on solid fuel.

The rotary turbine creates the necessary vacuum at the outlet of the chimney due to rotation under the influence of wind force

The weather vane also rotates around the chimney and is a most ingenious and effective design. Unlike a rotary turbine, it reacts to the direction of the wind and adopts a position in accordance with the current air flow. The grates trap the wind and create a strong vacuum in the chimney. Using a weather vane allows you to reduce the length of the pipe above the roof and increases the efficiency of the heating device by more than 20%. When used with a gas boiler, the weather vane prevents its spontaneous extinguishing. But making such a device yourself is quite difficult: the design is quite intricate.

The weather vane not only shows the direction of the wind, but also creates the necessary vacuum at the outlet of the chimney and increases draft

Video: chimney weather vane

Fans are used to increase draft in fireplaces and wood stoves. The steel body of this device is protected by a polymer coating, so it is able to work in an environment with aggressive combustion products. The grille protects the air duct from debris. The fan has a single-phase electric motor, removed from the zone of hot air movement. This is a high-tech device with built-in temperature and air flow sensors, which themselves regulate the speed of rotation of the impeller, creating the thrust required at the moment. The work is fully optimized and automated. The big disadvantage is the high cost. It is impossible to do it yourself.

The electric fan operates in automatic mode: it turns on and off based on signals from special sensors

Stabilizer

The draft stabilizer is built in between the firebox and the chimney. This is a valve that, when the draft increases too much, allows air from the room into the chimney, due to which the temperature of the gases in the chimney drops and the draft decreases. When the valve closes, the draft increases. The stabilizer can be manual or automatic. Pros:

• low cost;
• ease of installation;
• maintaining a constant temperature in the chimney.

The downside is that it is only suitable for heating appliances with an open pipe: for gas boilers and potbelly stoves. It's difficult to do with your own hands.

The draft stabilizer is a valve that opens or closes depending on the current draft force

Video: how the traction stabilizer works

Deflector

A deflector is also a device attached to the end of the chimney pipe. The name comes from the Latin deflecto - to deflect, and the action is based on Bernoulli's law: air currents flow around the deflector and create a rarefied area above the pipe opening. The stronger the wind outside, the greater the draft inside. Such simple-looking deflector models are intelligently designed from an aerodynamic point of view. The deflector is used for solid fuel boilers, stoves and fireplaces. Depending on the model, such products cost from 1000 to 9000 rubles.

• the likelihood of fire extinction due to a sharp increase in draft during strong winds;
• unsuitable for use with gas boilers;
• low efficiency in calm weather.

Plus - this is a relatively simple device, and it can be easily made with your own hands from a sheet of galvanized iron or stainless steel.

There are several types of deflectors. Let's look at them in more detail.

Video: effectiveness of the TsAGI deflector in strong winds

Making a deflector

The simplest version of a deflector such as a Volpert-Grigorovich device is quite easy to make with your own hands.

Required tools and materials

1. Marker or felt-tip pen.
2. Ruler.
3. Iron scissors.
4. Mallet.
5. Wooden beam for stand.
6. Riveting device.
7. Drill, metal drills (or drill-tip screws).
8. Galvanized iron sheet 0.3–0.5 mm thick (aluminum sheet or thin stainless steel is suitable).
9. Metal parts that are available: corner, studs, thick wire and the like.

Size calculation and diagram

Since the quality of the deflector depends on the accuracy of manufacturing, drawing up the correct drawing is the most important step in the entire process. The dimensions were verified by scientists in a wind tunnel, and they must be followed. The parameter to start from is the diameter of the chimney channel D.

The dimensions of all parts of the deflector are set in proportion to its diameter

Table: dimensions of deflector parts relative to its diameter

Instructions for making a deflector with your own hands

The deflector may not be very beautiful, but you will immediately feel its usefulness: the draft will increase by a quarter, the roof will be protected from sparks. The pipe with it can be one and a half to two meters lower.

Video: DIY production of a TsAGI deflector

When installing any traction booster, you will immediately feel the benefits. But done with my own hands the deflector will also create a compelling reason to make you proud of yourself.

The operation of heating devices, as well as the safety of residents of houses with stove heating. Troubleshooting possible problems will help you feel comfortable and confident in your home. You can increase or adjust the pressure indicator with your own hands.

Useful information about chimney draft

All residents of country or private city houses are familiar with the concept of chimney draft. Do they know the essence of this term?

If we move a little away from the dry scientific terminology, then draft can be defined as a natural phenomenon in which air moves from one area to another, namely from the air zone with high blood pressure into an area of ​​low pressure. All this happens with the help of a ventilation device - a special channel in the chimney.

Using this process of aerodynamics, humanity began to use fireplaces, stoves, boilers, heating their homes with different types fuel - coal, firewood, peat, etc.

The following depends on a properly designed and constructed chimney and, accordingly, on good draft:

• quality of room heating;
• reduction in fuel costs;
• safety in buildings with their own heating.

What influences the value

There are three groups of factors that must be taken into account when constructing and inspecting a chimney.

In-house moments

A number of factors indoors can significantly influence the presence/absence of draft and its strength:

1. The material from which the building is constructed.
2. Average room temperature.
3. Maximum volume airspace in the home.
4. The number of people permanently staying inside the dwelling.
5. Presence internal sources, additionally consuming oxygen (air heaters, heaters, stoves, etc.).
6. Regularity of receipt fresh air(airing, ventilation).

External factors

There are other factors that determine the chimney draft, and they are located outside the heated room. It's about temperature external environment, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind direction. Such a phenomenon as changing temperatures during the day can also affect draft - due to the movement of cold and warm layers of air.

Difficulties with traction appear for various reasons, some may simply not be noticed. For example, problems with air outlet through the chimney may arise if the pipe is located much lower than the ridge of the building or tall nearby trees.

Chimney design features

The draft may vary depending on the design characteristics of the chimney:

• height;
• presence of insulation;
• tightness;
• location (internal/external);
• length;
• presence/absence of irregularities or roughness, etc.

It is necessary and possible to control the draft in a room using the “levers” of the first and third factors (intra-house and design). Natural changes, of course, do not depend on humans.

Keeping the draft in the chimney under control is a prerequisite for safe and comfortable living in your own premises. If the draft is very weak, then it is almost impossible to light the stove and heat the home.

With reverse draft, the gases generated as a result of combustion are “thrown” into the living space, and not into the air through the pipe.

This is very dangerous for human health and life!

With very strong draft, all the heat is rapidly drawn out through the chimney channels, without having time to warm up the heated room to the desired temperature.

Why does reverse thrust occur?

Weak thrust can become the basis for the formation of reverse thrust. How can you recognize that all is not well with cravings?

This is “spoken” by moments that can be seen with the naked eye: a lot of smoke in the stove, soot on the door, incoming smoke movement inside the house. In other words, smoke and fumes from the burned fuel do not go into the chimney through the chimney, but tend to enter the living space when the door is open and through cracks.

1. Causes of backdraft: The optimal pipe height is about five meters.
2. Correspondence of pipe diameter to parameters furnace device. A powerful stove requires a chimney with a pipe of rather large cross-section. But the measure here is very important, because using a pipe that is too wide will make the combustion process unprofitable (all the warm air will literally fly into the pipe). It is unacceptable to use several pipes with different cross-sections in the chimney!
3. Use of non-smooth pipes. Unevenness, chips, roughness, etc. are an obstacle to good traction. Over time, the chimney opening may narrow due to soot deposits and other combustion elements and complicate the process of lighting the stove and its normal functioning.
4. Poor/lack of ventilation. Drafts, open windows in rooms located above the firebox, they do not help the fuel combustion process, but distort it, making it useless and unsafe.

Chimney channels made of metal are in many ways inferior to brick pipes. Rapid heating and equally rapid cooling are not good for the heating system in general and the chimney in particular.

Reverse thrust can also appear for objective reasons beyond a person’s control. Strong gusts of wind, rainy, cloudy weather with high humidity are unfavorable moments in terms of the formation of problems with traction.

There is such a term as temporary backdraft. What is this? In this case, it is worth talking about temporary traction disorders, lasting for several days. After a certain period, cravings return to normal.

Temporary reverse draft can occur due to a cold room that has been unheated for a long time. Very cold air accumulated in the chimney pipe prevents the fuel from burning quickly. Therefore, smoke can be “pushed” out of the chimney into a home, bathhouse or other room with a stove or fireplace.

It is very easy to eliminate cold air in the chimney - warm up the pipes by burning ordinary newspapers, wallpaper, and paper in the oven. The main thing is that these materials are well dried.

If problems with traction can be detected constantly or with a certain frequency, then it is necessary to take measures to eliminate bad traction.

Strength check

Before you try to fight bad traction, make sure that your traction really leaves something to be desired.

You can check the traction using special devices or yourself. Simple ways to fix traction:

1. Light a piece of paper and let it burn for a while. When you bring it to the stove or fireplace, extinguish the paper and observe the direction of the smoke. If it is directed towards the pipe - good thrust, deviates in the opposite direction - reverse thrust, if it remains “straightforward” - there is no thrust. Similar manipulations can be done with thin tissue or toilet paper without setting it on fire.
2. If there are smokers in the house, then follow the direction of the cigarette smoke or the flame of a match or lighter near the fireplace or stove. Draw conclusions similar to the first point.
3. The flame of an ordinary candle can also help in determining the draft in the home.
4. A pocket mirror brought to the firebox and covered with condensation may indicate problems with removing smoke from the stove.
5. About the presence of too much traction, carrying away useful heat from the room, evidenced by an audible hum in the stove - a loud hum.
6. The color of the fire in the firebox can be an indicator of different drafts. A golden hue means good draft, white flame means excessive draft, red color and black smoke means poor draft, high probability of reverse draft.

Anemometer is a device familiar to many people. Soviet period. Using this device it was possible to measure the draft of the chimney. Readings within 10–20 Pa were considered normal. The disadvantages of the device are its low accuracy when the wind force is less than one meter per second.

Modern industry offers a sufficient number of devices for measuring draft; there are devices that record draft at the inlet and outlet of the chimney.

Troubleshooting Methods

If you have identified problems with traction, then, of course, they need to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

The choice of means to combat poor or reverse draft depends on the reasons that led to the abnormal operation of the chimney.

Pipe cleaning

One of the common methods of improving traction is cleaning the pipe. Fuel, burning in a stove, releases various substances that settle on the inner surface of the chimney. Soot sticks well to pipes if they are uneven or bent.

How to clean a chimney so that there is good draft?

First of all, acting purely mechanically. The chimney channels can be made wider, getting rid of plaque, in the following ways:

1. After preparing about one bucket of potatoes, peel and cut them. Will also fit potato peelings. Throw a little into the firebox and wait. When burned, potatoes will release starch, which will become a means that can soften carbon deposits. Soft pieces of soot will fall off on their own, but firmly stuck ones will have to be removed mechanically.
2. Firewood from aspen. Heat the stove with two or three logs. They will heat up the chimney pipes very much and help get rid of carbon deposits. But this method requires special care, since the likelihood of a fire will be very high (soot may ignite).
3. Rock salt. This method is more suitable for prevention. Salt added at the time of combustion improves the condition of the chimney pipes.
4. Pipe brush. A heavy weight is attached to a brush suspended on a steel rope and lowered into the chimney openings. By lowering and raising this structure, you can force soot formations to fly off the walls of the pipes and fall into the furnace. These fragments are then removed from the firebox.

The second group of anti-particulate measures is based on the use of chemicals. The most popular chemicals for cleaning chimneys are “Log-chimney sweep”, “Komichek”. Add to the coals formed during the heating of a stove or fireplace according to the instructions. chemicals and continue to drown. After all the fuel has burned out, it is advisable to leave the coals, since they continue to “work” in terms of cleaning the chimney (at least, that’s what the manufacturers advise).

Do not believe the spiteful critics who talk about the obligatory combustion of soot when used chemical method. This method does not pose any danger, since the beneficial effect occurs due to chemical reactions, and not due to the ultra-high combustion temperatures of the reagent.

Special mention should be made of the observance of safety measures when carrying out all work related to the chimney. Do not fix chimney problems in windy weather! Try to use safety devices when working at height!

Troubleshooting structural problems

If certain features of the chimney design are identified that negatively affect the draft force, adjustments should be made to eliminate them. These actions include:

• dismantling several separate pipes and installing a single chimney channel;
• adding roof pipes to the required height;
• insulation of chimney elements, etc.

Ventilation arrangement

In some cases, traction may improve if drafts are avoided in the house or bathhouse. You can help with draft problems by installing ventilation devices on windows.

If there is no desired effect after all the methods described above, you should adopt modern devices to improve draft in the chimney.

Installation of devices

To improve the operation of the chimney, it is best to use special devices that allow you to regulate and control the draft. Such devices can be bought in a store or made with your own hands.

Special devices for regulation

Modern instrument makers have taken care of producing special devices that regulate chimney draft:

1. Regulators. They are installed on the outlet pipe of the chimney to normalize draft in the heating system, and also as a means of influencing the heating efficiency.
2. Deflectors. Such devices are fixed to the chimney from the outside. The draft speed is improved due to the fact that the diameter of this device is much larger than the chimney pipe, and, therefore, an area appears in it low pressure when air flows around it.
3. Chimney weather vane. It is a special design that performs several functions at once: improves traction, protects the pipe from raindrops and snow whirlwinds. The operation of the device is similar to the operation of a deflector; the thrust speed is normalized by reducing external air resistance.
4. Smoke fan. It is very popular among owners of houses with a heating system. An artificial air vortex is created inside the chimney due to the work ventilation system, which requires electricity to connect. Compliance with all necessary safety measures is a prerequisite for the installation and operation of such a device to improve chimney draft.

All devices installed on the chimney pipe to improve draft require mandatory monitoring, especially in winter period. This is due to the fact that additional devices attached to the chimney from the outside can become clogged, iced up (in winter) and thereby prevent the normal operation of the chimney. Blockages caused by devices may cause backdraft and penetration carbon monoxide to residential premises.

Do not forget to regularly inspect the chimney and devices that help increase draft.

Photo gallery: traction control devices

The most common device among stove heating users This device is especially relevant for improving the operation of stoves and fireplaces. Useful and beautiful device By installing such a device, you can improve the performance of the entire heating system

Solving problems yourself

Let's try to make the heating process safe and efficient with our own hands. The most common way to combat soot accumulation in pipes is with a brush and a sinker.

Cleaning the pipe with a brush

First, let's prepare everything you need:

1. Hard bristle brush. The diameter of this device is selected taking into account the cross-section of the pipe (from fifty to three hundred millimeters).
2. A thin metal cable (can be replaced with a very strong rope or rope).
3. Weight for hanging from a brush.

Do not start work if there is strong wind or too much humidity outside. Try to think through and use reliable insurance to protect yourself from unforeseen events.

The ruff is weighted using a sinker, attaching it to the bottom of the device. The brush itself is hung on a cable. All fastenings must be especially reliable, otherwise the structure will fall apart and you will have to perform additional actions - to “fish” them out of the pipe.

First, all inspection holes in the chimney are cleaned, and then they begin cleaning the pipe itself. By making a few up and down motions, you can get rid of any soot that will fall from the chimney into the furnace. It is best to have someone else around the stove to signal efficiency and when to stop working.

Cleaning the pipe should be completed when the soot stops falling out.

You can also clean the pipe using improvised means, about which many videos have been made.

Video: cleaning a pipe with improvised means

Selection of devices for regulation

Let's consider some characteristic features and methods of using devices for monitoring and adjusting traction.

Such structures are installed on the chimney (at its very top) to create obstacles to air flow. The intensity of the wind force drops noticeably when encountering such devices placed on a pipe. The smoke escapes through the channel “to freedom” due to weak air currents entering the pipe. These flows “catch” the exhaust gases and “push” them out.

Deflectors eliminate the possibility of pipe clogging, and also made with taste, significantly improve appearance the entire building.

There are several types of deflectors:

• TsAGI;
• round Wolpert;
• Grigorovich;
• plate-shaped;
• in the form of the letter H;
• rotating;
• vane.

Almost all of these devices are made of stainless steel, in rare situations - of copper. Using brackets, clamps, bolts, sealing tape, the deflector is attached to the chimney pipe. Some devices are also equipped additional functions: to extinguish sparks (to eliminate a possible roof fire), to control the temperature of the exhaust air (in this case, the sensor is triggered if it does not exit hot air and there is a possibility of reverse thrust).

The disadvantages of using deflectors are their minimal effectiveness in calm weather.

Photo gallery: types of deflectors

The most common device for improving traction Such a device can be purchased in specialized stores The choice of device depends on the design features of the pipes and your preferences

Rotary devices

Turbines installed at the head of the chimney use the energy capabilities of the wind. Air flows set the rotary nozzle in motion (it always moves in one direction), and thereby the air becomes rarefied near the chimney. The entry of any foreign objects and sediment into the chimney with a rotary pipe is completely excluded.

Rotary pipes have a big disadvantage, similar to work deflector. Their use on a windless day is ineffective.

Traction regulators

Such devices are a real boon for residents. country houses, lovers of baths and fireplace gatherings. These devices are attached to the boiler chimney. They are equipped with a metal plate with a weight that balances it on one side. When the traction is good, then metal plate does not interfere with the free access of air into the chimney. With weak or reverse thrust, the metal plate serves as a kind of stupor.

The range limits for traction are set by the consumer himself, the usual parameters are 10–35 Pa.

The device operates completely autonomously and does not require any electrical current.

How to increase traction with your own hands: homemade devices

Before you start building a deflector yourself, weigh your strengths, review the available materials, and only then get down to business.

Drawings and diagrams

To create a deflector with your own hands, you need to use diagrams and drawings. You can use ready-made large quantities presented on the Internet, or you can do it yourself, based on data from ready-made diagrams and drawings.

Photo gallery: ready-made diagrams of traction devices

On the Internet you can find good help for constructing the device. Carefully study the device diagrams and choose the one that suits you The diagram shows the structure of this traction improvement device The diagram shows the components of this device

If you decide to test yourself and save money at the same time, arm yourself measuring instruments to determine the internal diameter of the chimney. Depending on this value, using the table as a guide, you can determine the necessary parameters for the height of the deflector and the width of the diffuser.

With an internal diameter of 120 mm, these parameters are respectively 144/240, for a diameter of 140 mm - 168/280; if the internal cross-section is 200, then 240/400; for a cross section of 400 mm, you will need a deflector height of -480 mm, and a diffuser width of 800 mm.

You can calculate the necessary parameters (for a specific pipe diameter) yourself using simple calculations. To determine the width of the diffuser, the internal diameter of the pipe must be multiplied by 1.2; We consider the width of the umbrella for protection to be -1.7 x d; We find out the total height of the structure if we multiply the size of the internal section by 1.7.

Having received all the dimensions, we make drawings for more accurate cutting. We draw diagrams on a sheet of Whatman paper or on the back of the remaining pieces of wallpaper.

It is best to construct a life-size drawing. So that when cutting, you can simply attach the cut paper parts to the steel sheet and not have to recalculate the data taking into account the scale of the drawing.

We stock up on materials and tools

Everything needs to be prepared in advance so as not to be distracted during work.

To make the deflector we will need:

• galvanized sheet with a thickness of at least half a millimeter, stainless steel can also be used;
• metal scissors;
• drill with different drill bits;
• device for setting rivets;
• hammer;
• pliers;
• clamps, nuts, bolts;
• marker (for transferring the drawing onto a metal sheet).

Preliminary stage

The preparatory work consists not only in drawing out the details of the device, but also in cutting them out and trying them on. All paper elements are fastened with paper clips or a stapler and applied to each other. If everything fits, then you can carefully remove the fasteners and straighten the templates.

Do not be negligent in the process of creating a deflector; try to think about your safety. To avoid injuring your hands and to protect your eyes, use gloves and special glasses prepared in advance.

Let's get started

So, everything is in place, we can get started!

A step-by-step description of the sequence of actions will help you:

1. We transfer the parts cut out of paper onto a galvanized sheet. We should get developments of the following elements: cap, diffuser, outer cylinder and stand.
2. Using metal scissors, carefully cut out all the components of the deflector. In places where the cuts are made, the metal is bent with pliers to a thickness of half a millimeter and “passed” with a hammer.
3. The diffuser, cap and cylinder blanks are rolled up and holes for fastening are drilled (if bolts are used). Connections are made using rivets or bolts; in exceptional cases, welding can be used (semi-automatic).
4. To attach the cap we prepare 3-4 strips of metal. The dimensions of the strips are 6 by 20 cm. The strips, folded at the edges and tapped with a hammer, must be bent in the shape of the letter P. On the cap, five centimeters from the edge, drill 3-4 holes and secure the metal strips with bolts.
5. The other ends of the galvanized strips must be attached to the diffuser, thereby “looping” the cap and diffuser.
6. We insert the resulting structure into the shell.

You can watch the video about how to build a TsAGI deflector with your own hands.

Video: DIY TsAGI deflector

Deflector installation

The first way is to climb onto the roof and, observing safety precautions, attach the device to the chimney pipe.

You can make your work a little easier - attach the deflector to an additional pipe, which you then lift onto the roof and insert into the main pipe.

We put the homemade device in place as a second, safer and in a convenient way. We will need a piece of pipe with a slightly larger diameter than the chimney pipe. Having stepped back about fifteen centimeters from the edge of the cut pipe, we mark and make holes; we perform the same manipulations on the wide part of the diffuser.

Attention! The drilled holes must match!

We fasten the pipe and diffuser using pins inserted into the holes. We screw the nuts on both sides - the pipe and diffuser sides and tighten them. During work, we make sure that there are no distortions or damage.

Using a clamp, tighten the structure with the deflector on the chimney pipe. Try to do this so that no gaps or gaps appear.

The process of self-adjustment of draft is necessary in order to live and relax comfortably and safely in a house with stove heating. For this you can use different ways that are suitable for your chimney design: cleaning the pipe with a brush, “chemical cleaning firebox,” installing special devices. Traction control devices can be purchased or made independently.

One of the most important characteristics For household chimney structures, which have a huge impact on the amount of draft generated in them, the size of the cross-section of the pipe is rightfully considered.

When the channel cross-section is reduced, there is a noticeable decrease in draft in the chimney, the degree of energy carrier burnout worsens, and combustion products can also enter the room.

However, an excessive increase in the cross-section of the channel does not bode well for the owner of the house, since in this case it is possible that the fire in the hearth may be blown out by strong gusts of wind, as well as the unhindered removal of heat into the atmosphere.

And therefore, many owners of private houses are concerned with the question: “How to stabilize or improve draft in the chimney.” In order for us to give a comprehensive answer to this question, it is necessary to find out exactly what factors influence the strength of this phenomenon in the chimney.

What does draft in a chimney depend on?

The amount of thrust depends on the following factors:

• Its strength is greatly influenced by the condition of the inner surface of the chimney walls, as well as the presence or absence of soot accumulations in the lumen of the channel,
• Atmospheric pressure: the lower this parameter, the worse the draft in the chimney will be,
• Humidity level
• Intensity of wind loads,
• Room pressure.

It has long been noted that at low atmospheric pressure or high humidity environment, the draft in the chimney is also reduced. Often this phenomenon can be observed some time after rain. This is due to the accumulation of moist air in the smoke exhaust duct.

You can prevent the accumulation of moisture in the pipe if, when not in use, heating equipment keep the stove damper slightly open, which will make it difficult for moist air masses to pass into its lumen.

Quite often, the disadvantage of this parameter lies in the low room pressure, and in this case it is quite simple to solve the problem. To increase traction, simply open the window. Sometimes the reason for low pressure in a room is the operation of air conditioning units in it.

In this case, to eliminate poor draft, simply turn off the ventilation device while igniting the stove.

However, it is not always possible to improve traction with such in simple ways, since in some cases insufficient traction is due to design features smoke exhaust duct and can only be solved by dismantling and reinstalling the pipe.

The issue of traction stabilization is pressing for most owners of private heating systems, and therefore the achievements of modern technological progress came to their aid in solving this most important issue.

How to increase cravings

Nowadays, many home owners actively use various technical devices to improve traction. Forced exhaust and discharge of combustion products into the environment is sometimes the only possible way out of this difficult situation.

Forced exhaust is possible using devices such as deflectors, chimney weather vanes, rotary turbines, and chimney fans.

If mistakes were made during the design of the smoke exhaust system that have a negative impact on the quality of draft, then installing a deflector will help solve this problem.

The deflector is a special aerodynamic device that is installed on the head of the chimney pipe.

This device improves this parameter due to the forced deflection of air masses, while a significant decrease in pressure is observed around the pipe, due to which its improvement is observed.

Another device that helps improve draft in the chimney is rightfully considered rotary turbine, which is a mechanical device. The operation of the turbine is based on improving the draft in the pipe due to wind power.

Regardless of the wind intensity, the turbine blades are in constant motion and rotate in a given direction, forming a low-pressure zone around the smoke exhaust structure, due to which this parameter is observed to increase.

A chimney weather vane is no less effective in increasing draft. Its design features are such that they create optimal conditions for the free exit of smoke from the lumen of the pipe.

It is recommended to install the device on the leeward side, which will improve its functional characteristics and enhance traction. These devices make it possible to significantly reduce the influence of air flows on the operation of the chimney structure and completely eliminate the possibility of the fireplace being blown out by strong gusts of wind.

A fan for a chimney duct is nothing more than an electric motor equipped with a fan, this allows you to organize forced exhaust of smoke from the chimney. A significant disadvantage of these devices is that they require a separate power supply line.

Now you know exactly how to improve chimney draft. And if your chimney is not ideal, then it is not at all necessary to dismantle it and spend money on reinstallation. It is enough to simply improve its performance using any of the above devices.