Waldoboro WebCam Weather Tides - Sampson Cove - Slaigo Brook - High Resolution

8,500 BC The fist Native Americans arrive at Thomas Hill. Paleo Indians and their successors, the Abenaki, summer at the mouth of the Slaigo Brook, fishing and farming the meadows created by abandoned beaver dams. - (Interesting to note that beavers continue to build dams today in the same location ! )

1736 – Samuel Waldo receives title to 10,000 acres from the King of England, and immediately creates 20 lots. A family named Little leases lot number 15, the present location of Thomas Hill Farm, and likely started clearing the land.

1760s – A tavern is built on the summit of Thomas Hill. The current farmhouse is likely built on the former site of the tavern.

Little would anyone today ever suspect that Sampson Cove in Waldoboro, Maine and the Webcam image you're looking at, was once a major East Coast shipping port !

Origin of the Customs House *

One of the first tasks of the new Congress was to ease the tax on American vessels while increasing the tax or duty to foreign shipping so as to protect US manufacturing.

(Today, exactly the opposite policy has been adopted (with arguably disastrous consequences) - US Manufacturer's are penalized while foreign manufacturers' are rewarded)....

American vessels now paid a tax of 6 cents/ton while foreign vessels were required to pay a duty of 50 cents/ton. To collect the funds, the Congress set up a system of customs districts. Sampson Cove in Waldoboro was the site of Waldoboro's first Customs House.

When a ship - foreign or domestic - entered Maine waters heading for a port to unload its cargo or to pick up Maine cargo destined for New York, the captain would sail either to the official port of entry and register there, or if that were inconvenient often due to inclement weather or sea conditions, he could sail to a nearby harbor such as Waldoboro..... Waldoboro as it turns out, was a popular port - due in part to its' location being well protected by the numerous islands in Muscongus Bay, as well has having been endowed with a wealth of forest products in demand by a rapidly growing new country.

The Midcoast area & Monhegan Island at the southern entrance of Muscongas Bay, was usually the first American landfall for European vessels destined for America. So popular was this shipping lane, that the very first lighthouse commissioned in the United States was Franklin Light (still in operation today & named after Benjamin Franklin who personally commissioned it in 1805) which lies at the approach to the southern entrance of the Medomak River and 12 miles to our south.

The first Customs House site was Sampson Cove which comprised the area of Slaigo Brook and Thomas Hill, (we are located near the top of Thomas Hill overlooking Sampson Cove and the Slaigo Brook which abuts the northern end of our property boundary) where a settlement had been started on Sampson's Cove. Here there were lumber yards, a gristmill, tannery, storehouses, homes, and a ferry service for the bay. The first Customs House was built on the "East side of Slaigo Brook and at the foot of Thomas Hill" who's site is "guessed-imated" as being the location of where the picture of where the Slaigo Brook was taken above and abuts our property line. Ships regularly arrived to take away wood, hides, grain, & fish destined for Boston. (The view at the very bottom of the WebCam is where it all happened ! )

By 1799, the Customs House site was transferred to Waldoboro Village with its deeper water. The new Custom's House was heavily built since the ship captains usually paid the duty in Gold Bullion ! Shipbuilding and commerce flourished in Waldoboro's customs district which extended from Bristol to Thomaston. By 1850 tonnage produced in this area exceeded all other districts excepting Bath's.

Though once a major East Coast shipping port, Waldoboro was mostly famously known as a major ship building center, with over 14 major shipyards that came and went over the years. From the late 1700's to the early 1900's, over 600 large commercial sailing vessels were constructed in town. There were undoubtedly more, however a combination of poor record keeping and lost files makes the exact count unknown. Thus the actual number of vessels built is probably significantly more. From the records that survive however, the confirmed vessels totaled: **

300 Three Masted Schooners
120 Brigs
61 Barks
10 Barkentine's
32 Sloops
76 Fully Rigged Ships

Waldoboro was most famous, for being the first port to construct a 5 Masted Schooner - The "Governor Ames" - 1764 tons - launched December 1, 1888. Constructed by the Storer Shipyard, the vessel was 265 ft in length overall - 49.6 ft beam and fully loaded with 3000 tons of coal, would draw 20 ft of water.

Hundreds of people came from near & far to witness the Saturday morning launching, and at 8am, the huge vessel slipped gracefully down the ways into it's natural element...

Today, the former Storer Shipyard is now Storer Lumber - still owned and operated by the family descendents. Some of the original buildings survive to this day ! For those aware of the history, a trip to Storer Lumber to see the remaining structures, is a mini journey back in time.

The WebCam is aimed at where the Slaigo Brook (which abuts the back pasture here) empties into the head of Sampson Cove. The faint remnants of the old piers where ships from Europe would unload their goods destined for Boston or pick up additional cargo bound for New York, are still visible today at a low spring tide. No trace of the old gristmill, tannery Customs House or business center still remains, though the spillway for the gristmill is thought to be the foundation for the bridge where Rt 220 crosses over the Slaigo Brook. Interesting to note that some 215 years ago, the webcam image you're viewing today, would have been filled with tall sailing vessels having arrived from Europe as well as a multitude of coastal schooners. Several ships would commonly be seen at anchor, waiting for dock space to open up... A bustling community of warehouses, piers & a tannery would be evident at the bottom of the picture. Few folks would ever suspect that the current Webcam view was once a major East Coast shipping port !

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Today, all that is gone..... Sampson Cove has long since reverted back to nature.... with Osprey, gulls, Guillemots (an ocean duck), Terns, Herons and an occasional Eagle, now making it their home.

The innermost parts of the cove today, are a prime clamming flat exposed at low tide. Once the ice is out, it's never long before the "clammers" can be seen on the webcam with lobster boats traversing the cove. Most "clammers" launch their skiffs at Dutch Neck Cove on the far shore, where there are usually some lobster boats moored during the summer months.

Sampson Cove is also on the East coast migratory flyway of the Canadian Geese. Though called Canadian Geese by many, they have now been renamed "Canada Geese" by the international community, so as to remain politically correct & not imply that Canada somehow owns them. Although some winter in Southern Canada, the majority migrate to the southern states or Mexico. Since Canadian winters are long & cold, most of their lives are spent outside Canada..... I suppose it could be successfully argued they should have been called "Mexican Geese" ! (that's probably coming next...) Anyways, come late August, the first of many great "V" formations of "Geese" heading south become commonplace.

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References - Credits - Recommended Reading - Places to visit

* Parts of the local history were excepted from the Lincoln County News www.mainelincolncountynews.com

** To learn more of Waldoboro's Shipbuilding days, I recommend reading "Merchant of the Medomak" - Stories from Waldoboro's Golden Years by Mark W. Biscoe. The 8 ½x11 soft cover book totals 322 pages with 100's of photo's, maps and stories of shipbuilding life, spanning the years 1860 to 1910. It makes for fascinating reading - even if you're not from Waldoboro ! The book is available from the Waldoboro Historical Society, Route 220 South PO Box 110, Waldoboro, ME 04572, The Waldoboro Town Offices, as well as the Maine Maritime Museum Bookstore in Bath Maine. It would be a valuable historical addition to any library.

The Waldoboro Historic Society operates the local museum, that in addition to two other buildings, also has a one room schoolhouse complete with many original documents. The museum is a wealth of period photographs, clothing fashions from the 1800's, pump organs, tools and almost anything else you could imagine ! Plan on spending several hours - there's a LOT to see ! ...... The museum is located several hundred yards on the right side of Rt 220 South - just off route 1 and a "stone's throw" from the world famous "Moody's Diner" ! - - - Definitely worth a visit !

Though not related to the shipbuilding in Waldoboro, "The Tancook Schooners" by Wayne M. O'Leary, is another fascinating book on the shipbuilding that took place on Tancook Island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Perhaps a biased opinion, since many of the builders in Mahone Bay Nova Scotia are my relatives, but think you'll find The Tancook Schooners another fascinating book documenting the life styles & history of shipbuilding in the Maritimes.

Coal Stove - Heating with coal

(Not sure where to put all this, so for lack of a better place, it ends up here !)

The indoor temperature in the winter months (usually over 80) is not an error. We heat entirely in the winter via a Harman Coal Stove located in the Sunroom, capable of outputting 92,000 BTU when running at max... This is more than enough to heat the entire structure - even with outside temperatures approaching -20 deg f.

The building faces directly south and captures the sun reflecting off the waters of the cove in the mid afternoon winter sun. With large amounts of glass on our southern exposure, it's an ideal setup for passive solar. Even during the coldest winter days with the coal stove "throttled back" as much as possible, sunroom temperatures can easily soar to over 90 degrees f. with the sun "pounding in" off the water..... Even at sub-zero temperatures, a sunny day will necessitate opening a window or two, lest we get "roasted out"....

Even here in frigid Maine, with passive solar - coal heat - a well insulated structure with few infiltration losses, last year we consumed only 2.3 tons of coal or about $700 in annual heating costs based on current 2007 coal prices. (and that's with keeping the interior at a toasty 80 + degrees !). Today, just a single 250 gallon tank of oil that lasts but perhaps 6 weeks here in Maine in the dead of winter, runs that.

A lot to be said for passive solar... but in the Northern Hemisphere, one needs a house with an unobstructed southern exposure. Unfortunately, most structures were (and still are) built & designed with no consideration as to the sighting benefits of passive solar heating. What amplifies the solar loading here even more so, is the sun also reflecting off the waters of the cove, which comes close to almost doubling the solar loading for about 2 hours each sunny winter day.

We use a Harman Mark III to heat the entire house & have fallen in love with it !

Note: Picture is from Harman's Brochure for the Mark III http://www.harmanstoves.com/Default.asp
(Don't expect your viewing window to ever remain this clean - it's not "gonna happen !)

Coal also makes for a nice toasty convective as well as even radiant heat. (Sensing a good thing, our Company cats all "swarm" around it come winter - even with inside temps approaching 80 !)... "Missing" kittens are often found in "kitten mounds" beside it and some who really want to stay toasty, directly underneath it, soaking up the radiant energy.

There are some major benefits to burning Anthracite Coal....

Plenty of Even - Dry - Steady - Radiant Heat.   If you contract the flu or a bad cold, both you and that stove will quickly become the best of close "Pals". Snuggle up close to "ole Bessie" (you'll probably give her a name, since the bond will become so strong) and the strong radiant heat will permeate your bones & bake the infection right out of you !   In my personal opinion, antibiotics can't compete with the curative powers of a radiant coal or wood stove !

Burns clean (for coal anyways)   - When burning Anthracite, no trace of black smoke will emanate from your chimney once up to operating temperature.

Compared to wood, coal stoves are very efficient. Stack temperatures average well below those of wood stoves (typically here: only 250 to 275 deg f even when putting out full 92,000 BTU's) per hour. In other words, most of the heat goes to heating the building interior, rather than up the chimney !)

Though recommended to be shaken down twice daily, unlike wood stoves that must be constantly stoked and banked for the night, most air tight coal stoves will easily run 24 to 30 hours without being re-fueled. (You will awake to a warm toasty house with the stove still outputting full BTU's!)

No Creosote buildup.   Unlike wood based fuel products, there is no creosote build up, and thus little risk of a chimney fire. (Far fewer chimney cleaning tasks - though you're still going to want to check it).

Since there's no creosote buildup, roofing shingles will not become stained.

Coal stoves by default, will also happily and successfully burn wood, which makes them very versatile in a pinch !    (Note: a wood stove will not be able to burn coal.)

Unlike a pellet stove, non self-stoker models are not dependent on electric power. You may not have the electric blower when the AC goes out, but it will still most likely "roast you out !)

Coal is still reasonably cheap - half to one third the cost of heating with oil & about half the cost of wood.

Coal heat is not for everyone however.... before rushing right out to buy one, first consider the downsides which many folks would never tolerate.

Ashes must be shaken down twice daily & emptied (depending on the size of the ash pan) once per day. Your stove may be different, but that's the "norm"...   (A pain in the "butt" and you'll need insulated welders gloves or equivalent to transfer the hot ashes outside to dump in a galvanized steel can)

Be willing to accept in a few months, everything in your home being covered in a splendid "patina" of fine coal ash....   A good standalone Hepa Filter helps a lot (plus as a major side benefit, also circulates the warm air), but does not completely eliminate the ash dust. (We use a Whirlpool AP510 available at Sear & Roebuck)... If your house must always pass the "White Glove Test" (or even Grey Glove Test for that matter) then don't even consider burning coal (or even wood for that matter).... Just grin and bear your outrageously high priced oil, gas or electric bills ! No matter what the ads proclaim (or avoid), the reality is that a coal stove is for those who value it's even, low cost radiant heat far above any minor dust/ash concerns.

Put another way: If a toasty 80 degree house in the dead of winter is your primary focus, then by all means get a coal stove. If a clean dust (ash) free house is mandatory requirement & you love the convenience of a "set it & forget it" thermostat, then stay with gas, oil or electric. Personally after outside in sub-freezing weather, I want to come in to a toasty house !.... and don't want to have to put up with having to wear heavy clothing inside just to survive another Maine winter ! (at least without having to go broke)...

Coal stoves take a long time to get up to temperature and a long time to cool. Unlike a pellet stove, they cannot be "throttled back" nearly as much or instantly "switched off".

You'll need a safe place to dump the ash or bag the cold ashes after they've cooled for several days, for local trash pickup. (another chore added to your list)

Similar to the requirements of a wood stove, you will need a well designed chimney with a good draft.

In high wind conditions, expect an occasional back-draft. (Where the winds swirl outside in such a way as to blow back DOWN the chimney & out the stove).    Even with a good chimney, it's a rare but "memorable" event the first time you experience it ! - - - A simple chimney cap will negate much of this effect.

Coal stoves by their very nature are HEAVY (figure about 600 lbs when loaded with coal)...   Then add another 1,000 lbs or so for a good brick/slate base plus backing on which to sight it.   Your floor structure must be able to easily support the total load.

Coal stoves must NEVER be left running unattended for more than several hours.   You must religiously remember to constantly check the position of the air regulator when getting it started.... If there is no one living at home to attend and monitor it, then a coal stove is not for you..

Our Garage coal stove and the one aboard the boat have thermostatically controlled air regulators (The Harman that heats the house, does not)   Getting coal started requires quite a bit of oxygen, so even on those, one MUST remember to re-set the thermostat once it's up to temperature &burning normally

Unlike a wood stove, getting a coal stove started is a pain.... Figure on 3 to 5 hours to get it fully up to outputting full BTU's with a good bed of coals. Then figure another 6 to 8 hours just to shut it down (though you'll probably never want to do that til spring)....

Operating a coal stove is much like driving a car, in the sense it requires common sense to safely operate..... Running it "Cherry Red" or even hotter, will result in a warped grate/damaged stove at best, or a devastating house or chimney fire at worst.    You must know it's quirks, and monitor it at all times. There are no built in alarms, auto-shutdown or runaway safety features of any kind.   YOU alone are its' primary safety feature !    To put it rather bluntly:   they are NOT "idiot proof"...

With that said: Our ancestors as well as successful coal/wood burners today, had/have no trouble...   Generations of families where knowledge of how to safely operate them was passed down from generation to generation - all without incident...    All my Grandmother's kids swapped weekly chores of taking care of the central heat coal stove (and they were 8 years of age at the time when first assigned the chore). It's not "Rocket Science" & all it takes is some very basic common sense.   However; It is NOT merely setting a wall thermostat & forgetting about it...   Don't even consider a coal stove unless you intend to understand their individual quirks , and in a sense "bond" with it.   The air regulator on a coal stove is like the accelerator on your car ( I keep on using the "car analogy")   If used correctly, it will safely get you to where you want to be (like: toasty warm !). Ignore its' "throttle" setting, and it can result in severe damage !       If operated within its' parameters, it will provide you an inexpensive source of cozy, convective and "therapeutic" radiant heat unsurpassed by any other heating methodology.

For those that live near the ocean, the analogy is this: Similar to the ocean, we love it's constant radiant heat. But like the ocean, it is not wise to turn your back to it for too long...

With that said, once up to temperature, little further adjust is usually required !

You will have to get to know your stove. I have 3 of them (1 on the boat - a Gi-normous Hitzer that heats the garage, and the Harman heats the entire house). All of them behave slightly differently....

Once every 6 weeks or so when burning 24/7, you'll have to shut it down and let it cool to remove the unburned "chinks" of coal that sometimes builds up to the point of blocking the airflow and sometimes even losing the fire. (another task)

Unlike a wood stove, a coal stove cannot be "throttled back" nearly as much. Coal likes to burn over a narrow temperature range. Though you can vary its' output a bit, it's most efficient when burning hot. (When properly burning, nearly all the coal will be reduced to a very fine ash, with few unburned chinks.) Thus on warmer days (temps above 30 deg f.) you'll probably have to "crack" some windows to keep from being roasted out.

And if all this hasn't dissuaded you, beware that Anthracite Coal is not readily available in many parts of the country !

Anyways, if "Ole Bessie" should "give up the ghost" here tomorrow beyond any hope of repair, then before the end of the day, I'd have a new one on order.

The Hitzer 82 is designed to burn either Coal or wood. I've had it since 1992 and performs as new, pumping out 92,000 BTU's. What's unique & a very desirable feature, is the thermostatically controlled primary airflow regulator.

http://www.hitzer.com/heaters.html

Tips on Purchasing a Coal Stove

Having grown up with them, I figure that makes me somewhat of another self proclaimed expert ... (read: ok... maybe not an expert. more of a "take it for what its' worth in the "school of hard knocks" dept).

Here is what I personally look for - (or don't look for):

Stove must be of an airtight design. Not also will it burn efficiently, but this alone is a major safety feature. Should you ever over-temp the stove, closing down the air regulator will cut off ALL the air supply......   Short of hosing it with water which will crack cast iron or warp steel plate, it's the safest way to immediately "turn it completely off" & let it slowly cool naturally.

Burning coal does not result in a creosote buildup as does burning wood. However, a coal stove will happily burn wood and some people will switch between the two fuels. If you burn wood in it, you WILL have creosote in the chimney that accumulates with each wood burning. Merely switching back to coal does not make it magically go away.... It must be physically removed... Should a chimney fire ever get started, (the result of the creosote igniting) this is one time where you will wish you spent the $ on an air tight design. In a properly designed system, closing the air regulator, also cuts off much of the air supply that is feeding the chimney fire.

Have an internal baffle system so the hot exhaust gasses follow a long serpentine type path to the chimney. This effectively increases the surface area and extracts the most heat before it exhausts up the chimney. In some designs, it results in a secondary burn further reducing emissions and extracting even greater BTU's. The greater the efficiency also results in reduced stack temperatures.

A blower and air system also designed to blow cooler floor air through internal channels , so as to again, extract the max amount of heat into the living space.

Be at least 1/4" steel plate or cast iron construction for stoves intended for 24/7 continuous operation. Note: Steel plate construction stoves (though not as "quaint", are much easier to repair using a standard AC Arc Welder. (Cast Iron is MUCH more difficult to weld - requiring MIG welding equipment and far more welding skills & experience !)    With that said; a cast iron stove if not over-temp'd, will most likely outlive you and possibly several generations of your descendents !

Internal firebrick design. This keeps the hot coals from burning through the metal over a period of years (or over a span of minutes in the case of carelessness or committing an act of sheer stupidity).

Shakedown grates (almost all coal stoves are equipped with these). Warped grates are an indication that the ash pan was not emptied. The grates that support the red hot coals depend on the natural draft of cool room air passing through them to keep them cool and thus from warping. An overflowing ash pan blocks off this much needed cooling airflow, and warped grates will be the result.

View window is nice, but also not necessary (just one more thing to keep clean). Even if you manage to keep the viewing window clean, coal to look at, doesn't burn "pretty" like wood or even pellet stoves. No romantic flickering flames or crackling sounds ! (How boring) ....   Just a dull steady dull red glow. By not having a "view Window", you're not missing out on any real excitement ...    (Truth is: there isn't any !) - Might be visually/audibly "dull", but the suckers will pump out an even steady stream of raw BTU's, that few wood/pellet stoves of comparative size can come close to matching for far less cost !

Purchase a stove that has the capacity to easily heat the desired space. The fact that this takes position #8 is not to mean it's of little importance.   The reality is, that too small a stove, and you'll be too tempted to over-temp it to stay warm (this would be VERY dangerous)...   The lure of keeping warm when the outside winds are howling and the outside thermometer reads a number that could have been recorded in Antarctica, and you will be almost guaranteed to over-temp the stove. Far too many times that shivering has taken a backseat to common sense.   Solution: Buy a stove that has the BTU output necessary to stay comfortable. A properly sized stove will both more efficiently and safely.

Too large, & you'll be continuously roasted out (or praying for sub-zero winter nights)...  Neither will the stove burn efficiently if operated too cold. The fuel will not be completely burned resulting in too many unburned "chinks" and higher emissions....    There are a lot of variables, but a good rule of thumb is to figure on a stove rated at 70,000 BTU to heat a 2500 square foot living space if the building envelope is tight and well insulated, & 90,000 BTU for even typical new construction that has not been surveyed & optimized. (See Below...)

If the size falls on the cusp and you can't decide, then always opt for the next larger BTU output, unless there are other extenuating circumstances such as physical size constraints, flue position etc. Ironic as it first may seem, a larger stove that is operating at it's normal "Q" point, will consume LESS fuel than a smaller one operating much hotter, yet providing less BTU's to the living space. (for those that doubt the validity of this statement, consider this is the 2nd law of thermodynamics)

Wood Burning Stoves - Advantages

Ever since a kid, we burned mostly coal with some years spent burning wood. However, the first 2 years after moving here were spent heating entirely with wood - the result of land clearing and winter blow-down. (Free heat as it were !) Though today I burn strictly coal, I'm not against heating with wood.... it does have some distinct advantages over coal....

Namely, nothing beats the smell of burning wood that permeates the entire house with a highly desirable pleasant aroma that has never been able to be artificially duplicated. If it could, I'm certain it would corner an important segment of the air freshener market ! ( at least for some folks)

Wood burns with a bright flickering glow, complete with stereophonic hi-fi crackling sounds. It's a light show that is mesmerizing, hypnotic and triggers some deep primal instinct in all of us, suggesting a strong sense of warmth and security. Which one of us hasn't gazed into a crackling campfire not having experienced it ? Whatever it is, it's deeply ingrained into our psyche. I really miss that aspect...

Wood ash is more environmentally friendly. In fact; it makes for a great fertilizer when spread over your lawn, garden or flower beds !

Wood Burning Stoves - Disadvantages

Burning wood does have some major disadvantages as compared to coal however... (not many - but unfortunately, significant)

Even the best wood stove will not burn cleanly & evenly for 24 hours straight. Most must be "banked" for the night, & even then, one may awake to a chilly house.

Wood should be seasoned. Green wood burns dirty, produces far less heat & adds dramatically to the dangerous creosote woes.

All wood burning results in a creosote buildup in the chimney. If not removed & cleaned religiously each year, the risk of a chimney fire and possible loss of the entire house is far greater. One chimney fire is enough to ruin your entire day (and perhaps everything else the house contained)... I rated this #3, since the simple act of cleaning the chimney, solves the problem. It's not a big deal - just a simple task to be added to your winter prep list or chimney sweep service to call.

Unlike coal, wood must be cut & split..... though at first a novelty to some; trust me: The novelty will soon wear thin !

Coal Burning Links and Forums

The following links make for interesting reading. However, beware that like any other forum, many of the opinions are posted by those with little or even no experience or understanding about why coal stoves behave the way they do, purpose of dampers, use of barometric dampers etc etc etc... In contrast, there is much valuable info from those that have years or literally generations of practical "hand me down" experience in the operation/maintenance/installation of wood or coal stoves.   As with any open forum, you will be forced to sift thru it to separate out the truth based on the physics involved, from personal opinions, rumor and just plain good old fashioned BS.

There are many examples of inaccuracies on some of these forums and even some dangerous ones should you opt to adopt them and understand that all recommendations will be safe for your situation. Here's one ....

Barometric Dampers

Guess first order of business is to explain their purpose.

Nearly every oil burning furnace has a barometric damper usually mounted close to the stack exhaust port. It's purpose is to isolate the burner in the furnace from changes in pressure at the chimney exit. (HUH ? you're probably muttering..)

The rapidly expanding warm air in the combustion chamber, creates a higher pressure, and thus the air pressure at the bottom of the chimney is greater than that which is cooler at the top or exhaust of the chimney. That part of the effect is similar in concept to a mini jet engine or even the internal combustion engine where a small amount of air is taken in, then heated and a greater volume under pressure is expelled. The concept and rules of physics don't change just because the combustion chamber is now called an oil burner, coal or wood stove..

The other dynamic in the chimney effect is that the expanding warm air is less dense than the colder air above. The warm air will naturally want to rise just because it is more buoyant than the denser and heavier cold air above. It wants to rise like a cork ! The two dynamics working in concert, create the chimney effect which also creates the daft or suction to expel the combustion byproducts....

There are many times when the draft can become too great, as the natural draft is dependent on a number of various factors such as :

Wind direction & velocity that can sometimes create a venturi effect as it blows over the top of the chimney. A simple chimney cap which you should have anyways just to keep out rain and animals, creates enough turbulence to negate much of the venturi effect.

Infiltration where the wind blows in thru voids on the windward side, and pressurizes the building envelope. The higher pressure room air will naturally try to achieve equilibrium by escaping thru the air regulator opening of the stove. The pressure differential increases the draft the stove sees.... This is often the major source... not having a barometric damper is not the problem.... Instead the house leaks like a sieve !   (Read further on how to locate them).

Topography also can play a role in hilly or mountainous country where downdrafts can play havoc by attempting to "ram" air back down the chimney. Again, a chimney cap can help here again as well.

Temperature Differential... how hot is the fire and outside air temperature thus temp differential. The greater the differential, the greater the chimney effect.

There are others, but the first two often account for the Lion's share, where wildly fluctuating drafts are experienced. When that happens, the chimney suction can be greater than the furnace’s needs. (In most cases, the first two or even 3, can be easily remedied or the effects greatly reduced)

The crux of the matter is this:

Oil burners only operate efficiently over a relatively narrow spectrum.   Why so "finicky" ? The fuel sprayed into the combustion chamber is accurately metered and the pump and nozzle deliver a consistent, accurate supply of fuel. In fact, the nozzle size will be specified in gallons/hour. An abnormally high draft serves to draw in more air than normal into the combustion chamber thus leaning the mixture beyond it's point of peak efficiency as well as disturb the flame pattern, much as a room draft causes a candle to flicker. Too little draft and the mixture would then be too rich. (No different than a fuel injected engine)- To compensate for an over-draft, the counter weighted flap of the barometric damper rotates open and lets cool room air into the chimney. This mixture of much colder ambient room air added into the chimney, cools the air column in the chimney which serves to reduce the draft. The sheer volume of air added also serves to equalize the differential, but the main dynamic in play is that the influx of colder room air cooling the air column in the chimney, serves to shut down the chimney effect.

The purpose of the barometric damper is not to directly regulate the burn, but to stabilize the draft under various operating conditions. In an oil fired heating system where the fuel is sprayed in, a steady even draft is necessary for a clean efficient burn. Any wavering or "flickering" of the flame, results in inefficiency...

Use of a Barometric Damper insures a steady draft, and thus a steady stable flame in the oil fired burner...

Why a Barometric Damper should NEVER be used for a wood burning stove or cases where a coal stove is used to burn both.

All the benefits of a barometric damper as they apply to oil fired furnaces, don't translate well to wood stoves or coal stoves even occasionally used to burn wood (other than that used only to start the coal stove). There are some notable differences...

First of all, Barometric Dampers are not needed for air tight wood or coal burning stoves, which happily operate over a wide range of conditions (unlike an oil fired furnace that accurately meters the fuel and requires a stable draft to maintain a stable consistent flame). Unlike an oil fired furnace, the fuel supplied to a coal or wood stove is anything but accurately metered in that sense. It is metered instead by the air supply. The more air, the hotter the fire and more volatile gasses are emitted from the coal or wood and vice-versa. The fire and thus heat generated, itself becomes the fuel metering system. Once a wood or coal stove is up to temperature, changes in the chimney draft make very little difference in the rate of burn. It's the size of the opening (air source regulator) that primarily determines the amount of oxygen supplied for combustion. Yes, having a barometric damper would make for a stable draft, but you simply don't need a barometric damper on a coal or wood stove. There is more than enough thermal mass in the stove itself and the mass of it's own fuel supply to smooth out any transients in the draft even if it did make much of a difference... WHY ??? - - - Consider an oil furnace reaches a full burn in about 3 seconds and goes out nearly instantly when it shuts down. Not so a coal or wood stove that often takes over an well over an hour to build up a hot bed of coals and many more hours just to completely extinguish.    Short term transients in the draft make little difference......   Not that you can't use a barometric damper on a wood or coal burning setup, it's just doing so is unnecessary & potentially extremely dangerous. Here's why.....

Though coal when burning does not generate creosote, there are some that use their coal stoves to burn wood when it is available, which does create creosote. If all you do is burn coal in a coal stove, then all is well, and you can choose to ignore the dangers of Creosote build up in chimneys, since burning coal generates no creosote.

Should you have burned wood even in a coal stove, Creosote once ignited is a wonderfully rich source of fuel. When it builds up to the point where there is enough to sustain a good burn, all it needs is a source of ignition and an adequate oxygen supply. Your wood/coal stove will supply the heat and flame necessary for ignition (especially with a wood fire or getting a coal stove started or when careless and left to burn cherry red). Normally the rising air column is made up of exhaust gasses that are somewhat deficient in oxygen, thus making it more difficult for any creosote build up to ignite.

In the case of an air tight stove, should a chimney fire get started, the chimney's only air supply is from the exhaust gasses of the stove itself, which isn't much, and what there is of it, is not all that rich in oxygen. A chimney fire then is then a much less spectacular event. In many cases, you may not even be aware that you had one !

Use of a barometric damper in the event of a chimney fire, makes for a totally different scenario which will prove far more memorable..... It's normal operation now introduces a nice oxygen rich mixture directly into the chimney from below, where all that's needed is an ignition source. Not too tough to figure out what that might be (after all, they are stoves !) Once the creosote ignites, the genie is now out of the lamp so to speak. The chimney itself has now become the combustion chamber.... a chimney and combustion chamber all rolled into one with a rich oxygen source being supplied from the barometric damper... An engineer would be hard pressed to design anything more efficient for converting fuel into heat with the materials at hand in the shortest possible time span.... The chimney stack temperature now climbs dramatically, and the barometric damper in a futile attempt to cool the air column and thus reduce the draft, now opens fully. That introduces all the oxygen rich air into the chimney needed to feed a raging chimney fire. Within minutes, chimney temperatures can soar to well over 1800 degrees (and no chimney liner is designed to tolerate such temperatures).   You now have a runaway condition.... The hotter it burns, the greater the draft, and the greater the draft, the hotter the fire etc etc etc .... and the barometric damper is all too happy to supply all the oxygen it can muster !

Until the creosote is finally burned or the oxygen source cut off, now it's just a matter of time before the house is lost. This happens either due to the now hot chimney igniting the surrounding structure or the hot embers of burning creosote being blown out onto the roof which then itself ignites. A chimney fire if nothing else, is often spectacular !

Yes, one could close the barometric damper as well as religiously having the chimney kept clean, is the argument . But the reality is that not everyone has their chimney swept every season, and many of those burning coal are lulled into a false sense of security, forgetting about the times they opted to toss in some pine logs for a romantic evening experience watching the flickering flames or simply switched to wood if it was suddenly more affordable or available ! Most chimney fires where the house was lost, started at night when everyone was asleep or no one was at home.   Point is: Anytime you operate a wood/coal stove effectively unattended with a barometric damper as part of the system and the chimney has any creosote, you could be playing Russian Roulette.

Amazingly, even some manufacturer's of wood stoves even recommend installing one....

Again... No problem if you burn coal and only coal, as then there will not be a creosote buildup....

Standard Manual Air Damper

A standard damper is a completely different device. This was invented in 1801 by Count Rumford and it served several purposes....

regulating the draft

serve as an emergency shutdown.

preserve room heat by closing off the chimney when the stove was not in operation

to regulate the fire in the case of non airtight stoves or the open Ben Franklin design type stoves

Instead of regulating the chimney draft by introducing cool room air into the chimney, it instead is mounted in the stove exhaust pipe and serves to cut off the draft the stove sees by literally blocking the stove pipe. Thus a manual damper is a completely different "beast"... This was the first type of damper invented and widely adopted. It was designed specifically for coal & wood burning stoves. Might be 200 year old technology, but no one yet has come up with anything better ! The installation of a manual damper is highly recommend for non-airtight stoves. For air tight designs, the use of a manual air damper is rarely required except in the case of the most severe excessive draft problems.

When understood and used properly, a manual damper affords in the case of non-airtight stoves, a necessary level of both draft and rate of burn control. Shut it down too much, and you risk a smoke filled room or in case of coal, CO2 poisoning.

Having an air tight stove does not give you license to be careless. Chimney's still must be inspected, the stove never over temp'd etc etc etc.... Kind of like the ocean.... We love our stove's warm radiant heat and will snuggle up to it on those cold winter nights or in cases of bouts of the flu. It may be your best pal, but it's not wise to turn your back on it for too long.
Pay attention !

* * * * * * *

I suppose everyone has an opinion, so consider perhaps this but another added to the heap. But no matter the rationalization, the rules of physics and thermodynamics are rather rigid, stubborn, pig headed and unyielding, no matter how each of us might believe or wish they weren't so....

With that said, there is a lot on the web concerning heating with wood, coal, pellets and even corn in the Midwest   (guess they don't call it the "corn belt" for nothing). There are also many books written on the subject,

There is a lot of good information on the web... You'll just have to do your homework before listening to some of the conflicting suggestions by some of the self proclaimed experts.... After reading some of the comments, I'm absolutely convinced that some have never even had a coal or wood burning stove.

http://www.nepadigital.com/bb/index.php

The following was a humorous comparison of the Economic Justification for Wood Burning vs. oil.

Anyone who has burned wood as a heat source, has undoubtedly experienced at least several

FIRST YEAR COSTS - Wood Burning

Description     (values rounded to nearest full dollar) Credits Costs

Top of the line Wood Stove with approved chimney - fully equipped and professionally installed $2777.00

Pay plumber to remove hot water baseboard system w/boiler (no longer needed) 238.00

Sell hot water baseboards w/boiler 125.00

Pursue reputable wood dealer     (unfortunately, none available to be found) 76.00

Buy Inexpensive (Cheap) Chainsaw 210.00

Axe, hatchet, wedges, maul, cant hook 119.00

Old truck - scrapped   (rusted bed fell off under first heavy load and also snapped a spring) 595.00

New four-wheel-drive truck - including taxes & dealer prep 21283.00

Insurance & excise tax on new Pickup truck 893.00

Wheels chains (all 4 wheels) 133.00

Replace cheap chainsaw that seized with commercial quality one 753.00

Replace truck rear window   (twice) 388.00

Work gloves (swiped from Shop) Free

Sell old chainsaw for parts on eBay 14.00

eBay service charges 5.00

Pay to have old Pickup towed away & scrapped      (unable to even give it away) 175.00

Fine by State and local Warden for cutting wrong trees 1000.00

Purchase 10 acre woodlot 14250.00

Lawyer's fees, closing costs, Transfer tax on woodlot 722.00

Wood splitting machine (30 ton heavy duty) 1699.00

Trailer for wood splitting machine 583.00

Miller Beer - 14 cases    126.00

Ginger Brandy - 6 fifths     (for medicinal purposes only) 44.00

Fine for littering 250.00

Towing charge (creek bed to hardtop road) 150.00


Summer - wide view	Winter - extreme wide view

Slaigo Brook	View to rear & pasture

Waldoboro, ME (Maine) WebCam - Tides - Weather
Sampson Cove - Slaigo Brook - Thomas Hill - Lincoln County

Interpreting the graphs

Station Status - Last 5 events

3-22-2008    Down for maintenance 3:25pm to 4:40 pm
2-21-2008    Anemometer repaired
2-20-2008    Replaced battery in temp sensor. Anemometer scheduled for repair
2-19-2008    Anemometer seized
2-18-2008    Temperature sensor failed

Temperature Conversions: Fahrenheit - Centigrade - Celsius - Kelvin - Réaumur - Rankine

Time Lapse Movies - Time-lapse - Tide

Waldoboro Tides

Coal Stove - Heating with coal

Description (values rounded to nearest full dollar)	Credits	Costs
Top of the line Wood Stove with approved chimney - fully equipped and professionally installed		$2777.00
Pay plumber to remove hot water baseboard system w/boiler (no longer needed)		238.00
Sell hot water baseboards w/boiler	125.00
Pursue reputable wood dealer (unfortunately, none available to be found)		76.00
Buy Inexpensive (Cheap) Chainsaw		210.00
Axe, hatchet, wedges, maul, cant hook		119.00
Old truck - scrapped (rusted bed fell off under first heavy load and also snapped a spring)		595.00
New four-wheel-drive truck - including taxes & dealer prep		21283.00
Insurance & excise tax on new Pickup truck		893.00
Wheels chains (all 4 wheels)		133.00
Replace cheap chainsaw that seized with commercial quality one		753.00
Replace truck rear window (twice)		388.00
Work gloves (swiped from Shop)		Free
Sell old chainsaw for parts on eBay	14.00
eBay service charges		5.00
Pay to have old Pickup towed away & scrapped (unable to even give it away)		175.00
Fine by State and local Warden for cutting wrong trees		1000.00
Purchase 10 acre woodlot		14250.00
Lawyer's fees, closing costs, Transfer tax on woodlot		722.00
Wood splitting machine (30 ton heavy duty)		1699.00
Trailer for wood splitting machine		583.00
Miller Beer - 14 cases		126.00
Ginger Brandy - 6 fifths (for medicinal purposes only)		44.00
Fine for littering		250.00
Towing charge (creek bed to hardtop road)		150.00

Waldoboro, ME (Maine) WebCam - Tides - Weather Sampson Cove - Slaigo Brook - Thomas Hill - Lincoln County

Interpreting the graphs

Station Status - Last 5 events

3-22-2008 Down for maintenance 3:25pm to 4:40 pm 2-21-2008 Anemometer repaired 2-20-2008 Replaced battery in temp sensor. Anemometer scheduled for repair 2-19-2008 Anemometer seized 2-18-2008 Temperature sensor failed

Temperature Conversions: Fahrenheit - Centigrade - Celsius - Kelvin - Réaumur - Rankine

Time Lapse Movies - Time-lapse - Tide

Waldoboro Tides

Coal Stove - Heating with coal

Waldoboro, ME (Maine) WebCam - Tides - Weather
Sampson Cove - Slaigo Brook - Thomas Hill - Lincoln County

3-22-2008 Down for maintenance 3:25pm to 4:40 pm
2-21-2008 Anemometer repaired
2-20-2008 Replaced battery in temp sensor. Anemometer scheduled for repair
2-19-2008 Anemometer seized
2-18-2008 Temperature sensor failed