"Can I tap a wood stove into a flue being used by my furnace?"
Many do it to save the expense of a new chimney, with no problem. Building code says you can't primarily because soot can block the shared flue. If new stoves are operated properly, there should be no smoke, let alone a creosote blockage. New chimneys installed are almost all stainless steel, and cost between $1200 and $2800 installed.

"Why does smoke occasionally puff into the house?" The reason(s) for this rare occurrence varies from home to home. Usually, smoke issues are due to a two or more factors.

1- (Pre-start) A cold chimney is sluggish until warmed. Pre-warm the stoves vent pathway by igniting single sheets of 'unwrinkled' newspaper, one after another a few times.

2- Too little make-up air: Make up air MUST enter the home for what is expelled outside. The stove itself needs a measurable amount of make-up air only when the door is opened. Other appliances such as dryers, exhaust fans, and furnaces all increase the demand for make-up air. These other appliances are expelling air from the home with more force than the wood stove vent. This can pull this needed make up air down the vent, with the stove emissions, and into the home.

3- Chimney Design- Chimneys are often built 1 to 4 feet below code height. This makes them sluggish to vent.

4- Moisture in fire wood creates much more smoke, and less draft inducing heat. This is a bad combination. Buy seasoned wood in the spring to insure it is truly seasoned by the fall.

5- Soot buildup- Sometimes the vent is impeded by a restricting soot buildup.

6- Blowing wind is never the sole cause of back puffing, despite popular myth.

"Where can I get seasoned wood?" You have a better chance at winning the lottery that being able to receive fully seasoned wood. Accept it. Make an effort to get the best you can, and let it fully dry, covered, through the summer for the next heating season. What was considered seasoned for past stove technology is no longer acceptable. So called ‘seasoned’ wood is usually 4 to 8 months old, and it sat uncovered and un-split prior to delivery. One additional year, or summer, split and covered makes a huge difference with a flash combustion stove. It removes the extra pint or two of water from each log. With the water removed, the smoke burning feature is functioning much better, especially when banked down for a long burn.

Using the new definition of seasoned wood, you will insure the following*:

Much less wood consumption. (Water keeps smoke fuel from burning.)
Much less wood toting, ash removal, and mess.
Much longer burn times that also help the heat to spread out more evenly.
Long burns allow fewer restarts, and the furnace turns on less.
Much faster heating and heat larger areas.
Cost of wood is less when bought a year in advance.(inflation)
Lighter wood to carry and load. Much easier start-ups.
Cleaner environment and happier neighbors.
Safe and economical 'stay clean' chimney.
Allows the new air wash system to keep the class clean.

* You soon lessen or permanently lose all the above benefits if you choose a cheap quality flash combustion stove. Learn why at our Helpful Info page.