Soot Mystery: Uncovering the Puzzling Phenomenon in a Wood-Burning Stove Room

In summary, the soot markings are most likely due to poor insulation or the use of a wood burning stove. The markings coincide with studs and are more likely to happen where there is a gap between the studs rather than on the studs themselves. There is no definite answer, but the thermal explanation seems most likely.
  • #36
TEjedi said:
Ok, the stove is only lit in cold weather. I am assuming that the porch room does not have a connection to the household heating system. Assuming these, I feel safe saying that the studs, drywall, air behind the walls, furniture ect... Have all reached thermal equalibrium as a system. Lighting a fire rapidly heats the room air. That heat is then transferred to all the surrounding matter through the usually channels. All the materials that are in contact with the air are going to warm at different rates. The studs are connected to another wall, the outside one. If the air temp outside is cold enough, I'd think under 50f, then the studs simply take longer to warm. Wood is a great insulator, but it also contains water and retains the ability to absorb it even in the afterlife. This could skew the woods heat capacity. The wooden studs absorb the heat that the drywall (at the point of contact) is absorbing. Depending on the conditions, it is plausible that the studs could take a significant amount of time to heat, and until they reach equalibrium they will continue to act like moisture magnets.

Deja vue. See Post 6 etc..
 
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  • #37
sophiecentaur said:
I still wonder whether what you are seeing is actually just 'soot'. I think it's more likely to include tar (sticky) - like you get with cigarette smoke.
Well, I didn't think it made a diff, but ... while not "smokers", they are ... very "frequent flyers".
 
  • #38
sophiecentaur said:
Deja vue. See Post 6 etc..

Sorry Sophie, I was just trying to expand on your intial thoughts with a few additional factors that may better explain the process and still keep it comprehensible. I am still new to the forum and don't quite have a mastery of its general features, like the quote button I plainly see today but somehow missed last night, and apologize for not attributing it to you first.
 
  • #39
TEjedi said:
Sorry Sophie, I was just trying to expand on your intial thoughts with a few additional factors that may better explain the process and still keep it comprehensible. I am still new to the forum and don't quite have a mastery of its general features, like the quote button I plainly see today but somehow missed last night, and apologize for not attributing it to you first.

No worries. I'm not at all offended. Only it's very common for people to read the most recent posts of a long thread and to repeat contributions from earlier on (dunnit myself too often).
 

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