I really miss the smell of wood smoke.

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WoodpileOCD

WoodpileOCD

Minister of Fire
Jan 19, 2011
722
Central NC
I grew up with a fire going most of the time in the winter. Didn't have a stove but our house had a heatalator box in the fireplace and a centrally located chimney so it was a good supplement to our furnace. I delivered newspapers in the afternoon and when it was cold and wet out, the smell of the smoke coming from our chimney was always a signal I was home. It will forever be associated with coming into a warm house with the smell of dinner cooking.

I've been in my house here in NC for 23 years and had an old stove (insert) for 22 of them. I was out this morning bringing wood up from the back to my racks by the house (no shed yet) and I realized how much I used to love working outside in the winter and catching a whiff of smoke when the wind would shift. It has always made me feel good to keep my family warm with my labor but there was something about the smells of woodburning that drove that home on a regular basis.

This morning, I realized that I can't even see the smoke, much less smell it. Don't get me wrong, thats a good thing but still.. :blank:

Anybody else miss the smell of creosote in the morning? :)

Edit: Certainly don't miss the smell of smoke in the house from the 4:00 AM reloads every night with the old stove.
 
I can still smell mine sometimes but when the secondarys are kicked in it makes a strange odor. Not like the old days for sure. Been meanin to ask if anyone notices it.
 
We have a few wood burners in the neighborhood and I can tell when someone has thrown a fresh charge of wood in, is starting a fire or is burning something a bit punky. Most everyone has very clear exhaust, though.
What I wish I never smelled is those poison-laden :censored: dryer sheets that :censored: throw in their clothes dryers . :)
 
I get a faint whiff when I'm burning it hot on a start-up. That's enough for me; The creosote smell brings back bad memories of trying to burn dead Red Oak that had been split a couple of months earlier. I didn't have too many chimney fires because the stove never got above 100* on the Oak. They would only happen when I burned Ash.
:lol:
 
WoodpileOCD said:
Anybody else miss the smell of creosote in the morning?
Click to expand...
I don't consider the smell of smoke as being synonymous to creosote. The smell of creosote I hate.
 
I burned some applewood this afternoon, and had to go outside and stood there smelling it, until I realised I might as well be chopping wood.

It really doesn't get much better......... ;-)
 
I'd rather smell dryer sheets than smoke! I don't really like the smell of smoke outside. I'm glad my stove doesn't stink up the air!


billb3 said:
We have a few wood burners in the neighborhood and I can tell when someone has thrown a fresh charge of wood in, is starting a fire or is burning something a bit punky. Most everyone has very clear exhaust, though.
What I wish I never smelled is those poison-laden :censored: dryer sheets that :censored: throw in their clothes dryers . :)
Click to expand...
 
Hate the smell of those dryer sheets. The people on the place South of ours use them and the prevailing winds come from that direction. The smell is so heavy I swear that it softens my clothes hanging out on the line. :smirk:

As to smoke smell, when the 30 is really kicking in cold weather all I smell outside is hot stainless steel from the liner. Very distinctive aroma.
 
LLigetfa said:
WoodpileOCD said:
Anybody else miss the smell of creosote in the morning?
Click to expand...
I don't consider the smell of smoke as being synonymous to creosote. The smell of creosote I hate.
Click to expand...

Yea... that was kind of tongue in cheek. Don't really like the smell of creosote either.
 
I can usually get a faint whiff of it depending on the wind. BUT I grew up in a neighborhood where there was natural gas heat everywhere, some homes had a fireplace, no one used them. One year for a family vacation we went to yellowstone, it was the year of the fires. To this day I still associate the smell of smoke with yellowstone. Many, what a trip, its not often you see fire rolling over the road you were going to take, and a 2 hour ride turns into a 6 hour drive through Idaho....
 
I have a nice, dry whittling stick of juniper. When I want a great smoke aroma I will take out the pocket knife and put a few shavings on the stove top. They smell great.
 
I spent a short time in Germany, only a few weeks, but they were good weeks and the smell of burning coal always takes me back there. I would not want to live in an area where I was breathing coal smoke, understand, it's just the memories it invokes.

As to dryer sheets. I know plenty of people who use them, including washing and drying their dog bed covers and etc. with them. Imagine how those chemicals affect the noses of dogs, as sensitive as they are to smells. But, then, it takes all kinds [of idiots].
 
I always tell people that if it smells "good" coming out of your flue, your not burning your stove hot enough, (unless it is for a short time at reload.) I like the smell of a campfire as much as anybody, but to me it sure doesn't smell good when my stove is in cruise mode.
 
BeGreen said:
I have a nice, dry whittling stick of juniper. When I want a great smoke aroma I will take out the pocket knife and put a few shavings on the stove top. They smell great.
Click to expand...

Nice idea, I'll copy that if I may.... ;-)
 
My dog rolls around in trash and munches on cat poo... I'm quite certain a good smelling dryer sheet isn't going to effect him! I throw them in with every load... make the clothes smell good and keeps the static down. I don't see how that could smell bad?!

Do you guys enjoy the smell of B.O.?



SteveKG said:
I spent a short time in Germany, only a few weeks, but they were good weeks and the smell of burning coal always takes me back there. I would not want to live in an area where I was breathing coal smoke, understand, it's just the memories it invokes.

As to dryer sheets. I know plenty of people who use them, including washing and drying their dog bed covers and etc. with them. Imagine how those chemicals affect the noses of dogs, as sensitive as they are to smells. But, then, it takes all kinds [of idiots].
Click to expand...
 
NATE379 said:
My dog rolls around in trash and munches on cat poo... I'm quite certain a good smelling dryer sheet isn't going to effect him! I throw them in with every load... make the clothes smell good and keeps the static down. I don't see how that could smell bad?!

Do you guys enjoy the smell of B.O.?
Click to expand...

B.O.? Burning Oak. I love the smell of Burning Oak. Can't say as I understand the dryer sheet thing though. If I've ever smelled it outside, I guess I haven't paid it any attention.
 
I only smell the smoke from my chimney when the wind is just right . . . or wrong . . . and yeah . . . usually it's a pleasant smell . . . or at least it is when you're just catching a whiff of it . . . if I was always surrounded my smoke or smelled like smoke all the time then it wouldn't be so pleasant.
 
Missed this discussion in November, but I have had a question in mind related to this. My situation is similar to FFJ's described above - When the wind is right, I have a noticeable smoke smell at least for an hour or so after loading the stove. The smell is not your typical old campfire smell. It is less pleasant, and what I would perhaps describe as "acidic" smoke smell. I have been a weekend burner for three years now. I'm currently mostly burning 3 years seasoned ash, but I think the smell has not changed over time due to varying species or moisture levels. I did chimney sweep before this burning season and all that came out of a 20' pipe was about cup of white fine powder.

Anyone else noticed EPA stove smoke smelling different?
 
hot turkey said:
Missed this discussion in November, but I have had a question in mind related to this. My situation is similar to FFJ's described above - When the wind is right, I have a noticeable smoke smell at least for an hour or so after loading the stove. The smell is not your typical old campfire smell. It is less pleasant, and what I would perhaps describe as "acidic" smoke smell. I have been a weekend burner for three years now. I'm currently mostly burning 3 years seasoned ash, but I think the smell has not changed over time due to varying species or moisture levels. I did chimney sweep before this burning season and all that came out of a 20' pipe was about cup of white fine powder.

Anyone else noticed EPA stove smoke smelling different?
Click to expand...
Sometimes there can be dust on a stove.
Other times there can be some crud inside the stove (and or pipes)and a hotter fire after a reload can burn it off and give a smell.
I know what you're talking about though..
Have you ever noticed a smell from a forced air heating system after it was first fired for the season?
To me it smells sorta like that.
 
Went through WVA,and into Monterey VA recently, the smell of coal and woodsmoke was apparent in the mountains and coupled with that crisp mountain air very exhilarating,love it.
 
I think that most of the stuff you smelled before is getting burned in the stove and not going up the stack. With mine I can often smell hot stainless steel smell outside coming off the liner.
 
I try to smell mine outside by the driveway. I think it can smell a little like diesel sometimes, especially when coaling. I'm disappointed the inside of the house doesn't have that wood stove smell like I remember as a kid.
 
hot turkey said:
Missed this discussion in November, but I have had a question in mind related to this. My situation is similar to FFJ's described above - When the wind is right, I have a noticeable smoke smell at least for an hour or so after loading the stove. The smell is not your typical old campfire smell. It is less pleasant, and what I would perhaps describe as "acidic" smoke smell. I have been a weekend burner for three years now. I'm currently mostly burning 3 years seasoned ash, but I think the smell has not changed over time due to varying species or moisture levels. I did chimney sweep before this burning season and all that came out of a 20' pipe was about cup of white fine powder.

Anyone else noticed EPA stove smoke smelling different?
Click to expand...

I think the secondary burn function on EPA-approved stoves burns up the gases and particles that make wood smoke smell like wood smoke. All that is left is hot carbon dioxide, hot steel pipe, and maybe a little bit of impurities that end up smelling more like a clean coal burner than a campfire.
 
NATE379 said:
I'd rather smell dryer sheets than smoke! I don't really like the smell of smoke outside. I'm glad my stove doesn't stink up the air!


billb3 said:
We have a few wood burners in the neighborhood and I can tell when someone has thrown a fresh charge of wood in, is starting a fire or is burning something a bit punky. Most everyone has very clear exhaust, though.
What I wish I never smelled is those poison-laden :censored: dryer sheets that :censored: throw in their clothes dryers . :)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Just wondering what would than be your purpose in life than haha?!
 
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