Room Smells Like Burnt Wood

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HummerBeachBuggy1982

HummerBeachBuggy1982

Member
Aug 9, 2011
40
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Is there anyway to keep the room where my insert is in from smelling like burnt wood when I do not have a fire going in the insert, I have removed all ash cleaned the glass and inside and the room still smells like burnt wood yet when I have a fire going it does not smell at all? Thanks.
 
My guess is the stale smoke is from the soot that has settled on the walls, ceiling, curtains, etc. Time will clear it out, but if you do not smell it when the stove is burning, then that is probably due to humidity. Your smell receptors don't pick up on it when the air is dry enough, same as some molds. Only thing you can do is wait for spring and open the windows, or start washing everything down.

Of course if you are lazy like me, burn scented candles and use some of those phoo-phoo sprays. And watch out for that backpuffing! :)

P.S.--Another possibility is a chimney that is getting moisture inside it. I hope that is not the case, but worth checking out.
 
I sometimes get the smell of burned wood or charcoal in the summer when there is a reverse draft . . . if this is the case you may try putting a candle in the insert and light it . . . it doesn't need to be scented . . . just the small flame will be enough to reverse the draft.

If the smell is just coming from the insert itself or moisture you may be able to fix the problem of the smell by putting in a box of baking soda or a tray of cat litter in the insert to "soak" up the odor.
 
If I open the clean out door to my chimney (the door opens into the house) I will get a smell like you describe. I therefore theorize that your smell is from air coming down the flue and exiting the stove. If you have already closed all the air controls, dampers, etc. I don't know what to suggest.
 
Yep, reverse draft. About the only way to fix it when not burning is to heat it (like said above, with a candle), or plug it. A wad of insulation would work and they do make balloons for that purpose as well. I would highly suggest leaving a note in the firebox so that you don't forget about it the next time you light up. If you do forget - You WILL get a room full of smoke.
 
Odd, I never thought about reverse draft; I had that problem when I just had a fireplace, but now that there is an insert I don't seem to have any problems. Maybe the surround is not tight enough? would that make a difference? I was under the impression that a tight stove shouldn't leak air into the room. Am I wrong?
 
firebroad said:
I was under the impression that a tight stove shouldn't leak air into the room. Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, yes. There is no way on an EPA stove to 100% shut down the air, so the same is true in reverse. There will always be a slight opening for air that a reverse draft could push through.
 
What kind of insert is this? Does it have a liner attached to it that goes all the way to the top of the chimney. Do you have an outside air kit installed on the stove?

pen
 
I would also guess that an oak would help to allow any air that wanted to come back through the primary of the stove ent to the outside.

I've heard of other people sticking a box of baking soda in a cold stove to help (seems like spitting on a bon fire but who knows). Also, have heard of folks leaving a cheap candle burning in the stove to keep the draft going in the right direction.

It also will help if the last fire you have before letting it go cold is a good hot one. If it is pure ash and no coals left in the stove, there will be less smell. Also, a good hot fire will burn up any creosote build-up that is inside the stove itself that would smell in the event of a back draft.

In extreme cases, changing the style of a cap to one w/ a built in damper may be necessary.

pen
 
Another reason might be if you have two flues adjacent to each other. I sometimes get the smell of smoke in the house if I also have the central heating system going. I figured out that a return for the central system was too close to an unused fireplace and sucking air and smoke from the other flue down the unused flue and into the house.
Just another possibility.
 
My guess is the same as stated already, you have reverse draft. You are smelling the creosote/ash that lines the chimney.

Out of curiosity, is this insert in your basement?

In any event, if you want to stop the problem, plug the chimney pipe with insulation.
 
We get it on warm days and on humid days in the middle of the burning season (this has happened more often this year) and usully in the shoulder seasons.

I have to say...I love the smell. It is never overpowering, and usually just near the stoves.
 
Negative pressure in the house? My mil has the same problem sometimes with the fire burning. The problem is her supply duct work for the furnace in in the vented crawl space. The return air is sealed and it runs though the attic to the garage furnace. She got a new variable speed furnace where the blower runs most of the day. When that blower is running a a lot of air leaks though the unsealed duct joints in the crawlspace. Since the return ducts are sealed it pulls negative pressure on the house. If a window is not cracked it will pull air right down the chimney even if a fire is burning. It really gets bad if somebody turns on the range hood.
 
Jags said:
Yep, reverse draft. About the only way to fix it when not burning is to heat it (like said above, with a candle), or plug it. A wad of insulation would work and they do make balloons for that purpose as well. I would highly suggest leaving a note in the firebox so that you don't forget about it the next time you light up. If you do forget - You WILL get a room full of smoke.
Click to expand...

Jags is correct. Nothing to worry about so long as you do something to stop it. Just remember. In fact, put something on the firebox door as a reminder to unplug that chimney before lighting a fire.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Jags said:
Yep, reverse draft. About the only way to fix it when not burning is to heat it (like said above, with a candle), or plug it. A wad of insulation would work and they do make balloons for that purpose as well. I would highly suggest leaving a note in the firebox so that you don't forget about it the next time you light up. If you do forget - You WILL get a room full of smoke.
Click to expand...

Jags is correct. Nothing to worry about so long as you do something to stop it. Just remember. In fact, put something on the firebox door as a reminder to unplug that chimney before lighting a fire.
Click to expand...

Okay, now I have to show my "new kid" stripes.
How does one plug the chimney with an insert? I used to have a top mount damper when I used the fireplace, but that came out when the insert went in. I have no idea how to seal up a chimney with this setup.
 
Not being familiar with your insert I can't help but hopefully someone else will chime in. This post will bump this threat to the top.
 
ya crawl up on the roof and jam some insulation into the chimney.

ya get a whole bunch of smoke pouring into the room if you forget to unplug it before starting the next fire.
 
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