2nd season, first fire paint smell

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fprintf

fprintf

Member
Mar 14, 2011
31
Central CT, USA
I just started up my FPX fireplace insert for a quick burn to take the chill out of the house (really!! CT in September!) and just to get a nice fire going. This insert had seen plenty of action in early 2011. I didn't do anything to it to get it ready for the summer except clean the glass one final time, close the doors, damper and air vent. It still even has some of the ashes from last April.

I am getting a pretty strong chemical or paint smell off of it. As far as I know, nothing has crawled inside the chimney and died or even crawled in there and eaten away at the blower wires. In fact the blower is going pretty strong right now. I did have some spider webs but those disappeared pretty quickly once the fire got going. I am burning bio bricks right now, and they don't ever smell at all anyway.

Thoughts on why I'd be getting a paint smell on just starting it up again?
 
As long as there is no smoke and/or a continued smell, you should be fine. It is most likely dust on the stove surfaces burning off. I think all wood burners experience it when you have your first fire of the season. If you have carpets etc. the dust includes synthetic materials which can lend a more chemically smell.
 
I had something similar happen last year, but upon further inspection found 4 Matchbox cars jammed between the heat shield and the back of the stove. Removed them and the smell was gone. :long:
 
It is common to have some smell on the first fire of the season and it is caused mostly by dust. It should go away rather quickly.
 
I ran the stove again the past two days and the smell dissipated by the second day. No smell last night or this morning. Thank you all for the reassurance.
 
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