Since I've been burning wood over the last 4+ years I've sometimes noticed a smell coming from my chimney that I can't explain. It's happened with both woodstoves I've burned in, inexpensive Century EPA stove from Lowes and now my Pacific Energy Super 27. I only notice it when the secondary's are cranking and the stove is at peak temps usually in the 550 - 650 range. It almost smells like someone is burning trash, very hot with a metallic smell to it. I have my chimney cleaned every year with usually very minimal creosote and burn only seasoned oak, maple, birch, ash and even am lucky enough to have scored some seasoned black locust this year. The wood is seasoned out in the open with plenty of sun and is covered year round. I've long suspected that the foul smell has something to do with my tall chimney. The house is a 2 story, plus basement, colonial with the stove in the basement. I'm not sure exactly how tall the chimney is but it's probably close to 40'. It's a clay lined masonry chimney and the flue size is 11"x7". The stove is connected directly to the chimney with 6" single wall stove pipe with a stainless steel connector going into the chimney. Someone told me that my description of the smell sounded like creosote burning but I check the chimney once a week and there is only a very thin layer of soot on the sides of the flue. At the end of the season there usually is a thin layer of creosote in the top section of the stove pipe that is more sticky or gooey but not a lot.
Can anybody offer any possible explanations as to why my chimney produces this foul smell or ways that I can prevent it from happening?
Can anybody offer any possible explanations as to why my chimney produces this foul smell or ways that I can prevent it from happening?
