Burnt wood smell

[fr8dog]

Hi folks,

Purchased our home with a Cherokee insert in the basement fireplace. It is a single flue with a clay liner. Had it inspected and cleaned and we fired it up. Had a hard time getting a good draft going at first (lots of cold air coming down) but once it got going it was fine. The next day or so we started to notice a burnt wood smell around the house. Went to the basement and the air was thick with this odor. I could feel the cold air draft coming out from under the stove and the odor was strong. Thought a good cleaning of the stove would cure it, but three days later it still smells. I've nailed down the smell thru out the house coming from the heat registers when the furnace kicks on. I believe that the odor is getting up inside the basement drop ceiling and into the air return system. Has any one here had this problem or has any idea on how to prevent this from occurring again short of not using the stove again.

TIA, fr8dog

 

[Roospike]

So does the chimney have any liner ? ( steel liner with in the flue )
block off plate ?
cap ?

 

[Roospike]

BTW : Welcome to the hearth forum fr8dog.

Some reading material:

http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/trichim.htm

http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/evilchim.htm

http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/chimneys.htm

 

[Rhone]

I was thinking same thing as Roo. It sounds like you have what's called the "Evil Chimney", that is a chimney that runs on the outside of your house, made worse if it goes all the way to your basement. Caused by the the stack effect.

I would pay particular attention to the Evil Chimney link Roo posted.

 

[elkimmeg]

If you are picking up the smell in you air ducts It might be the time to start sealing them up for leakage one should not be drawing in basement air.

Then there is the issue of adequate combustion air

Negative pressure issues

the stove setup and draft liner block off plate probably a cross-sectional code issue

T bet the furnace is near the stove each vying for combustion air in the same close proximity.

Could be ash cleanout doors leaks.

Could be a common outside chimney cap bringing the stove flue gasses back down the burner flue.

Could be a combination of all of the above

fly ash blockage if the inlet air

cerosote build up in the flue? Draft path blockage


Could be a combination of all of the above