Help!! My House Stinks

[cessnaflyer88]

Hey this is my first post. Been a long time browser but never posted. Anyway, I am having a terrible time. I have a home with a basement. The house has an open fireplace on the ground floor and a buck 27000 in the basement. I use the Buck stove a lot and I love it, but the problem is when it isn't being used. If I go 2 or 3 days without a fire in the Buck, my home will begin to smell like a stovepipe. It is very frustrating. Also, the fireplace upstairs smells terrible as well if it is not being used. I love burning wood and don't want to have to stop but I just don't know what to do. I have a chimney that has a true double flue (one for upstairs and one for downstairs). When the problem first started, we assumed the chimney wasn't tall enough, so we added about 2 feet to it. This did not solve the problem, so we ordered a top sealing damper for the fireplace side and even with it closed the upstairs still smells like a chimney. I essentially have to live downstairs (and keep a fire in the Buck stove) to escape the smell. As I said, if I go without a fire in the stove for more than a day or two, it starts smelling as well. I would appreciated any help any of ya'll could give as I have done just about all I know to do short of bricking the stupid openings up and swapping to all central heat. Thanks!!

 

[cessnaflyer88]

A little more info that might be helpful.....

I have no problem with draft/draw when there is a fire burning. The Buck Stove will sound like a jet engine it is sucking in so much air when it has a good fire in it. The only problems I have is when there is no fire...

Thanks again

Ben

 

[webby3650]

Does the insert in the basement have a full Stainless Steel liner?

 

[cessnaflyer88]

Does the insert in the basement have a full Stainless Steel liner?

No. Dumps straight into the flue liner (8x17).

 

[webby3650]

That's the first issue you need to resolve. It should have a full SS liner on it. Without one all that creosote is falling down behind the stove, the smoke shelf and smoke chamber are also covered in creosote. When it's not running, your furnace, clothes dryer, range hood, etc. are sucking air down your flues. They have to get air from somewhere and your chimneys are the easiest. It's a rough problem in many houses to resolve. Getting that basement fireplace throughly cleaned and lined will help with the smell. Does the basement flue have a cap? If not, rain falling down the flue will compound the smell!

 

[cessnaflyer88]

That's the first issue you need to resolve. It should have a full SS liner on it. Without one all that creosote is falling down behind the stove, the smoke shelf and smoke chamber are also covered in creosote. When it's not running, your furnace, clothes dryer, range hood, etc. are sucking air down your flues. They have to get air from somewhere and your chimneys are the easiest. It's a rough problem in many houses to resolve. Getting that basement fireplace throughly cleaned and lined will help with the smell. Does the basement flue have a cap? If not, rain falling down the flue will compound the smell!

Yes the basement flue has a chimney cap.

One of these single flue models:

http://www.gllchimneyproducts.com/gelco_chimney_caps.aspx

Where would I get the full stainless liner?

 

[claydogg84]

I'm with webby. I had a similar issue to yours. Every time my wife did laundry this past summer I would get a terrible odor. I finally figured out the dryer was drawing air from the chimney which was full of creosote. Cleaned it really good, installed a new liner and block off plate as well as a new stove and the smell is gone. My previous setup was just a pipe ran into existing mason chimney. I ordered my liner from chimneylinerdepot.com and had a positive experience althought their are many places that sell it.

 

[cessnaflyer88]

I'm with webby. I had a similar issue to yours. Every time my wife did laundry this past summer I would get a terrible odor. I finally figured out the dryer was drawing air from the chimney which was full of creosote. Cleaned it really good, installed a new liner and block off plate as well as a new stove and the smell is gone. My previous setup was just a pipe ran into existing mason chimney. I ordered my liner from chimneylinerdepot.com and had a positive experience althought their are many places that sell it.

Ok. I will have to check on this for sure. The thing that I believe differs in our situations is that even if the house just sits for a day or two, I get the smell. I travel a lot for work and I usually am only gone for at most 3 days at a time. I will return home to a stinky house even when the central unit has not run nor any other appliance (dryer, vent fan, etc).

 

[Typ0]

Do you have electric hot water? You sure nothing is running that pulls air?

 

[cessnaflyer88]

Yep. Electric water heater.
No gas appliances of any kind.

I wonder if the chimney isn't just getting cold (it is an exterior chimney) and the cold air inside of it sinking causing a backdraft down the chimney. Is that a plausible situation?

 

[begreen]

Also, do both chimney liners terminate at the same height? If so one can pull fumes from the other. They should be about 12" difference in height to prevent this back-siphoning.

 

[Hogwildz]

Reverse draft when not in use. The heavier colder air is drafting down the flue and bringing the stink with it.
I bet that oversized flue is caked.

 

[Woody Stover]

Your house can also create a stack effect; Warm air rises and escapes through the top of the house, pulling air down the flue.

 

[cessnaflyer88]

Also, do both chimney liners terminate at the same height? If so one can pull fumes from the other. They should be about 12" difference in height to prevent this back-siphoning.

Yes. Both flues are at the same height but the one on the open fireplace has a top sealing damper.

 

[cessnaflyer88]

Reverse draft when not in use. The heavier colder air is drafting down the flue and bringing the stink with it.
I bet that oversized flue is caked.

Everyone, thanks so much for the replies. So, is this reverse draft a common occurance? And how do I stop it (or at least make it not stink my house up). And please forgive my ignorance. I am new to the wood burning game.

 

[begreen]

I would err on the side of caution and have the chimney inspected. You have a large cold pipe doing the job that it is not sized correctly for the stove. From the sound of it, the flue should be cleaned and get an insulated stainless steel liner that matches the stove spec.

 

[cessnaflyer88]

I would err on the side of caution and have the chimney inspected. You have a large cold pipe doing the job that it is not sized correctly for the stove. From the sound of it, the flue should be cleaned and get an insulated stainless steel liner that matches the stove spec.

Yes. I have decided that I need to have a professional look at the chimney system. I believe I am going to call the local sweep/chimney repair service tomorrow and have them take a look.

 

[webby3650]

Yes. I have decided that I need to have a professional look at the chimney system. I believe I am going to call the local sweep/chimney repair service tomorrow and have them take a look.

Great idea!