I am done with this, I am calling the stove shop

[Jfk4th]

OK, after burning my stove hotter (550-650F) for some time now it seems that I am still getting that stinking smell right now the temp is at 400F. It smells like it is coming from the single wall pipe and not on the stove. I really do not know what else to do. This stink has been here since day one and my wife remembers the smell from when I had my previous Avalon stove. I am going to tell these stove guys to bring new single wall pipe and replace it to the the class A chimney pipe. I am way tooooooo frustrated right now to take any more pipes apart, put furnace cement on, or whatever....

I love my woodstoves but it seems I have totally exhausted myself with this problem.
The only thing I can think of left is that maybe the blown in insulation above the ceiling gets warm and stinks? The company that installed my first stove and pipe did it in accordance with specs and it passed an inspection by the "permit guy" where I live.

I really just do not know what to do anymore :sick: , I do know that after struggling with this after 2 years I am giving up and letting the pros from a different store come and look and replace....Don't care what it costs, just want it done. Hell, I'll pay anything right now

This is one frustrated JFK! :shut:

 

[webbie]

Question:
Does there tend to be a lot of dust in the area where the stove is located?

The smell sounds like one that a lot of people get with gas fireplaces and inserts - what I call "burning dust". This seems to happen more often with stoves that are left off for a while and then fired.

Just a stab

 

[begreen]

If the goal of replacing is to definitely end the issue, maybe replace it with double-wall pipe instead?

 

[North of 60]

New pipe? your gonna go through it probably all over again. Punch up your stove to 700-800F. @ this time take a cruise into your attic just to double
check how things are doing @ all your penatrations. I got smells on both my new stoves and new piping arrangement until I pinned them.

 

[jtp10181]

In the attic you should have an insulation shield where the pipe comes through the insulation. It is just a metal shroud that keeps the insulation 2" away from the pipe. If that's missing, insulation can stink when it gets heated up. It kind of smells like burning metal, that's what customers always say anyway.

 

[Jfk4th]

Question:
Does there tend to be a lot of dust in the area where the stove is located?

The smell sounds like one that a lot of people get with gas fireplaces and inserts - what I call "burning dust". This seems to happen more often with stoves that are left off for a while and then fired.

Just a stab

I use this pretty much 24/7 from October to April, probably not this. From what I can remember this did not happen when I had the Avalon stove, it cured in about 2 weeks. The Summit I bought last March and still the smell, seems like the smell is strongest at the top of stove where it connects to the single wall pipe. I put furnace cement there last week and still no change. There is no sign of smoke, I just still get that curring stink....I have burned it hot and still no change. Ever heard of anything like that?

 

[Jfk4th]

In the attic you should have an insulation shield where the pipe comes through the insulation. It is just a metal shroud that keeps the insulation 2" away from the pipe. If that's missing, insulation can stink when it gets heated up. It kind of smells like burning metal, that's what customers always say anyway.

No attic, this goes right out to the roof, it does have a metal shroud, it was done according to specs. This pipe is 2 years old, very clean pipe, cleaned it last week, about 2 cups if that of powder.....
With the shroud would there be a stink anyway from blown in insulation?

 

[savageactor7]

So you still have this 'new stove/pipe' smell after 2 years? Yeah something is going on there and you're on the right course calling in an expert. that should have cleared up in a week to 10days burning hot like you have. btw I take it you you've let your startup lever open a little longer too and this will increase temp to the stack.

Nothing to do with the smell but a double wall insulated pipe is better...imo.

 

[webbie]

I really doubt it is coming from the attic - only because such smells tend to move upward.

I have had a lot of similar problems, but only with gas convection units. Again, the cause was usually dust. In fact, I think I was the first to name it the "burning dust" phenomenon. The fact hat you have a convection stove is one hint....this only happens with convection units.

There is a difference between the "curing" smell and the dust smell. It is hard to describe the burning dust small, but it has a "dry" odor. The paint smell is clearly chemical or solvent based.

"hotter" is always relative. If this were my installation, I would fire that sucker up to 800-900 or so on the hottest single wall part. Also, carefully inspect the stove under the convection shroud and underneath for dust.

 

[seaken]

Smells are really hard to diagnose. It make take several attempts to solve it.

You said this did not happen with the Avalon? Is this exactly the same location and chimney? You just removed the Avalon and replaced it with the current stove? If that is the case I have to suspect the stove. Maybe a steel panel is getting too hot. Maybe there are mini-explosions going on inside and this is forcing some exhaust out the air inlet? Wood too dry?

I would try putting the Avalon back and see if the smell goes away. If it does, you know it's something unique to the current stove.

Sean

 

[Backwoods Savage]

JFK, last summer we installed a new stove and chimney. We have one section of black pipe before it goes through the wall. For some odd reason that section of black pipe just kept stinking for a long time even though we'd had some hot fires. We were ready to give up and replace it but it finally disappeared so we did not have to replace it. However, talking to our local hardware man he says he has seen that before and was willing to replace it. He has no idea why but as he said, he had replaced some in the past. You might think of going that route as that would be an easy fix. Good luck.

 

[Henz]

let me tell you, it aint the stove. My Olympic that I put it smelled for the first three fires..since then nada..It went away real quick..I think the book says a week possibly, but I was suprised that it was way less. I bet it very well maybe that insulation

 

[swestall]

Having someone else in to look is a very good idea...Different nose, experience, opinion, etc.

 

[Jfk4th]

JFK, last summer we installed a new stove and chimney. We have one section of black pipe before it goes through the wall. For some odd reason that section of black pipe just kept stinking for a long time even though we'd had some hot fires. We were ready to give up and replace it but it finally disappeared so we did not have to replace it. However, talking to our local hardware man he says he has seen that before and was willing to replace it. He has no idea why but as he said, he had replaced some in the past. You might think of going that route as that would be an easy fix. Good luck.

Could be the pipe, single wall, it seems like that now but again I don't think the Avalon did this with the same pipe. I sold the Avalon last year so I can't see if it happens with another stove. Hopefully the PE fire guys will call me soon and set up an appointment to have them look at it.
So 50% it could be the pipe, 50% it could be the stove

Ahhhh, I am this close to screaming really really loud.....
Thanks for the help guys keep it coming

 

[Jfk4th]

I really doubt it is coming from the attic - only because such smells tend to move upward.

I have had a lot of similar problems, but only with gas convection units. Again, the cause was usually dust. In fact, I think I was the first to name it the "burning dust" phenomenon. The fact hat you have a convection stove is one hint....this only happens with convection units.

There is a difference between the "curing" smell and the dust smell. It is hard to describe the burning dust small, but it has a "dry" odor. The paint smell is clearly chemical or solvent based.

"hotter" is always relative. If this were my installation, I would fire that sucker up to 800-900 or so on the hottest single wall part. Also, carefully inspect the stove under the convection shroud and underneath for dust.

Thanks Craig,
When the stove guys come I am going to let them look inside and all around the stove plus the pipe(single wall). After they are done, I am going to fire the stove up and hopefully the smell will come.

If they can't figure it out, the stove is gone......I am going to buy an Avalon Olympic and have somebody put it in...... I give up.... :-/

 

[Hogwildz]

Just a reach, but were the stove pipe sections sealed with RTV silicone instead of furnace cement?

 

[Jfk4th]

Just a reach, but were the stove pipe sections sealed with RTV silicone instead of furnace cement?

Nope,
I just used furnace cement on it last week, groan to get the pipes out after doing that. The smell has been around for about a year. Just an update, The pacific energy crew is going to install double wall black pipe first (peace of mind) and then after some burns if the smell comes back I will call them and tell them that it is the stove. They are going to check out the entire stove too while they are here, hopefully by next week

So right now, my stove is not connected to any pipe and is not going to be used until they come next week. I might take it outside with the 48 inches of new pipe and burn her hot just for fun and keep it at 700-750F for a while. last night, I bought some single wall pipe from the hardware store for 16 dollars total and I was going to see if that was the problem(the pipe) but my wife gave me the green light on getting double wall put installed. I know the clearances don't change that much with double wall for the Summit but I still think it is money well spent.

 

[Todd]

Could be the paint job on either the pipe or part of the stove. If you prime or paint in the wrong conditions like high humidity or low temp the paint never really sets up right or doesn't stick to the primer.

 

[Jfk4th]

lets hope it was bad paint on the pipe, if I smell that stink with the new double wall after a couple of days, I will have a Summit for sale the next day.......Oh that would be painful :bug:

 

[Jfk4th]

UPDATE

OK after 3 painful weeks of no stove, the double wall black pipe was installed today! I have a Rutland thermo on the stove right now and it is at 600F, has been for about an hour. I am getting curring from the pipe, no biggie but I do hope it is gone soon. I am still worried that it may be the stove but I will call the stove shop if it still smells after a couple of days of hot burning.
I just spent another 350.00 for this pipe and install, that took them about 30 minutes. Gotta love those adjustable pipes....... I know this was a rip for the price but like I have said before I am done tinkering with this smell, if it is not the pipe, the stove goes.

Question for Craig and I will send another post, how to get rid of that dust smell if that is the case
Thanks and I will keep you guys posted.

 

[Jfk4th]

Question:
Does there tend to be a lot of dust in the area where the stove is located?

The smell sounds like one that a lot of people get with gas fireplaces and inserts - what I call "burning dust". This seems to happen more often with stoves that are left off for a while and then fired.

Just a stab

What can I do for the burning dust smell if that is the case Craig? I use this pretty much 24/7 from Oct to April so do you think this is the problem?

 

[Jags]

If you burn 24/7 it is probably not dust causing the smell. There should not be enough dust floating around (unless you live in a haze) that would settle on a hot stove and create smells constantly. If there is, you need a big azz filter for your house, if nothing else but for health reasons.

 

[Jfk4th]

Update #2!

My stove has been burning for 4 hours and the smell is still strong. I fear this is the end of the Summit. To add to this the Metalbestos 6" Stove Pipe Thick Collar Adapter already chipped some paint off when I was burning it. The stove shop is going to give me a can of spray paint but unless it turns out a perfect match they are going to replace the collar adapter. I am going to show the guy tomorrow the smell and see what he says, I am sure they will say it is not the stove, but there is not much else it could be. I am pretty sure the smell was not there with my Avalon 1 year ago. Hell we had our baby in our Florida room during the nasty storm in October of '06 with the Avalon burning 24/7. I think if we had this smell then we would not kept our little guy in there all of that time. I fear again I have been given a "bad" Summit. If the company does not do anything for me like a trade in, another stove at a really good price, or something that makes it worthwhile I am done with Pacific. I will actually first call the company itself and see what I get for satisfaction if the stove shop does not help.

The next step is buying another stove which would be the Avalon Olympic.
I'll update again when I get some input from the stove shop guy tomorrows


As always I appreciate any help from hearth guys

 

[elmoleaf]

I didn't read the entire thread, but could the smell be your wood?
I've occasionally had some wood that's a real stinker...I'm not sure it was a particular species or a piece with lots of fungus. But, it smelled terrible.
Another possibility, maybe it's not the stove? Perhaps a dead animal in the attic or something?

Good luck....odors can be tough to track down.

 

[swestall]

I bet that smell wouldn't bother me if it was heating my shop. It is crazy, that is one nice stove and it heats like a champ.
What do the dealer guys say when they actually smell the smell?