What is that Smell?

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Money pit

New Member
Feb 28, 2008
24
Connecticut
I just put a deposit on a PE summit insert and can't wait to use it!! However, since I have some updates to do before I can install the stove, I will not have it operational until next heating season. I have heard that when you fire a new stove for the first time it can really smell. We have some people in the house that are rather sensitive to that type of thing. First how smelly is it and any way around it?
 
Pretty stinky, can make your eyes burn and will make the room hazy. Only way around it is to pay the dealer to pre-burn it in their parking lot, or have it delivered ahead of time and pre-burn it in your front yard. You will need about 8ft of SS rigid chimney to put on it for the burn off. I tried to burn a stove in our parking lot with only 4ft of chimney and after I added another 4ft it was going much better.
 
if you can get one with the enamel finnish, it wont stink
 
Open the windows and blow out the stink with a box fan. It's not pleasant, but not really that bad
either. A couple of days of break-in burns, and I was done with the smell. Also, don't be surprised
if your smoke alarm goes off; mine did.
 
First couple of times actually. Just don't want you surprised by that fact. It is the smell of all that new stuff "curing," mainly the paint. Depending on how confined the space where the stove is located is, it can get kind of strong. Don't be surprised to actually see a little smoke waffling off of the stove as the paint cures. Easiest way to combat problem is fire the stove a time or two outdoors before installation. If that is not feasible, at least try to fire it up indoors on a day when the temps aren't too bad (not too warm-over 55-or draft may be a problem) so you can open up a door and/or window or two to let it air out. The initial burn is the strongest, but the "new" smell will probably linger for several more burns, particularly at start-up when it comes up to temperature. I cracked a door and window for a bit on the first burn, then just used a strong scented candle to cover the odor the next couple of burns.
 
I put the burn to mine out on the deck,
It was kinda fun having the woodstove out there for the night.
It was all early fall and the beer made it near perfect.
Like the poster stated before me, make sure to add some stack.
 
Do you really need SS stack for a preburn? I wouldn't see where some cheap stovepipe couldn't do the job just once. It would be outside right? I think cheapo stove pipe would be just fine, might not draft quite as well but you could buy 8ft of it for what 3ft of triple wall runs you!

Jason
 
Yeah I supposed you could just use single wall black pipe as well. I just used SS because it was laying around at the shop.
 
My stove was not new, it was used so i didn't have the smell from the stove but boy did I ever get the stink out from the 8 inch black single wall pipes for about a week. I think I had to have open windows & fans for the first 5 loads I burned , but only just after some of the burn up to temps. it stunk the worst if I let the stack temps go over 700 deg. you could see the smoke peeling off the stack pipes from smoking so called high temp paint.

I dont know if its better to burn it all off on the first burn up to temp by letting the stack stay hot until it stops smoking or by shutting down primary air as soon as it starts to stink.

If I had it to do over,I would probably open all the windows ,set ventalation fans & bring that stack up to 800 deg for 20 minutes & be done with the stink,once & for all.

But ,if there is any doubt or chance that your chimney could not take 800 deg for 20 minutes, then do it the slow way instead, by shutting down the primary air as soon as the paint starts to stink. better safe than sorry, but you will have to endure the stench for the first 6 fires.

If I remember aright, the pipe started stinking at 650- 700 deg.
 
Thank you all for the advice. I will be putting a date on the calendar for my new stove party. I think I will do it in my front yard and see what reaction I get from my neighbors. I will make sure I have enough refreshment for them. It'll be fun!!
 
I'd burn the stove outside with the stove pipe you are going to use as well.
Anything new, the stove, the pipe, the heat shileds, will stink until its cured
 
We installed a new stove last summer. On the first cool day we had, we lit a fire.....but only kindling. No splits or logs. That was enough heat to keep the house warm too. We did this 3 times over 2 days. Never did we see smoke off the stove and only once could we smell anything. We did crack a couple windows though. The only smell we got was when we started burning a hotter fire and the black stove pipe did smell. However, it wasn't all that bad and cracking a window helped. That is another reason to install a new stove before the heating season starts.
 
Hanko said:
if you can get one with the enamel finnish, it wont stink

Even the enamel finished ones smell a little as the bottom and come odd places are not covered with it on brake in the first year. The second year enamel finish stove will not smell at all. With a painted stove you usually will have to touch up the paint some each year and that smells each and every year at the start of heating season. The painted stoves will need to be completely re painted some time that really fumes things up. Just get a enamel finish stove to avoid all this.
 
Money pit, don't ignore your manual when it comes to the burn in. Most state to start with a small fire, let it cool, and then bigger fire, etc. I would just hate to see you crank 'er up and watch the paint fall off in 2 months. Not sure if thats even possible, but just wanted to point out that there is usually a "proceedure" to be followed.

Happy burning - and "beer for everyone"!!
 
I've had some single wall pipe (and other steel products) covered with a thin coating of a thin vegatable oily substance, presumably to stop it from rusting between the day they make it and I get it home. It does smell kinda funky (not like french fries :) ) for a day or two.
 
Thank you all for the advice. I will make sure to follow the burn in process; who knows might be an opportunity for serveral burn in parties in the front yard. It'll be fun!!
 
mine didn't stink or it did but wasn't bad just smelled like the stove was hot
3 women in my house and not one complained so couldn't been that bad
 
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