Clean Flue Smelly Fire

[cgiebel]

Hello There,

New to this forum so I appreciate any help you all can provide! We bought this house last December 2021, it's a 2 story with a finished basement with the fireplace on the mainfloor. The firebox was separating from the bricks and the chimney bricks were cracking. I had a chimney company out who told me I could buy Rutlan Furnace cement to fix the cracks and fireproof insulation to seal things up. The bricks on the outside of the fireplace were all black so it was easy to tell this fireplace hasn't been drafting for the previous owners. The company I had out stated I could install a smoke guard to help, they said the firebox/place was to big for the flue.

So, I fixed all the cracks and made it nice (didn't install smoke guard). I made a fire thought it looked like it was drafting correctly. Every once in a while I would see smoke coming out the top of the glass doors but it wasn't very often. 4 hours in and my wife said the house really smelled like smoke. 6 hours in and I was really sick from apparently breathing in smoke, although the house didn't have any smoke in it. The house smelled VERY BAD, like the whole house. I had to tear the carpet out of the room the fireplace is in, I scrubbed the firebox with vinegar and water and bleach and everything else, you can still smell the ashy smell though. What would be causing this smell? I read that Creasote has a smell but the flue isn't dirty.

What do you guys think of this flue? That isn't dirty right? Also, I've attached some before and after pictures of the cracking in the firebox. Do you think the rusting on the firebox is the issue or an issue? I'm not sure where to start with this thing.

 

[begreen]

There may be leaks developing at the top of the fireplace. That's typically where they start failing, especially if the chimney crown is leaking. It looks like something has been running down the flue. Did the chimney company note anything there?

Can you show a picture or two of what it looks like in the damper area?

 

[cgiebel]

There may be leaks developing at the top of the fireplace. That's typically where they start failing, especially if the chimney crown is leaking. It looks like something has been running down the flue. Did the chimney company note anything there?

Can you show a picture or two of what it looks like in the damper area?

Hello, thank you for your response!

The company didn't mention leaks but did say that it looked like someone fixed the chimney at one point. In the spring I patched up all the cracks in the brick of the chimney outside on the roof, there were quite a few. Maybe that is how water got in? I'm hoping if it leaked at some point that problem is now fixed.

I'd be more interested to know why my whole house smelled after the fire. Like I said, the house wasn't real smoky, the smoke detector or carbon monoxide detectors never went off but I did get nauseous after sitting in the room with the fire for about 4 hours. Do you think a smoke guard would fix it? I called another guy to come out and look at it but he didn't seem interested, he told me things it could be over the phone when I really wanted a professional to just look at it. I also don't want to be sold a bill of goods, like I HAVE to get a wood burning insert, only to have that stink up my house as well.

All I know is the wife wants fires, and I'd like them as well. Any suggestions? Would a new firebox fix anything?

P.S - the last few pictures are looking at the front inside of the fireplace. I had to put a bunch of fireproof insulation in there because there were gaps, could smoke/fumes be getting out that way?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[begreen]

There definitely are signs of rusting in the last 3 pictures. Poke at the rustiest areas with a screwdriver. If it punches through the metal, that can be the issue. A properly install insert with an insulated liner should eliminate the issue if this is the case.