Fire Bricks: Do they stink when new?

[Chill in Northern VT]

Hello all. Cleaned out my US Stove Steel stove about a month ago and replaced all the fire bricks. I burned this stove in northern VT last year and was happier with it than the previous $3000+ hearthstone that was here when I moved in. I burned it 5 days week for about 5 months. I burned it clean and as hot as comfortable for the low-ish ceiling rom it is in which is about 400-450 MAX. (Still heats the entire house at that temp). Chimney was cleaned (there was nothign there) beginning of last winter.

I just fired up the first burn for this season, and my lord it smells worse that when I first burned it. Is it the brick? Smoke out the chimney is completely clean and clear...can new fire brick smell this bad? It's really nasty and doesn't smell like new pipe or the original stove paint. It does smell like chemical however.....

 

[webby3650]

It’s not the bricks. If they did how would the smell make it into the room? It would be going up the flue. Probably just the dust burning off, same as a furnace that’s fired up for the first time for the season.

 

[weee123]

Like webby said, it’s the dust that was sitting on it. Mine does the same thing with the first fire of the season.

 

[Chill in Northern VT]

I keep the exterior of the stove clean and just vacuumed it out-(it's in my main living room) so there is no noticeable dust accumulated....I'll try again on another mild day but DANG that stunk. I hope it goes away and you are right.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Did you do any touch up painting?

 

[begreen]

It's not the firebrick or anything inside the firebox. Think external surfaces that get hot instead. Do you have any kids? Young ones have been known to drop little toys into the blower convection back that can get very stinky when hot.

 

[Chill in Northern VT]

Did you do any touch up painting?

No. That's the nice thing about steel!

 

[Chill in Northern VT]

It's not the firebrick or anything inside the firebox. Think external surfaces that get hot instead. Do you have any kids? Young ones have been known to drop little toys into the blower convection back that can get very stinky when hot.

I laughed when I read this-great idea. I checked, nothing there. :/

 

[Chill in Northern VT]

Wondering....Could it be the wool/fiberglass pad above my air tubes? It's got one solid season of use; however it's certainly not completely black, but does looked used.... I am about to fire it up again and will see what happens. Better to figure this out now then when the power goes out and it's -20. Not Fun......

 

[Chill in Northern VT]

I think I figured itout...it is the blower. It works, but it smells when I turn it on. So, I won't be turning it on for a tad until I can fugure out why it stinks......

 

[begreen]

Wondering....Could it be the wool/fiberglass pad above my air tubes? It's got one solid season of use; however it's certainly not completely black, but does looked used.... I am about to fire it up again and will see what happens. Better to figure this out now then when the power goes out and it's -20. Not Fun......

It's nothing in the firebox which is under a vacuum due to the draft. The blower is a likely culprit. It could be have seized bearings if it was poorly lubricated at the factory or defective windings if the smell is a plasticky electrical smell. Pull it and see if it spins freely or with some resistance.

I laughed when I read this-great idea. I checked, nothing there. :/

Years back the cause was that someone's son had been playing on the stove top with army men and lost one behind the the stove's rear shield. We puzzled on that one for quite a while.