Just an update on the situation. This morning, nice temps. here, no humidity. I go out for a nice lunch, go home and BINGO. The room stinks like fireplace. It is hotter and more humid here and the ATTIC EXHAUST FAN IS ON. I should note, it is a small round exhaust fan. So, since the fan is hardwired, I disconnect it and will see what happens tomorrow. What is extremely confusing to me is that there is a damper on the flue at the roof and a pillow inside, yet the the room stinks. So, let's see what happens? Also, any other advice is appreciated!
Fireplace odor in the house, please for my sanity help me!
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The firebox is going to smell whether the chimney is blocked or not.
If the sooty smell isn't driven up the chimney it is going to spill out into the room.
Even with glass doors.
If you've got water coming in or sweat coming down the chimney the smell will be much worse.
Sweat or rain water probably oozes by a pillow.
Does your chimney have a smooth clay liner where you are putting the pillow ?
If it is brick and mortar joints you do not have a very good seal with the pillow.
any negative pressure and the make-up air will be going right by the pillow.
Any way to place a lit candle (or incense) in front of the firplace and watch the flame and rising smoke/heat for air movement as fans turn on and off in the house ?
AC, kitchen, bath exhaust, doors opening and closing, etc.
If the sooty smell isn't driven up the chimney it is going to spill out into the room.
Even with glass doors.
If you've got water coming in or sweat coming down the chimney the smell will be much worse.
Sweat or rain water probably oozes by a pillow.
Does your chimney have a smooth clay liner where you are putting the pillow ?
If it is brick and mortar joints you do not have a very good seal with the pillow.
any negative pressure and the make-up air will be going right by the pillow.
Any way to place a lit candle (or incense) in front of the firplace and watch the flame and rising smoke/heat for air movement as fans turn on and off in the house ?
AC, kitchen, bath exhaust, doors opening and closing, etc.
Update to an update. So, since the attic fan is hardwired, I disconnected it. The next day, NO smell. Ok, I'm feeling pretty good. That day, my fireplace deodorant get delivered. Put the jar in there and still no smell. So, it appears(knock on wood here) that at least for now I have addressed the problem. NOW, do I need to do anything about all the heat in the attic? Once again, thanks. Oh yeah, Billb3, the pillow is going in where there are brick and mortar joints. Thanks!
burntime
New Member
burntime
New Member
I went thru the same thing... That fan is something like 100 plus cubic feet, when you really sit back and think about it thats a lot of air to make up. Its gonna do it the easiest way possible. I would add some soffit vents and hook it back up again.
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
An attic has to have more air intake than it has exhaust so that a negative pressure situation cannot happen. You need to put in soffit vents to let in more air.
The same with the living space. There needs to be adequate make-up air to satisfy the draw. There also needs to be a better seal between the living space and attic. Weatherstrip the hatch and seal around plumbing stacks and holes drilled for wiring. The air that is drwan out of the living space now will be heat loss later.
The same with the living space. There needs to be adequate make-up air to satisfy the draw. There also needs to be a better seal between the living space and attic. Weatherstrip the hatch and seal around plumbing stacks and holes drilled for wiring. The air that is drwan out of the living space now will be heat loss later.
Defiantly a negative air pressure problem. Here is an article for reference, product and contact info. Cheers!
http://www.masterhandyman.com/askglenndetails.cfm?ID=1990
http://www.masterhandyman.com/askglenndetails.cfm?ID=1990
ansehnlich1
Retired Hearth.com Member
iceman
Minister of Fire
I've just got another trick from my stove dealer. He got the same model as I do and sometime has the same odor problem. He said his wife open the top damper, then put a candle inside the stove and close the door. Heat from the candle is enough to create an up draft. I've just tried it today with the tea light candle and it seems to work. I lit one around 4:00 PM today and at 8:30PM it still going. If it works in long term, this is going to be a very cheap solution. Give it a shot!!
Thank you John for a good trick!!
Cheers......Som
Thank you John for a good trick!!
Cheers......Som
madison
Minister of Fire
Late entry in the thread, previous home, same problem:
1. Have not seen any info on when the chimney was last cleaned, may help to reduce the amount of creasote smell. Also after cleaning, burn drier wood.
2. Used to have the same issues with a previous home, with a three story masonry chimney and a basement fireplace: Damper Cap did not help too much, high quality sealing glass doors helped a little bit, changed to a gas insert (wrong forum for that advice).... No more smell.
I believe the issue could be compared to a "temperature inversion", (as long as there are no contributing exhaust fans, leaky attic access doors etc), and the cool, mainly stagnant, air in the chimney sinks .... and stinks up the room. Burning a large number of candles in our fireplace in the summer did help reduce the amount of sinking stinking air.
The B-vent gas insert did seal the existing chimney from the room and no more smell...
1. Have not seen any info on when the chimney was last cleaned, may help to reduce the amount of creasote smell. Also after cleaning, burn drier wood.
2. Used to have the same issues with a previous home, with a three story masonry chimney and a basement fireplace: Damper Cap did not help too much, high quality sealing glass doors helped a little bit, changed to a gas insert (wrong forum for that advice).... No more smell.
I believe the issue could be compared to a "temperature inversion", (as long as there are no contributing exhaust fans, leaky attic access doors etc), and the cool, mainly stagnant, air in the chimney sinks .... and stinks up the room. Burning a large number of candles in our fireplace in the summer did help reduce the amount of sinking stinking air.
The B-vent gas insert did seal the existing chimney from the room and no more smell...
Update to an update. You get the the idea. Today, while at work, my wife informs me of heavy smell in the room again? The weather was cloudy, a little windy and occasional rain. Now remember, no more attic fan. She thinks, she may have been running the dryer when this occurred. The drier is on the first floor offset with this room on the second floor. The dryer is NOT underneath the fireplace, but off set. Once again, I ask THOUGHTS? THANKS!
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