Last night was the first time I've ever been nervous about a burn going on in the stove. I loaded the fireview with black birch (I'm into a decent sized bunch from the stack) and as I was checking the stove 15 to 20 minutes later I smelled something off...a burn smell I hadn't smelled before. I had the combustor bypass closed and the combustor was cherry red, stove was around 475 at that point. It wasn't a strong smell but worry took over for some reason. I was wondering...yikes is this what a small chimney fire smells like? I went to the basement and slowly opened the clean out door and could small "that smell" again...but could only hear a faint wind sound. I closed that and went outside to take a look, it was 6 degrees out and not overly breezy...there was some normal smoke coming from the chimney, nothing excessive but I smelled that smell again. No flames coming out of the chimney, no soot on the fresh snow on the roof. I don't know why I got worried all of a sudden and was thinking chimney fire....really it was the smell that I hadn't smelled before. Maybe that's the way Black birch smells as it burns? I always burn a little bit here and there but it always gets mixed in with other woods. Last night may have been the first time I've ever loaded the stove entirely with it, but not really sure. I wish I could describe the smell...it didn't smell like wood smoke...more like a chemical. Again the smell was faint inside and stronger outside when the breeze forced the smoke down to the yard. When my combustor is on I really don't get much smoke from the chimney so there wasn't much but enough. I think I was probably worrying over nothing but figured I'd post it here to see what people think? The roof right now is covered with the snow we just got so I really don't want to go up and take a look. I was up there early December and ran a brush up and down the chimney so it should still be pretty clean.
First time I ever got nervous during a burn
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If the stove and flue pipe get really hot, you can get some additional curing or smell of just really hot stove paint.
This is most common on new set-ups but can happen with established installations as well if you get it hot enough.
This is most common on new set-ups but can happen with established installations as well if you get it hot enough.
mol1jb
Feeling the Heat
Ya I wouldn't worry. 475 isn't super hot for a stove. My stovetop reads 650 all the time in the dead of winter and I don't give it a second thought.
USMC80
Minister of Fire
Is that the hottest you have gotten the stove so far? If so binko is correct. Just paint curing. You will experience it every time your stove gets to a greater temperature
My stove usually runs around 500...sometime 600 for short bursts. I ended up staying up reading for a bit and the stove got to about 525 and then settled in around 500 when I went to bed. I know, probably worrying over nothing...maybe just the way Black Birch smells when you do a full load of it?
The chemical smell from the exhaust comes from darn near perfect combustion. In my experience, some woods are more prone to that smell than others. You are smelling what is left of the combustion after the smoke is all burned up.
DanCorcoran
Minister of Fire
Yes, I've never smelled that smell inside, but outside my Shelburne always smells like burning garbage (that is, mildly unpleasant) when it is on a hot secondary burn (no smoke, just heat waves from chimney).
Me either, but I could see a bit infiltrating through a leaky window or some such thing. Maybe a person entering the home carrying grocery bags and left the door open a bit longer, etc.
Yes, soft maple doesn't smell great when burning. Fir smells much nicer. Burning locust now and it is a whole nuther smell, not entirely unpleasant.
KindredSpiritzz
Minister of Fire
I never had one so i dont know for sure, but isnt that supposed to get red hot to burn the gases and smoke?
Thanks everyone, I knew reading people's responses would put me at ease. That makes sense that a complete burn would produce a smell like that and "wood smoke" smell would indicate that the wood isn't combusting fully....and leaving behind that wood smell. Around a campfire you typically smell woody smoke smell and not the chemical smell I got a whiff of last night. Never really thought of this sort of thing before...thanks! I do feel better!!
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Not necessarily. Many times, especially when the cat is fairly new it will get red and get red quicker than an older cats. However, just because a cat is not glowing red does not mean it is not working. You can tell if it is working or not by watching the stove top temperature. It it is not going up, the cat is probably not firing off and you need to change something. If the stove top temperature is going up, you can be assured the cat is good even if it is not red.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
MJ, my bet is that it was a combination of the wood smell and the higher temperature of the stove. Get that thing fired up to 600-650 and you'll probably notice it again. We typically reach the 600+ temperature daily.
BigBubba-Burn
New Member
My Old Nappy starts to smell when it hits around 750-800. stovetop .. then it goes away . but yes does make u go Hmmmmmmmm Get the wet news paper ready ...LOL out in my shop I have seen the old timer hit 900 now that was scary .. I could hear the paint cans on the other end of the shop making expansion sounds . I closed the air and opened the windows
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