Just noticed burn marks on my wrap around deck…

[Mike89]

This evening I noticed 4 separate burn marks on the deck boards of our wrap around covered deck which is 2 stories under where are our wood stove flue comes out of the roof! 2 burn marks made a good inch wide and quarter inch deep burn in the deck board. Both of which were <6 inches from our wood pile. I’m freaked out as this is also right next to where my two kids sleep .. we are in a remote norther ontario pine log cabin.

We are using a 5 year old quadra fire wood stove, burning ash and soft maple that was cut well over a year ago. The flue was cleaned 18 months ago.

What do I do, who do I call, and what could I have done wrong to allow for multiple embers to rise up 30 feet and fall back down and blown under the wrap around deck?

Thanks for your responses..

 

[stoveliker]

Pics? Another possible cause? (Kids playing with fire?)

Embers should not be getting out of your chimney. With a properly installed stove that would only happen with a chimney fire, I think....

So, inspect your chimney (from the top, if possible).

 

[bholler]

Even with a chimney fire the chances of an active ember falling that far are very low

 

[stoveliker]

Also given that it was a covered porch..

 

[Rob_Red]

I know when I was a kid I singed a few things😂

 

[Mike89]

Pics? Another possible cause? (Kids playing with fire?)

Embers should not be getting out of your chimney. With a properly installed stove that would only happen with a chimney fire, I think....

So, inspect your chimney (from the top, if possible).

Hey.. Here are 2 pics. Kids are 1 & 3 and the three year old isn’t one of those type of kids (though I may have been capable of something like this at that age 😬).

 

[Prof]

I think I'd start thinking about what it could be that isn't your stove???

 

[moresnow]

What is your ash removal routine?

 

[hilly]

When you clean out your ash where do you put the container?

 

[Diabel]

What is your ash removal routine?

Yes, i would like to know same.

 

[Mike89]

Yes, i would like to know same.

I’ve cleaned it twice this year and both times the embers were complete dead and i immediately disposed in a small field away from the house. I was thinking the same that this could be a possibility, but I am very careful with the ashes… though I can’t 100% discard this possibility.

I notice a few times this year a weird smell outside when the fireplace is on.. similar smell to a bag of concrete. Note sure if that’s an indicator of something wrong on the flue?

 

[stoveliker]

Yes. I'd still have the flue checked out.

Someone smoking? BBQ?

 

[Diabel]

From the first pic i see a bit of discoloration at the cap (could be just the pic). Maybe you did have a chimney fire but those are big burns. Must be something else.

 

[kennyp2339]

You have snow on your roof, check your roof for other black spots in the snow

 

[bholler]

I don't see how those burn marks could be from the chimney. I mean anything is possible but I find that doubtful.

 

[Diabel]

I don't see how those burn marks could be from the chimney. I mean anything is possible but I find that doubtful.

Same here.

 

[barnaclebob]

Those burns would have been caused by something smouldering for a decent amount of time, not just some flakes of paper or wood fire sparks. Theres no way an ember is getting picked up and out the stove, then falling and being blown under the porch like that. Even with my air control all the way open and raging flames, I dont think there is enough updraft to lift an ember.

Does anyone smoke on the porch? Any other sources of combustion on the porch?

 

[Dieselhead]

Have you always lived there? Any chance it’s from a previous resident and you’re just noticing it now?

 

[David.Ervin]

You have snow on your roof, check your roof for other black spots in the snow

Double this - when I had a fire in my chimney cap, I ended up with a bunch of black flecks through my yard on the new snow. There were definitely burning embers coming out that could have done this on a wood deck, it wouldn't take a full on flaming chunk of paper going up and out of the chimney.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I recommend cleaning your chimney every year. Before it decides to clean itself.

 

[rwhite]

I have made similar marks on my deck before. I'm a smoker and have set a cigarette down only to have it roll off and into the crack of the deck. Based on the location in the crack I'd bet a butt rolled in there.