Old Victorian him with smoke smell upstairs

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

indy358

New Member
Dec 2, 2020
2
Pulaski, TN
We live in a 1880 Victorian home with unlined chimneys. Last year I installed a wood burning insert with a stainless liner in one of the old chimneys and a wood burning stove with a new chimney. There are no issues with the stove and new chimney but the insert and liner are causing an issue. After the first fire of the season last year the upstairs smelled like creosote for several days. The smell wasn't as prevalent as the winter went on and there was no smell through the summer but its back with a vengeance after the first fire this season. I'm reasonably sure the heat from the liner is pulling the smell out of the old bricks in the chimney but I'm not 100% positive.
Is there anything I can do about it and should I be worried?
 
We live in a 1880 Victorian home with unlined chimneys. Last year I installed a wood burning insert with a stainless liner in one of the old chimneys and a wood burning stove with a new chimney. There are no issues with the stove and new chimney but the insert and liner are causing an issue. After the first fire of the season last year the upstairs smelled like creosote for several days. The smell wasn't as prevalent as the winter went on and there was no smell through the summer but its back with a vengeance after the first fire this season. I'm reasonably sure the heat from the liner is pulling the smell out of the old bricks in the chimney but I'm not 100% positive.
Is there anything I can do about it and should I be worried?
Was the flue cleaned properly before installing the liner and is the liner insulated?

Is there a fireplace in the room upstairs where you are having the smell?
 
Was the flue cleaned properly before installing the liner and is the liner insulated?

Is there a fireplace in the room upstairs where you are having the smell?
I wasn't on the roof when they installed the liner but I don't recall them saying anything about cleaning it. The liner is insulated though.
I do know that the top 6' or so of the chimney had recently been rebuilt and the mason that did it said the old bricks looked good. Also when I threw all the old bricks away they were just sooty, not glazed.
There is a fireplace upstairs on the same chimney. I have thought about sealing it up but would like to put a set of gas logs in it eventually so I haven't done it yet.