Question about coal stove

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chrisasst

chrisasst

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Aug 13, 2008
1,289
cortland ny
Sorry. Not sure what forum to ask this in.
My father in law bought a coal stove. I know nothing about them. I was there today and saw the venting. Whoever he had put the vent in put in a damper or air control section on the venting. Should this be there? It smells a lot when it is burning.
 
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I had a coal stove many years ago and yes , they need a damper in the flue. Is the stove brand new? It could just be the paint you smell inside the burn box burning off. They usually tell you to run a hot test burn with the windows open to burn off all those fumes when you first get the stove.
 
A good forum for you to join for coal stoves would be nepacrossroads.com
 
Definitely go to that forum AND make sure he has carbon monoxide detectors WORKING in his house! We need them for pellet stoves too. Probably it is fresh paint burning off, like others said, or he's over firing the stove.

He should also have a barometric pressure gauge installed so that he can adjust that damper correctly.
 
I know it is not a new stove. About all I know of it.
 
He needs to learn how to properly use the stove if he wants to enjoy it. No telling what kind it is as far as functional type. There are many but he should definitely go to nepacrossroads and post his make and model of stove and ask for advice on how to properly fire it.
 
I will try and get some pics the next time I am there to post.
And he is the type of person who knows everything, so he would not look at a forum for help.
 
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If that's the case, then there's no sense wasting our time. Let him melt the stove and buy him a few fire extinguishers for a belated Christmas present.
 
Describe the smell. Is the stovepipe / connectors new?
 
Joful said:
Describe the smell. Is the stovepipe / connectors new?
Click to expand...


Yes the pipes appear to be new. But I know he has had it running for a few days now.
 
tjnamtiw said:
If that's the case, then there's no sense wasting our time. Let him melt the stove and buy him a few fire extinguishers for a belated Christmas present.
Click to expand...

I know. I am just trying to ask some questions because my kids go to their house every morning to get on the bus. Wanting to make sure this damper/air control thing is not letting carbon monoxide out.
 
Is it a key damper or a barometric damper?
 
Not sure the difference.
It has a handle type thing on it.
Looks like one that I had on my fuel oil furnace vent. (Which I no longer have)
Kinda looks like this but has a handle..

(broken image removed)
 
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chrisasst said:
I know. I am just trying to ask some questions because my kids go to their house every morning to get on the bus. Wanting to make sure this damper/air control thing is not letting carbon monoxide out.
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By all means make sure there are several working CO detectors in the house. If the detectors are the wired typed, make sure there is battery backup or at least one battery powered detector in case of a power failure. My coal stove from many years ago did not have a stove pipe damper. All air flow control was done by 2 knobs that rotated on the bottom front of the stove. I never, ever had any type of smell coming out of the stove when burning coal. Sounds like it may be paint curing or an over firing situation. The exterior stove metal should never be glowing red.
 
Tenn Dave said:
By all means make sure there are several working CO detectors in the house. If the detectors are the wired typed, make sure there is battery backup or at least one battery powered detector in case of a power failure. My coal stove from many years ago did not have a stove pipe damper. All air flow control was done by 2 knobs that rotated on the bottom front of the stove. I never, ever had any type of smell coming out of the stove when burning coal. Sounds like it may be paint curing or an over firing situation. The exterior stove metal should never be glowing red.
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All good advice. Anthracite has no smell - period. I wonder if he's burning bituminous..........?? Never, ever should you see red on stove or pipe. The pictured barometric damper is what he should have. It sounds like they just put a manual damper in line, which without a gauge is totally useless and, in the hands of the inexperienced, dangerous > back to the red glow of cast iron!
 
chrisasst said:
I know. I am just trying to ask some questions because my kids go to their house every morning to get on the bus. Wanting to make sure this damper/air control thing is not letting carbon monoxide out.
Click to expand...
CO detectors will protect them. If he closes the damper too far and looses draft, it COULD be a problem.

(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/DWYER-MODEL-25-MARK-II-MANOMETER-/191162953012?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c82332d34)

This is what he needs to measure the draft along with the barometric damper.
 
Joful said:
...if always kept with good batteries and replaced every 7 - 10 years.
Click to expand...

3-7 years actually . . . dependent on manufacturer. Smoke detectors need to be replaced every 10 years.
 
Need to know what kind of stove handfed or stoker. Brand would help too! Coal can have a sulpher smell when burning low or loading. Barometric damper and draft gauge to check draft is essential.
 
I wish the OP would give us an update, suspense is killing me.
 
Sounds like OP'rs father in law wasnt very serious about the situation. Hopefully he takes care of it elsewhere before they all get co2 poisoning.
 
. . . or CO poisoning. ;)
 
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