Should there be any smell at all?

[chewbacca]

Hello!, Picked up a used Harman p61 and just installed in my basement. The vent goes up the wall in the inside then 90 out to the exterior. I used silicone on the connections and joints. I have never owned a stove before, and was not sure what to expect as far as what odor that stove would produce. After 24 hours of burning wood pellets, there is differently a new smell to the house. I would not say that is bad, not real strong, but like wood burning. Are pellet stoves typically odorless, or could the smell be smoke from my vent? My C02 has not gone off, and I am not noticing visiable smoke, but that does not mean that could still be a leak somewhere. I guess I am not sure what is acceptable as far what to expect from a pellet stove and smells. Anyone could give there experince that would be helpful, before I start resealing and checking my vent connections!.

thanks,
Eric

 

[chris288]

Shouldn't be any noticeable smell except for maybe the odor from the pellets, opening and closing the door, plus the stove itself since it was used.

 

[pelletqueen77]

Hi- I have had my stove for about a month or so now and when it is running I do notice a slight smell of like a fireplace burning. I actually like the smell and when the stove tech came to my house for some adjusting he was walking up the walkway and said " I smell pellets burning, I have the right house", so I am guessing it is ok to smell pellets inside and outside.

I had a stove years ago too and never smelled anything but that house was really big and open maybe that is why.

 

[imacman]

As others have said above, an occasional whif of wood burning won't be a problem....it could be coming from outside even. If you want to check out the inside pipe joints, shut the stove down after dark until it has completely stopped burning & shut off.

Then, start the stove back up with a flashlight handy, and as soon as you see the first signs of smoke in the burnpot, shut off the basement lights and shine the light close around all the pipe joints and around the stove....you'll see the smoke if it's leaking.

Easiest fix for leaking joints is to wrap with 2" aluminum furnace tape.

 

[Vinelife]

When my sante fe starts up you can smell the pellets for about 5 minutes but then goes away...i like the smell myself..

 

[chewbacca]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I think I am going to take the flashlight out tonight and see if there are any signs of leaks.

Since the vent is the only part of the system under presure, this should be the most likly spot for a leak, correct? Would the gaskets on the door/ glass have any chance of leaking smoke since they are in a vacuum?

thanks,
Eric

 

[hossthehermit]

Hello!, Picked up a used Harman p61 and just installed in my basement. The vent goes up the wall in the inside then 90 out to the exterior. I used silicone on the connections and joints. I have never owned a stove before, and was not sure what to expect as far as what odor that stove would produce. After 24 hours of burning wood pellets, there is differently a new smell to the house. I would not say that is bad, not real strong, but like wood burning. Are pellet stoves typically odorless, or could the smell be smoke from my vent? My C02 has not gone off, and I am not noticing visiable smoke, but that does not mean that could still be a leak somewhere. I guess I am not sure what is acceptable as far what to expect from a pellet stove and smells. Anyone could give there experince that would be helpful, before I start resealing and checking my vent connections!.

thanks,
Eric

First thing I'd do is get a CO monitor, keep the CO2 one if ya want, but the CO is what'll kill ya. Neither one smells.

 

[Panhandler]

Its possible the door would, but unlikely due to negative pressure in the stove. But I once had a leak around the gasket on the combustion blower, one more place to look.

 

[chewbacca]

Hello!, Picked up a used Harman p61 and just installed in my basement. The vent goes up the wall in the inside then 90 out to the exterior. I used silicone on the connections and joints. I have never owned a stove before, and was not sure what to expect as far as what odor that stove would produce. After 24 hours of burning wood pellets, there is differently a new smell to the house. I would not say that is bad, not real strong, but like wood burning. Are pellet stoves typically odorless, or could the smell be smoke from my vent? My C02 has not gone off, and I am not noticing visiable smoke, but that does not mean that could still be a leak somewhere. I guess I am not sure what is acceptable as far what to expect from a pellet stove and smells. Anyone could give there experince that would be helpful, before I start resealing and checking my vent connections!.

thanks,
Eric

First thing I'd do is get a CO monitor, keep the CO2 one if ya want, but the CO is what'll kill ya. Neither one smells.

Oh! I meant CO. Well, I am on the hunt for smoke later today, I think it is more then just the smell of pellets that I am smelling. Thanks again.
Eric

 

[imacman]

.....Since the vent is the only part of the system under presure, this should be the most likly spot for a leak, correct? Would the gaskets on the door/ glass have any chance of leaking smoke since they are in a vacuum?

thanks,
Eric

Correct. Negative press. would pull smoke into the stove. Concentrate flashlight search around exhaust pipes/combustion blower area.

 

[chewbacca]

You guys are awesome. What a helpful forum I found!

 

[Panhandler]

If the people here don't know it, they can point you to someone who can.

 

[vvvv]

Hello!, Picked up a used Harman p61 and just installed in my basement. The vent goes up the wall in the inside then 90 out to the exterior. I used silicone on the connections and joints. I have never owned a stove before, and was not sure what to expect as far as what odor that stove would produce. After 24 hours of burning wood pellets, there is differently a new smell to the house. I would not say that is bad, not real strong, but like wood burning. Are pellet stoves typically odorless, or could the smell be smoke from my vent? My C02 has not gone off, and I am not noticing visiable smoke, but that does not mean that could still be a leak somewhere. I guess I am not sure what is acceptable as far what to expect from a pellet stove and smells. Anyone could give there experince that would be helpful, before I start resealing and checking my vent connections!.

thanks,
Eric

First thing I'd do is get a CO monitor, keep the CO2 one if ya want, but the CO is what'll kill ya. Neither one smells.

even ifn maybe, still aint sposed to smell ANYTHING! = u got a leak

 

[Ridge]

New owner here with a P61a also, had it maybe 3 weeks, previously had a St. croix Afton Bay for 2 yrs before selling home it was in. I too have smelled a faint wood burning odor, we don't notice it when we are in the house but when you come in from outside you can notice a faint smell, we have the exhaust pipe that has the intake air around it for a OAK, it would seem if exhaust leaked it would go back into stove? the only place I can think of where it could get into the house would be the hookup to the stove? or the stove door but thats drawn into the chimney? We are currently using pellets they gave us with the stove (2 tons Rib Mountain Bio) and I know why they threw them in, it was cheaper than putting them in the dumpster They are mostly hardwood I think (No labels on the bag?) and I used to use Uncle Jeds softwood which burned clean and no noticeable Creosote, these now get hard deposits which I hate, hopefully I can exchange them for a upcharge to better pellets.

 

[grstewart2000]

This is my 3rd season with our pellet stove. I have a very sensitive sniffer and there is a definite odor to burning pellets.

Of course I have a CO2 and smoke detector and they have never gone off. The outside exhaust has a unique smell and that is not what I smell inside.

My best guess (after spending countless hours with hi-temp silicone and sealing every joint, nook, and cranny) is that it is the smell of the pellets heating up in their hopper PLUS some of the combustion gases leaking thru the firebox and getting blown out through the heat exchanger.

We just live with it and figure since the alarms aren't going off...

 

[vvvv]

get the stove full of smoke with burning paper or however, have someone go to end of exhaust & plug the pipe so stove pressurizes.....leaks within house should reveal

 

[chewbacca]

Last night after disconnecting the vent from the stove and removed the ash pan and discoved a small 1/8" hole in the stove right behind fan exhast fan in the wall of the stove. It was in an area that had some type of caulking from the manufacture (Harman p61) around the mounting of the fan body. I plugged this hole, and did some extra sealing and doule checked my venting. Hope to fire it up again tonight and use a flashlight to see if there are any more leaks. I am guessing that this hole played a part in the smells.
Eric

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Even a small 1/8 inch hole beyond the exhaust fan will allow a lot of smoke smell in the house.

A pinhole sized leak on the exhaust side will let you smell smoke.

The stuff has to be sealed to be smell free.


Good luck

Snowy