Well, finally an update.
There's some good news and a large heap of bad news.
First, the good. A few days ago, they installed our brand new stove. Since the 3100 is no longer in production, they gave us the Explorer II. It is a bit wider, and so accommodate a longer log, which we like.
But, now for the bad news: the smell IS STILL THERE. Yeah, I know. I'm honestly blown away. I have no idea anymore.
I have a theory that I'd like to get your ideas on: I am leaning towards the smell being some of the emissions getting back into the house. I am thinking there may be a draft or pipe issue. I have several reasons for thinking that:
- I mentioned near the beginning of this whole thing that I was having some chest pains. I didn’t speak much more of it because I couldn’t completely convince myself it was related to this. However, I am 32 years old and have never had chest pains to that point. In December, I ended up going to the ER one night because of it. This was after a straight week of burning the stove. The chest pains got progressively better as I burned the stove less and less. I haven’t burned the stove for a couple of months, and they were totally gone. I burned the new stove on Friday night. The next morning and this morning I woke up with minor chest pains.
- The morning after burning the stove, myself and my two children woke up with pretty severe allergy like symptoms. My daughter and I have allergies, but this was worse than we’ve had all spring. My wife and I sometimes get minor headaches, but only when burning the stove.
- When the installers took apart the stove pipe in order to put the new stove on, I noticed a couple of things. I took this picture in the horizontal section just before a turn that goes into the wall. I noticed that the two pieces don’t line up at all (in the picture, on the left side of the pipe). This is a double wall pipe, so it’s the inner wall that doesn’t line up. I also noticed (but didn’t get a picture) that the outer wall of the pipe had ash looking stuff in it. Similar to (although not quite as much as) what is in the inner wall of the pipe. I’m assuming I shouldn’t see anything in the outer wall??
4. The smell on the new stove is the same as the old stove, a sweet sort of smell (sorry, no idea how else to describe it). It seems to originate from right around the pipe. Now, on this stove, the hottest part is the part right around where the flu exits the stove, so that could be the reason. Or it could be related to the pipe. I smelled it strongest when I put my nose right around the bottom of the pipe there.
Here’s my crazy theory: is it at all possible that some of the emissions are getting back into the house. Is it possible that it’s a small amount so it doesn’t set off our CO detectors? We have three of them in the house. Is it possible that most of the emissions are going up and out like they’re supposed to, but some is actually flowing backwards on the outer shell of the double walled pipe? I know this sounds crazy, but I just don’t see another option.
If that’s not possible, I have no idea what’s going on. Clearly I'm not crazy or making it up since the president of the company came to my house, agreed the smell wasn't normal, and went through the hassle of getting the stove replaced. I honestly don’t know what to do at this point. But frankly, I’m done. I’m almost thinking it doesn’t matter what the reason is. It’s not what I was sold on (I asked two different associates before buying the stove if there’s ever any smell from them. Both of them told me no, except for the occasional smell of wood smoke if you open the door too fast. Certainly neither of them said anything that our entire house would smell like this everytime, the entire time we burn). The benefit of a wood stove isn’t anything compared to the horrible gut feeling I have that I’m poisoning myself and my family. I just can’t get over that idea in my head. The new stove smelling the same only solidifies what I’ve believed in the back of my mind for a while.
To say I'm upset, angry, etc is probably understating it. I have wanted a stove for years, and it's just not working out. I have put countless hours and well over a thousand dollars into just getting the area prepped for the stove (not to mention the thousands I’ve paid for the stove, pipe, install, etc). I took out two old fireplaces, a 23 foot tall masonry chimney, built a new wall, all the interior work, etc etc. Heck, we bought a specific couch for the room so it wasn’t too close to the stove. The whole thing was no short and easy feat and I'm left with this.
I’m at a loss. Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks all for the help.