smoke in the basement

[sclarke]

something that I cannot figure out. I have a fireplace and a woodstove in the basement. their chimneys are adjacent and run up the middle of the house. they are brick. I never really use the woodstove in the basement because it is not a very well built one. So I have been using the fireplace but the basement has been filling up with smoke. I can also smell smoke strongly in the hallway upstairs just past the fireplace. I have cleaned both chimneys and thoroughly cleaned the fireplace. I thought maybe some coals dropped into the cleanout but I opened the door and didnt smell any smoke. so maybe the smoke is leaving the fireplace chimney and returnin down the woodstove chimney or there is a leak somewhere. not really sure. any suggestions?

 

[HotCoals]

something that I cannot figure out. I have a fireplace and a woodstove in the basement. their chimneys are adjacent and run up the middle of the house. they are brick. I never really use the woodstove in the basement because it is not a very well built one. So I have been using the fireplace but the basement has been filling up with smoke. I can also smell smoke strongly in the hallway upstairs just past the fireplace. I have cleaned both chimneys and thoroughly cleaned the fireplace. I thought maybe some coals dropped into the cleanout but I opened the door and didnt smell any smoke. so maybe the smoke is leaving the fireplace chimney and returnin down the woodstove chimney or there is a leak somewhere. not really sure. any suggestions?

Could well be.
I would think the wood stove would be way more efficient then the fireplace though.

 

[begreen]

These are totally separate flues correct? First make sure there isn't a tile or mortar failure in either clay flue liner. If they are ok, I suspect that the stove's flue is acting as intake air for the fireplace and reversing draft. You could remove the pipe and then cap off the thimble or provide makeup air for the fireplace.

If you want to keep the stove, do both flue tops terminate at the same height? If so, staggering their height by 12-18" will help.

Regardless of fix, be sure to have a Carbon Monoxide tester in the basement and a smoke detector there too, maybe at the top of the basement stairs.

 

[velvetfoot]

Maybe block up the wood stove chimney and see if you still get the smell?