Smoke problem with Heatilator fireplace

[mgb2]

Moved this summer into a house with a Heatilator HF42A fireplace. We've used it frequently, and daily for the last week or two with no apparent problems. Today while the less than perfect firewood was smoking, I noticed quite a bit of smoke smell in the house. The chimney appeared to be drafting just fine, but on the holes along the left side (where the outside air enters), there was smoke coming out. Part of this smoke was being drawn back into the firebox, but part was escaping into the room.

An immediate concern was that something was burning in the wall, but the smoke stopped immediately when I doused the fire. So obviously smoke is finding its way from the firebox into that space.

What do I do now? I'm thinking the next step is to pull the refractory panels and see if any of the metal has separated. Does this sound like the way to go, or is there something else I should look for?

 

[begreen]

Can you look up the chimney and see daylight without blockage (other than the cap)?

 

[mgb2]

Well....now that things have cooled off a little bit, I could get in for a closer look. The smoke was coming from the very top holes on the left, and I can now see that those are open to the firebox. So was this just a case of too much smoke from the wood?

 

[begreen]

By top holes do you mean the two upper vents to the left and right of the fireplace? If so, don't burn in this unit. It sounds like the heat exchanger has rusted out. Post a picture or two if it helps illustrate the location.

 

[mgb2]

Can you look up the chimney and see daylight without blockage (other than the cap)?

Hard to say right now, since there's still some warm wood in there. But the smoke was drafting out nicely, and not all pouring into the house like it would if the damper wasn't open. (Not that I've ever done such a thing...)

 

[mgb2]

Pic:



This is the upper left along the front edge. The outside air dumps comes in through the holes near the middle. The smoke was wafting from the top hole or two. Some of this was getting pulled back up the chimney, and some making it into the house. Now that it's cool enough to study more carefully, but still some smoke circulating, I can see that the very top hole is open on the other side of that deflector, and I'm guessing I just have too much smoke and too little draft.

 

[begreen]

OK, that pic is very helpful, these are not heat outlet vents like on some heatilators. They would be on the upper face of the fireplace to the above left or right of the fireplace cavity.

 

[mgb2]

Well, I got a good flame going again and the smoke is staying where it should. New load of 'seasoned' firewood......it needs a few more seasons before it's going to be good burning.

 

[mgb2]

OK, that pic is very helpful, these are not heat outlet vents like on some heatilators. They would be on the upper face of the fireplace to the above left or right of the fireplace cavity.

Mine has the heat vent across the entire top. As I said, it looks like we're in good shape. Thanks for the quick support!

 

[begreen]

Check the cap screen for plugging with creosote. Poor wood can clog a cap quickly.