Spicy wood smell coming from heat vents

[MFrost]

Good evening, everyone!
I have been reading Hearth.com forums for the last 7-8 years after my novice husband decided we were switching to wood heat, but failed to mention he had no experience in maintaining such a system. I have learned SO much from the discussions on here. Generally when I have an issue I can find my answer on here, but this one is an issue I haven't found mentioned.

Last night it was -20 here with a windchill of -35, Our furnace had been back puffing all day and the furnace kept wanting to die. We heat with a USSC Hotblast 1500 and this thing is usually a champ. Finally at 8:00 I told him I had to let it die bc there was obviously a blockage somewhere (an issue we have "discussed" at length for the last month). Thankfully, the house held heat well and so we woke up to 50 degrees inside and I immediately headed to the basement to rip out the black stove pipe. Sure enough, at our T (where the black stove pipe joins the double wall chimney pipe) was a mass of creosote build up that restricted the entire access. We had a further "discussion" about this bc I had specifically addressed him cleaning this a month ago, he assured me he had, obviously that was not true.
We got the stove pipe back together, let the furnace cement set, and I started small fires to help finish setting the cement along the joints (per instructions on the tube.) Now the furnace is running great, but I am noticing that the air coming out of the heat vents has a spicy woody smell. It doesn't smell bad, or like smoke, but I'm curious as to what this is bc in all these years I have never noticed it before.

 

[Sodbuster]

My thought would be the final curing of the furnace cement, not sure why that would be coming from the vents however.

 

[Highbeam]

I suspect it’s the smell of balls burning.

 

[MFrost]

I suspect it’s the smell of balls burning.

Ahhh, this is a definite possibility, hahaha!

 

[MFrost]

My thought would be the final curing of the furnace cement, not sure why that would be coming from the vents however.

I had not thought of this, but you may be right. I gave it a good healthy dose of Anti Creo Soot spray a bit ago and noticed that smell was coming through the vents too.

 

[maple1]

Does it smell like this also, in the air around the furnace or in the room it is in?

I am thinking that the only way a smell from furnace cement or whatever you sprayed into the furnace, should be making its way into the ductwork, is if that smell is in the air that your return is sucking through. Otherwise, it is getting in through a crack somewhere in the firebox or furnace shrouding that shouldn't be there.

BTW, it is also quite possible for creosote to build up like that in a month, depending on wood quality & burning practices.

 

[laynes69]

Did you clean the chimney too? I ran a 1500 hotblast for years, and it takes zero time to accumulate creosote. What may look like little creosote, expands 10 times with heat. You could be smelling creosote, or maybe the furnace is just burning hotter since there's less restriction. Keep an eye on the flue and chimney, it can take less than a couple weeks to plug if you're not burning right.

 

[maple1]

Yes, you should broaden your scope a bit here.

One thing, is that you shouldn't have to get the cement out every time you clean the pipe. Otherwise you won't want to clean the pipe because it's too much of a chore to do the cement thing. You should be able to pipe in a cleanout T so taking pipe apart isn't necessary? But we don't know anything about your piping or chimney. I don't have anything sealing cracks on my pipe, just screws holding it from coming apart. Also, if there is a cleanout on the bottom of your chimney/pipe and it is not tight tight, that can cause fast creosote buildup at the T.

You should make cleaning the pipe easier to do - sounds like it is needed every couple of weeks or so under present circumstances. And also figure out why it is building so fast and if there is something you can change to slow that down.

No further comment on post 3 - but chances are he wasn't lying to you like you were implying he was.

 

[MFrost]

Does it smell like this also, in the air around the furnace or in the room it is in?

I am thinking that the only way a smell from furnace cement or whatever you sprayed into the furnace, should be making its way into the ductwork, is if that smell is in the air that your return is sucking through. Otherwise, it is getting in through a crack somewhere in the firebox or furnace shrouding that shouldn't be there.

BTW, it is also quite possible for creosote to build up like that in a month, depending on wood quality & burning practices.

I didn't notice that spicy smell other than coming through the vents, but it would be easy for basement smells to come up as this is an old house and I am not finished with the total remodel.
I did notice it doesn't smell this morning so maybe it was just burning off the last of what was there. We are burning ash and maple this year, the ash stood dead for a year, and then sat, cut and stacked, for 2 years before we started burning it, the maple has been down about 15 months. I watch the chimney to make sure we are getting a clean burn which is why I knew something was wrong before it started backpuffing into the house. When we saw that yesterday he admitted he hadn't cleaned it all the way up. He's not the most thorough and detail oriented fella.

 

[maple1]

I didn't notice that spicy smell other than coming through the vents, but it would be easy for basement smells to come up as this is an old house and I am not finished with the total remodel.
I did notice it doesn't smell this morning so maybe it was just burning off the last of what was there. We are burning ash and maple this year, the ash stood dead for a year, and then sat, cut and stacked, for 2 years before we started burning it, the maple has been down about 15 months. I watch the chimney to make sure we are getting a clean burn which is why I knew something was wrong before it started backpuffing into the house. When we saw that yesterday he admitted he hadn't cleaned it all the way up. He's not the most thorough and detail oriented fella.

Was all that wood split before it was stacked? If not, that's another possible excess creosote contributor.

 

[MFrost]

Was all that wood split before it was stacked? If not, that's another possible excess creosote contributor.

The gentleman who cut the trees down let the wood sit the first year unsplit. When we hauled them home I ran it all through the splitter and then stacked it so that each piece had air flow around it,

 

[MFrost]

The gentleman who cut the trees down let the wood sit the first year unsplit. When we hauled them home I ran it all through the splitter and then stacked it so that each piece had air flow around it,

I should probably note we hauled it home a year ago

 

[brenndatomu]

It should be noted also that most people seems to have similar results with the 1500...either its run hot and clean by loading copious amounts of wood every 3-4 hours...or "low and slow" with 8 hours reloads...the low and slow method generally results in plugged chimneys every couple weeks...

 

[MFrost]

It should be noted also that most people seems to have similar results with the 1500...either its run hot and clean by loading bodacious amounts of wood every 3-4 hours...or "low and slow" with 8 hours reloads...the low and slow method generally results in plugged chimneys every couple weeks...

That is exactly the results we have noticed, I thought it was just us. I get my best burn on it by keeping the feed door set on medium and the ash door damper open two spins open. We go through a ton of wood, but the house stay around 75-80 and thankfully we live in a rural area where free wood is plentiful.

 

[laynes69]

That is exactly the results we have noticed, I thought it was just us. I get my best burn on it by keeping the feed door set on medium and the ash door damper open two spins open. We go through a ton of wood, but the house stay around 75-80 and thankfully we live in a rural area where free wood is plentiful.

Prior to updating our 1500 hotblast, i was using anywhere from 8 to 12 cord a year. While we did stay toasty, it was difficult to keep up with firewood. We have since worked on airsealing our home, and insulation and we purchased an epa woodfurnace. We now burn 4 to 5 cord a year. Maybe less for a mild winter. Prior we were also going thru a half tank or more of LP a year.

 

[MFrost]

Prior to updating our 1500 hotblast, i was using anywhere from 8 to 12 cord a year. While we did stay toasty, it was difficult to keep up with firewood. We have since worked on airsealing our home, and insulation and we purchased an epa woodfurnace. We now burn 4 to 5 cord a year. Maybe less for a mild winter. Prior we were also going thru a half tank or more of LP a year.

When we first installed the Hotblast we were basically heating a 150 year old tent bc of the total lack of insulation. I spent a few years putting insulation in the walls, upgraded the windows, added 3/4 in foam board and siding and now it stays nice and toasty in here. What sort of stove did you upgrade to after the HotBlast?

 

[laynes69]

When we first installed the Hotblast we were basically heating a 150 year old tent bc of the total lack of insulation. I spent a few years putting insulation in the walls, upgraded the windows, added 3/4 in foam board and siding and now it stays nice and toasty in here. What sort of stove did you upgrade to after the HotBlast?

It was a rebadged Caddy. It's a 1950 hotblast by Usstove, but was manufactured by SBI (PSG Caddy). It's a night and day difference.

 

[MFrost]

It was a rebadged Caddy. It's a 1950 hotblast by Usstove, but was manufactured by SBI (PSG Caddy). It's a night and day difference.

I am definitely going to check that out! Thank you so much for the heads up!

 

[11ultra103]

I am definitely going to check that out! Thank you so much for the heads up!

Just came across your post, wondering how your stove is burning so far this year. A chimney plugged with creosote is a dangerous thing, just one hot spark away from a chimney and or house fire! I had a chimney fire and its terrifying. I suggest you invest in a wood moisture meter. Picked mine up on Amazon cheap! Your firewood should be cut, split, stacked, and covered a minimum of 1 year. 3 years is optimal. Only burn hardwoods like oak and maple. My chimney sweep recommended using the anti creo soot spray. He said to spray at least 6 pieces. When I first start my stove leave the draft open for at least 1 to 3 hours. And at the end of 3 hours put 3 pieces in that were sprayed. Then burn normal. And add the other 3 pieces when you go to bed. 3 hours may be excessive for your stove to let the draft open. But I'd think at least and hour at first start up. Also maybe try using less wood to make the stove work harder in mild weather so the wood doesnt smother and produce creosote. I had a chimney fire using a wood and coal fired boiler and I know I overloaded the boiler with wood causing the wood to smother and smoke. You want a good hot fire at all times. Also would be good to invest in a chimney thermometer if you dont already have one