Strange: Question on Wood Smell after Using

[thinkxingu]

Hello There,
My Englander 13, which we use for supplemental/periodic heating on weekends or during mass power outages, is in the bottom of our split-level. After use, when the coals have cooled down throughout the night, I shut the air control. Afterward, however, I notice that I get a strong burning wood smell, which is stronger than when it is actually in use. Any ideas on why this occurs or what I can do to prevent it?

Thanks,

SML

 

[Dexter]

If your glass gets a patina on it during this shut down period, there may still be enough volitiles in the wood to condense as creosote. Sometime creosote will condense on the walls of the intake manifold, near the entrance to the firebox. If the stove has an "updraft" manifold, sometimes it will even drip out a few gooey drops. It smells like burning wood/smoke, but it is more pungent. I am not saying this is the cause of the odor, but if it is, use more seasoned wood, or let it burn with "open" air for longer before shutting down. 'Hope this helps.

Dexter

 

[caber]

If we have a cold stove and the wind is blowing just right, we get a smokey smell. Seems the air flows slightly back down the chimney and into the house. We close the dampers and it stops.

 

[thinkxingu]

Thanks for the info. I don't have a damper since it's hooked directly to the chimney. Should I put one in the piping?

SML

 

[caber]

the dampers on the stove itself

 

[DAKSY]

You may be getting a reverse flow thru the OA adapter hole - IF your stove has that feature...Once the stove cools to the point of the natural draft stopping, the outside air pressure may be causing the reverse flow. Maybe an OAK might solve this issue...

 

[eernest4]

Hello There,
My Englander 13, which we use for supplemental/periodic heating on weekends or during mass power outages, is in the bottom of our split-level. After use, when the coals have cooled down throughout the night, I shut the air control. Afterward, however, I notice that I get a strong burning wood smell, which is stronger than when it is actually in use. Any ideas on why this occurs or what I can do to prevent it?

Thanks,

SML

After use, dont shut down the air control.

A secondary burn englander stove is not airtight and it needs a more open primary air control to exhaust fumes from smoldering coals.

On the surface, it may look to you that all the coals are out, but under a layer of white ash there are still small coals burning , making the camp fire smell . The very low heat of a
nearly dead coal bed lowers the draft from the stove pipe (draft over fire) and so it becomes rather hard for the stove to exhaust cold burning fumes especially with a closed primary aie intake.

Also, the primary air intake can never be completely closed airtight, but only closed 80 % as there is a factory stop that prevents it from total closure.

This opening is not enough to provide enough intake air to vent the fumes but is enough to let the fumes into the room, especially if you have a low draft short chimney that only works well when it is hot.

That is why people say light a twist of newspaper in the stove to get the draft working.

I have a 48 foot chimney and on certain days even I have no draft & have to heat up the chimney with newspaper to establish a draft. However, on some days I have so much draft that it blows out the match on me & I can't light the newspaper to start the fire.

So try leaving the primary air intake wide open after the fire is out & see if you still get the oder.

Also, try raking the coal bed with a small hoe to see if I am right about their still being some live coals under the ash.

 

[myzamboni]

Thanks for the info. I don't have a damper since it's hooked directly to the chimney. Should I put one in the piping?

SML

You say it's hooked directly to the chimney. Are you running a full liner in the chimney, or does the pipe go up into the chimney and then you stops?

If the latter, others will be along shortly to steer you on the right path.

 

[meathead]

Agree with others - sounds like reverse draft once your flue and stove are cool.

Do you often get smoke roll outs into the room when you reload or have a hard time getting a good draft going when you first start the stove up from cold?