Weird Heat Smells...any ideas?

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claybe

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Nov 13, 2008
370
Colorado
I just installed an Avalon Zero Clearance insert and am on my second burn. It is an older model and has a fan. When I turn on the fan there is a what my wife calls a "Heat, old" smell? I smell it too, but her sense of smell is better than mine and it does not bother me. I cleaned off the fan when I bought it. Any ideas what this might be and how me might get rid of it so we can use the fan?
 
If the stove sat for awhile, my guess is that you may be smelling dust burning off in the air passages. If so, the smell should diminish with further use.
 
If you used new stove pipe when you connected up the stove, you may also be smelling the paint on the stove pipe curing.

-SF
 
Where was it stored? Did you check it thoroughly for the presence of rodent nests? :-P Rick
 
claybe said:
I just installed an Avalon Zero Clearance insert and am on my second burn. It is an older model and has a fan. When I turn on the fan there is a what my wife calls a "Heat, old" smell? I smell it too, but her sense of smell is better than mine and it does not bother me. I cleaned off the fan when I bought it. Any ideas what this might be and how me might get rid of it so we can use the fan?

It could be dust however you might be reaching a temperature that the stove and or pipe has not been before. Every time you reach a new temp it will "smell" from curring. Like others have said if it has been sitting for a while it will take some burns to get that "stink" out of there. I have had that smell with all 4 of my stoves and burning it hoot for about 4-5 hours will take care of the problem. Of course make sure clearances are fine and chimney pipe is good/clean
 
Pipe is clean. I used the old pipe it came with. The dust thing sounds like a winner as I cleaned out beads and a marker from the surround section, but I am sure I missed some of the dust...at least let's hope that's it as I do not want to deal with rodent nests!!!!
 
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