Wood burning fireplace, glassdoors masonary chimny SMOKEY SMELL

[Blueheeler1959]

We have a wood burning fireplace that we start when it gets cold in the winter and we run it pretty much the entire time that it's cold unfortunately a couple of years ago I begin complaining that it smelled smoky in our house. Some areas of the house worse than others This year. It really bothers me because I have COPD and I can't stand to be in the lower level of the house when the fireplace is being used. My husband put in a new group of seals around the glass on the doors and those seem to be okay except when we started it up again. I swear the smoke smell was worse, to be something wrong up inside the chimney. Whether it's leak in the masonry or something is wrong. In the dampers, it's a little more unusual than most of the pictures of fireplaces that I see and I will attempt to post some pictures. But it has the glass door fireplace insert, underneath the hearth, there is a vent that I believe blows cold air out a lot of the time and then above the mantle. There's another big ven that we have a screen in and there are 3 metal handles in the masonry above the fireplace that are supposed to open the damper and close the damper and one that nobody seems to know what it does at all. And my husband says he doesn't even think it works anymore. He cleans the inside of the chimney several times a year. So I don't think there's any build up in there. But he's also a very I have to do this myself. Person and he's very capable. It's just I think this is more than we know. What to do with this problem and any help would be so appreciated. The chimney and the fireplace are about 20 to 25 years old. Any questions you need answered. We will certainly do our best. And I will try to post some photos.

 

[bholler]

We have a wood burning fireplace that we start when it gets cold in the winter and we run it pretty much the entire time that it's cold unfortunately a couple of years ago I begin complaining that it smelled smoky in our house. Some areas of the house worse than others This year. It really bothers me because I have COPD and I can't stand to be in the lower level of the house when the fireplace is being used. My husband put in a new group of seals around the glass on the doors and those seem to be okay except when we started it up again. I swear the smoke smell was worse, to be something wrong up inside the chimney. Whether it's leak in the masonry or something is wrong. In the dampers, it's a little more unusual than most of the pictures of fireplaces that I see and I will attempt to post some pictures. But it has the glass door fireplace insert, underneath the hearth, there is a vent that I believe blows cold air out a lot of the time and then above the mantle. There's another big ven that we have a screen in and there are 3 metal handles in the masonry above the fireplace that are supposed to open the damper and close the damper and one that nobody seems to know what it does at all. And my husband says he doesn't even think it works anymore. He cleans the inside of the chimney several times a year. So I don't think there's any build up in there. But he's also a very I have to do this myself. Person and he's very capable. It's just I think this is more than we know. What to do with this problem and any help would be so appreciated. The chimney and the fireplace are about 20 to 25 years old. Any questions you need answered. We will certainly do our best. And I will try to post some photos.View attachment 324842View attachment 324842View attachment 324843View attachment 324844View attachment 324843View attachment 324842View attachment 324843

What type of fireplace is this? It clearly has more going on than a regular fireplace.

 

[stoveliker]

Also, to ascertain if the flue leaks gases into the house (safety issue!), have the flue (camera) inspected for its integrity.

 

[xman23]

With all those vents, it looks like some type of heatilator fireplace. Is the fire box (in side) all metal? I assume the handels control flue dampers. I would look in the chimney and see if the controls are still connected. They can be rusted out. You maybe running this with a partially closed flue damper. That said many fireplaces don't draft well. Hence the smoke in the house. Hopefully it's something simple.

 

[Prometeo]

I didn't understand if it was done, The first thing to do is clean the chimney!

 

[webby3650]

It’s a Kozy Heat 241ZC. It’s been modified to look more like a traditional masonry fireplace.
It’s most likely that the smoke smell is being pulled in through doors or windows in outlying rooms. Do you have another fireplace? Got any pics of the chimney?

 

[Blueheeler1959]

I didn't understand if it was done, The first thing to do is clean the chimney!

Chimney was cleaned before we started using this year and again when we noticed the smokey smell getting worse

 

[bholler]

Chimney was cleaned before we started using this year and again when we noticed the smokey smell getting worse

But are you sure every part of it was? Was every part of the system inspected for problems?

 

[webby3650]

But are you sure every part of it was? Was every part of the system inspected for problems?

These don’t have much of any secondary combustion in them. They were epa exempt. I have seen this happen in the past with a big napoleon unit, the installer used 6” chimney and that was the issue the whole time. We were able to replace it with 8” from inside the chase. That’s one reason I asked if they had a picture of the chimney.

 

[Blueheeler1959]

 

[Blueheeler1959]

Okay, gentlemen, cause I'm assuming you are gentleman. I am not. I am a lady. My husband is 80 years old and he is taken care of this fireplace. Ever since the fireplace was put in and the chimney was built, there had been a fire in the house. They built a family room on and put the fireplace in at that time I always have always wondered what the little round knob is that's to the right of the 2. Damper levers that are above the doors on the fireplace. He's pretty certain it runs the flap for the inlet of air but I've never noticed it actually doing anything when you push or pull it or push your pull on it. We have not had a person who's business is chimney's. Look at this for some time outside of as furnace guy came looked at the problem that we have with the white pinesand the add-on that was put above the garage, which then made everything taller than the existing chimney. the white pines are a good 60 feet tall. And last year we had a tornado come through here and it took 3 of them out, which you would have thought would have helped, but really did not because the 60 ft still close to the house. The family room is between the add-on which was put above the garage. And that's probably a good 45 foot tall, and it's easily 25 to 30 feet away from the chimney. The add-on metal extension has not been our finest idea. It did make a difference for a while as to the smoke but that didnt last i feel its worse drawback is the rust, it just gets rust all over everything. It's terrible makes a horrible mess of the siding on the house and the roof is there anything else that I can tell to anybody I'm trying to remember all the things that you all posted? And yes, you had the correct. That is the kind of fireplace, it is. And it was modified to look like a fireplace I'll try and post one more picture. That gives a better idea of the metal add-on that we put on.
Bob says it is clay tile he thinks 10" the damper is metal and then converts to clay tile all the way up
Thank you again for all of your thoughts if I missed something in my reply please point out to me you still need an answer

 

[Blueheeler1959]

No other fireplaces just this one

This was installed by a Mason that has built a great many fireplaces in our area,

 

[webby3650]

Wow. That’s not correct. No wonder you have trouble with draft.

 

[webby3650]

The damper right above the door is your primary air control, above that is the pipe damper. The 3rd on to the right I don’t recognize. It could be a way to operate outside air that was added by the mason? This fireplace should have a metal class A Chimney system, I’m really curious how and why they added that crazy apparatus at the top.

 

[Blueheeler1959]

The damper right above the door is your primary air control, above that is the pipe damper. The 3rd on to the right I don’t recognize. It could be a way to operate outside air that was added by the mason? This fireplace should have a metal class A Chimney system, I’m really curious how and why they added that crazy apparatus at the top.

We added the extension ,built by a furnace man because our chimney wS was obviously too short for the trees that grew up and the addition added over the garage. It did work for awhile, and then didnt

 

[webby3650]

We added the extension ,built by a furnace man because our chimney wS was obviously too short for the trees that grew up and the addition added over the garage. It did work for awhile, and then didnt

90 degree turns aren’t allowed in a chimney. It’s very suspect! It was cleaned and inspected and not called out as an issue?

 

[Blueheeler1959]

The damper right above the door is your primary air control, above that is the pipe damper. The 3rd on to the right I don’t recognize. It could be a way to operate outside air that was added by the mason? This fireplace should have a metal class A Chimney system, I’m really curious how and why they added that crazy apparatus at the top.

I downloaded the operator Manuel for our system, it was very informative , I too wondered why they didn't use a metal system since it says in the Manuel that it must be installed with one.
I was unaware of the clay tile until today. I would almost wonder if it was because that was how it "used to be done". So please tobsatisfy my curiosity why would clay 10" tile not work as opposed to metal. I believe you to be correct but I would just like to know

 

[Blueheeler1959]

90 degree turns aren’t allowed in a chimney. It’s very suspect! It was cleaned and inspected and not called out as an issue?

I assume you mean the rusty extension in the 90 degree turn? Well it was built by a local furnace company. We had one mason who showed up to look at the job and said well we would have to tear out bushes to set up scaffolding and matching the brick would be difficult. Not any more just apply rust to any brick and it will match. It would have to have quite an extension to it..... and that wasit . I figured there would be another man come that actually wanted to work but it was just the furnace guy and his rusty extension.

 

[webby3650]

At this point I think the rusty extension is your problem. The room addition is farther than 10’ away. It could have an influence, but it’s likely minimal. How was the chimney cleaned? Unless it was a rotary system, I don’t see anyway to verify it’s cleared.

 

[mellow]

Can't say I have ever seen anything like that extension to adapt to a clay liner, gotta give it to them for ingenuity, but as stated it isn't right.

You need to have someone in person look at this, I would recommend calling someone who is certified to look at this try CSIA to see if someone is nearby: https://search.csia.org/

 

[jjam]

This whole system desperately needs replacement fast as fast can be hehe