I have shut down my stove for the year, And now i am getting this smell in the house that I can't stop.When I use the exhaust fan in the kitchen it draws the smell out of the Wood Stove, Or when the heater comes on it draws the smell out of the stove. It smells like the chimney but I have everything closed. How do I stop this.?
Wood Stove Stinks
- Thread starter Guythunder
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What kind of stove are you talking about? Mfr & Model # will help. If it's an "airtight" it sounds like you're reversing the normal draft & drawing air thru the combustion air intake. An OAK should eliminate this, but until you install that, you should probably clean your chimney.
Heatsource
Minister of Fire
if the stove is shut down for the year for sure, you could plug the chimney.
remove cap- insert insulation-reinstall cap
leave note in stove- DO NOT USE, Chimney is sealed!
remove cap- insert insulation-reinstall cap
leave note in stove- DO NOT USE, Chimney is sealed!
For sure, plug either at the top of the chimney or inside the stove. Insulation will work nicely for this.
When I get a reverse draft like this in the spring, I just put a tea-light candle in the stove, light it, and shut the door. It's always fixed the situation quickly. But sealing the chimney sounds like a better long-term solution.
With out pulling the stove to find the model # it is an Lopi new in 1995 works great just this year I have this smell.
I have put five or six candels in the box but it only helps when it's burning.
Where would I plug it inside the stove.?
Right at the flue outlet in the top back portion of the stove, hopefully you can reach it without too much trouble from inside the firebox. I had a nice stink after using my insert for a while, and I normally take it as the chimney yelling at me for not cleaning it. You'd be amazed at how the smell just disappears after a good cleaning, and damp weather only makes that stink more pungent and noticeable.
I will give this a try as soon as I can get a piece of insulation. I think that I will get the chemney cleaned this coming winter. I had it cleaned every year but the guy quit doing it without a word to anybody. So I guess I will need to find another guy, If I can this is a small town. Have you ever cleaned one yourself,? Is it to hard.?
Heatsource
Minister of Fire
No it's not too hard, most of the time. It will depend on the model of the stove and the height of your roof. Can you post a picture of the stove, or describe it?
If you had it cleaned every year but this year, maybe that's the problem. You said it hasn't done it before this year right? I'd give it a try.
Heatsource
Minister of Fire
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Cleaning yourself if you've got a liner is most of the time a snap, depends on if there is a T in the system or any elbows / changes in liner dimensions. Normally it's just a process of taking the needed interior stuff out of your stove (baffle plates, etc) so the flue exit has a straight shot onto the firebox floor. Then seal up the stove real good and tight, and go to town with the brush from the top of the chimney. After all the crud is down in the firebox, scoop it out and dispose of it, if you've got a shop vac with an ash bag on it, that makes it go a little quicker.
If the liner doesn't go all the way to the top and only exits at the bottom of the flue tiles, then it gets quite a bit harder and can be a royal pain. Overall if you plan on using it every year, it's very much worth learning how to clean it yourself. It's not hard to do, and can save a good chunk of change each year if you do it. Also helps you understand your system better, which is always a good thing, you'll notice if things have changed from year to year and you'll then know to go inspect it and see what's going on.
If the liner doesn't go all the way to the top and only exits at the bottom of the flue tiles, then it gets quite a bit harder and can be a royal pain. Overall if you plan on using it every year, it's very much worth learning how to clean it yourself. It's not hard to do, and can save a good chunk of change each year if you do it. Also helps you understand your system better, which is always a good thing, you'll notice if things have changed from year to year and you'll then know to go inspect it and see what's going on.
Cleaning the chimney yourself is not a big deal. If that surround can be removed you may even be able to do it from the bottom up.
If there's no OAK on this baby, I'd just stuff a handful of fiberglass in that combustion air hole. It should be readily accessible at the rear of the unit. I'd STILL leave a note inside the stove tho, so you're reminded of that blockage prior to next start up.
I had a clean out hole cut in the back on my chimney on the outside of the house with a metal door in it. I have no metal in my chemney, The guy that cleaned it before brushed it from the roof then opended the door on the back of the cemney and used a vac to clean it out. Sound about right.?
No! That surround must be pulled off. The access door only allows the sweep to clean off the smoke shelf. Creosote is falling behind the stove. He also isn't cleaning the smoke chamber above the stove. It needs a liner, then the smell will likely go away.
By the way, your stove is a Lopi Revere. It's a good heater, even better with a liner!
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