Wood burning fireplaces and stoves create a warm, cozy atmosphere in homes. The smell of wood-burning is also wonderfully nostalgic. But what happens if your fireplace or stove smells bad? Not only does this affect the ambiance, but it can also be dangerous for you and your family’s health too.
We’ll explore the potential causes of that unpleasant odor, as well as how to fix them so you can enjoy that “woodsy” scent again!
Why Does My Wood Burning Fireplace or Stove Smell?
There are a variety of reasons why your wood-burning fireplace or stove smells. One main cause is creosote which can build up in the chimney and create soot buildup, forming black chunks that smell like burnt charcoal. The other common reason for this smell is because something has caught on fire inside the unit itself (this should be handled by an experienced professional).
If you’ve taken proper care to ensure that there’s no blockage at all then one possible explanation may be that it’s actually steam from humidity escaping through cracks within your flooring, walls, or even windows – these cracks could have developed over time due to weather conditions changing dramatically during cold seasons when heating was used more often than usual.
This can be fixed by sealing up any cracks you find to prevent the steam from escaping again
Another reason why your wood-burning fireplace or stove smells could be because it isn’t being cleaned often enough – this is something that should absolutely be done regularly so as to ensure that the unit itself remains in good condition and doesn’t end up becoming a fire hazard. You may want to consider hiring professionals for regular upkeep, especially if there are many people living within one household who use it frequently.
You also need to make sure that anything combustible (such as paper) does not come into contact with hot coals at all since these items will catch on fire quickly which can lead to dangerous flareups inside of your house or apartment building even if it’s contained within the unit itself.
An additional reason why your wood-burning fireplace or stove smells could be because you haven’t used up all of the ashes after burning – these need to be thrown away in a safe manner, especially if they are still hot since containing them within your household garbage bin is not only illegal but also dangerous due to their flammable nature (which can lead to fires inside of municipal trash cans).
If this has caused an issue for you in the past then consider using one metal container with another placed on top so that air can flow through and remove any odor while preventing anything from catching fire which should keep things under control until you’re able to throw out ash residue properly at given times during the year.
Your wood-burning fireplace or stove could also smell because you’re using it incorrectly – for example, burning wet logs is a common mistake that some people make which only results in causing smoke and odor as well as making the heat less efficient. You should always ensure that any firewood is dry before lighting so as to reduce this issue from occurring again after taking proper care of your unit.
Burning Wet Wood
The smell of burning wet wood can be a serious issue. When you burn or even just light your fire if the smoke smells damp it could mean that either the fuel is too green and hasn’t been stored correctly for at least six months before being burnt – this would then need to dry out first – or more seriously that there’s a problem with your chimney.
If you have had problems lighting your stove/fireplace recently, take a look inside the fireplace and check whether any soot has built up within its walls as well as on top of it. This blackened deposit will prevent heat from rising up into the flue pipe which means less air gets drawn through the appliance itself, making it difficult to get going initially until the airflow gets going and the smoke can escape.
Soot is a by-product of burning anything carbon-based, including wood logs or coal. In some cases, especially with oil-fired appliances where there’s an excess supply of harmful gases in the combustion chamber, this soot will be deposited throughout your appliance too which means you may need to have it professionally serviced from time to time if these deposits become unmanageable on their own.
If however there are no signs that any chimney/flue work needs doing then yes – definitely wait for a few days before lighting up again! The smell should go away after a while but if not check whether the flue pipe itself has been capped off at all? If it has been, you will need to remove the cap and also check for any soot or creosote that may have built up around it.
Burning Polluted Wood
Burning polluting wood can cause a number of health problems including respiratory issues. It is important to know about the dangers and take steps to prevent them from happening in your home.
- The first and most common issue is the smell of burning wood which many people describe as a campfire or just “woodsy” but there are other ways to know if your chimney needs flushing.
- If your firewood has a high moisture content or is green, then the smoke that comes out of your chimney will have a stronger smell.
- Additionally, if you use smoky types of wood for burning in your stoves such as pine and spruce, they release more particles into the air so this can also cause an issue with polluting emissions from burning wood.
- In conclusion, to prevent these issues it’s important to burn dry seasoned hardwoods which are low in resin and oils since they help produce cleaner emissions from burning wood.
Burning anything other than clean cuts of seasoned woods should be avoided at all costs! If you notice any sort of smell coming out of your chim immediately check it out by hiring a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect your system.
The Fire Isn’t Burning Hot Enough
If the fire in your wood-burning stove is not hot enough, it can cause smoke to fill up your house. If you find this happening, try putting more logs on the fire or stoking it so that more heat comes out. You should also increase how often you check on the fire and add smaller pieces of wood when needed throughout the day.
You might also consider buying a fan to support the airflow. If your wood-burning stove is in direct contact with any flammable materials, like drywall or carpeting, you should move it far away from them before turning up the heat and stoking the fire.
If this doesn’t solve the problem then there may be another issue that needs to be dealt with by an expert. The smell of smoke could mean that there are cracks forming in your chimney because too much heat has traveled through it for too long without being cooled off enough first. You will need professional help if anything other than small amounts of smoke is coming out when you light your fires or if black soot comes out alongside them instead of white ash.
Smoke can also indicate that your wood-burning stove or fireplace is not being used frequently enough. This will cause soot to accumulate inside the chimney, which makes it more likely for smoke to come out of any cracks present in its walls. If this happens, you should schedule regular cleanings with a professional company specializing in these types of services before using your fireplace again.
Blocked Chimney or Flue
If you smell gas or see a yellowish-orange glow, your chimney is blocked and dangerous gases may be moving into the house. Get everyone out immediately. If you don’t have one installed already, get an immediate carbon monoxide detector placed near all sleeping areas of the home to ensure there are no leaks in the system that can cause poisoning or death before it’s too late.
If you smell smoke, it may be due to creosote accumulation. Creosote is a flammable byproduct of incomplete combustion that can build up in the chimney or stovepipe. It’s generally not toxic but is certainly unpleasant-smelling and potentially dangerous if allowed to accumulate beyond safe levels which could lead to an increased risk of fire should any embers remain smoldering after initially starting ablaze. If this keeps happening, consider having your chimneys inspected for leaks as well as your equipment cleaned out at least once per year (more often if needed).
Insufficient Chimney Size
You may be experiencing this issue if you smell smoke when the fireplace is not in use. The chimney must operate at a certain temperature to efficiently remove toxic gases and pollutants, which means it needs proper airflow – something that can happen with an insufficient size or blocked/restricted stove pipe. If the wood is not hot enough, it cannot burn off all of its components before reaching your home.
This can cause incomplete combustion, which is the smoky smell you are noticing.
Burning wood for heating your home should be safe, but only if the temperature is high enough inside the flue. If you smell smoke or incomplete combustion when stoking a fire that has been previously burning well, then there may be an issue with airflow as stated above.
In these cases, it’s best to call in a professional chimney sweep who can assess all of your options and determine what needs correction. Keep in mind that not every odor indicates problematic issues – even without sufficient airflow, some people notice pleasant smells like applewood or pine during use! There are products on the market designed to remove odors from smoky appliances too, so don’t assume this means something is wrong just because you’re smelling smoke while using it normally.
Wet Weather
The smell of burning wood is not always the most pleasant scent, but there are some cases where it can be dangerous. In wet weather, if your fireplace or stove smells this way, you should have someone check out what’s going on as soon as possible. Smoke and soot can be dangerous, especially if it is coming from your fireplace.
Cold Weather
In cold weather, you may notice the smell of burning wood when your furnace is running or right after it shuts off. Typically this happens because there are excess creosote deposits in the chimney that need to be cleaned out. If these aren’t removed on a regular basis they can catch fire and burn down your house.
When you have unusual smells coming from any appliances in your home, it should be checked by professionals who know what to look for before something goes wrong. You can find an expert that knows about gas lines, furnaces, stoves, etc here. They will make sure everything is safe so you don’t run into issues with health, safety, or anything else while using heating equipment inside your home.
Windy Weather
If your wood-burning fireplace or stove smells, the first thing you should do is check for signs of trouble. A common culprit that can lead to a smoky fire and bad smell is windy weather. If it’s especially gusty outside, then there may be too much air getting into your chimney system even when all doors are closed tightly. This makes it difficult to build up enough smoke inside so that you’ll have richly-flavored fires with minimal creosote buildup on the interior walls of your flue/chimney system.
Reduced Airflow
If you have been using your fireplace or woodstove and notice a smell, odds are that the airflow has been reduced. The design of most fireplaces is not very efficient in terms of moving smoke out to the chimney which causes a reduction in airflow. If this occurs, open a window slightly near your fireplace in order to increase ventilation and help reduce odor from lingering within your home.
Too Much Ash
One of the most common problems associated with wood fireplaces, primarily those that are used every day, is too much ash build-up. Ash buildup can be quite dangerous if not treated appropriately or taken care of immediately. When your fireplace begins to emit a burnt smell and you see smoke coming out from underneath it could mean there’s already something wrong going on under the hood and you need to take action as soon as possible before an actual fire breaks out!
Insufficient Ventilation
If you notice that your wood-burning fireplace or stove smells, it probably means that there is insufficient ventilation. This happens when the smoke and fumes are not properly released from the unit. If this occurs frequently, contact a chimney service company to inspect your venting system for damage or blockages which could be causing this issue.
You may also need to have your chimneys inspected if you start seeing soot deposits on walls inside of the house near where the appliance is located as well as discoloration on ceilings below them.
Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Another reason why your wood-burning fireplace or stove might smell like an old campfire is that carbon monoxide (CO) build-up has occurred in your home. This can be deadly, especially if you have a gas furnace or hot water heater in the same area as your fireplace or stove since CO poisoning symptoms are very similar to flu symptoms and generally go unnoticed by most people until it is too late.
If this has happened, do not try to fix the problem on your own because carbon monoxide exposure can lead to serious health issues including death. Instead, contact an experienced heating contractor immediately for help clearing out the unit so that proper ventilation can occur once more and remove any sources of ignition such as pilot lights before they become potential fire hazards themselves.
You should also keep doors open between rooms where appliances are located so that air can circulate properly throughout them which will prevent dangerous levels of CO from building up.
There’s A Hole In The Flue
What do you do if you’re putting on fire and the smell of burning wood is overwhelming? This must be caused by one or more holes in your chimney flue.
There are several reasons why this may have happened, but first, it’s important to remember that any kind of damage done to your home isn’t good for anyone, especially not the environment! A hole in the flue can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning which can result in death. So what should you do when there’s a hole in the flue?
Don’t use your fireplace or stove until it’s repaired. You can smell the burning wood because air is coming into contact with hot smoke, but this may mean there’s a leak in the flue, and carbon monoxide will most likely be escaping up instead of cooking your dinner. Carbon monoxide poisoning does happen without any warning symptoms, so make sure to get someone who knows what they are doing to fix it before using your fire again!
Closed Damper
If you are starting a fire in your wood-burning fireplace or stove, but the room is completely smoky and filled with an awful smell of burnt wood, it’s possible that the damper in your chimney flue isn’t closed all the way. This allows smoke to escape from the flue into your home instead of up through the chimney where it belongs.
The result will be lots of soot on walls, ceiling fans, light fixtures- everywhere around you can think! You may also have black sticky goo dripping down your inside brickwork if this has been going on for some time.
Why Your Wood Burning Stove or Fireplace Smells
If you smell smoke or burning wood inside the house, it is likely that your chimney flute has a blockage. This can be caused by creosote buildup in the chimney pipe which is created when heat interacts with ash and other sedimentary elements found in wood, oils from smoking meats on outdoor grills, etc. If this happens regularly then this could lead to an issue of carbon monoxide leaking into your home – don’t wait until someone gets hurt!
Many homeowners are ready to sell their homes because they think there must be something wrong with their fireplace insert but really all it takes is some simple maintenance every year so call us today for help!
How To Stop Your Wood Burning Stove From Smelling
- If you have a wood-burning stove, then there are some easy things that can be done to prevent it from smelling. One thing is to not burn the fire too hot or for too long of time each day. If your house becomes filled with smoke and smells bad because of this, try closing all vents but one. This will help circulate air throughout your home until the smell goes away.
- Another thing that you can do is simply open a window. Sometimes this will help with the smell, but it won’t be able to eliminate it entirely.
- Keeping your wood-burning stove clean at all times is one of the best ways that you can prevent bad smells from coming out of it. If there happens to be any buildup inside or on its exterior then try using some steel wool and warm water combined together as a cleaner for both areas. Doing this once every few weeks should work fine if done regularly enough over time.