Most people have experienced a new smell from time to time – the smell of a new car, new furniture, or even a newly painted room. But what about when you get a brand-new wood-burning stove? The first few days it is often accompanied by an unpleasant odor. This article discusses why your new wood-burning stove smells and how you can help eliminate the odor.
As soon as you get your new wood-burning stove, you notice that it smells like smoke. What does this mean? Is the stove not working properly? This is a common problem with new stoves and there are actually some simple solutions to fix it!
Why Does New Wood Burning Stove Smell?
It may be that your new wood-burning stove has a variety of smells that you should not worry about. There are many reasons why an appliance could have chemical odors and it does not mean anything is wrong with the product. The following will explain some possible reasons for this to occur:
New appliances can often emit fumes or smells when they first come out of the packaging, especially if there were plastics involved in the manufacturing process.
It takes time for these odors to dissipate after being exposed to air. If you live in a very humid area, then this odor could take even longer than normal before disappearing completely from all surfaces.
Sometimes certain oils such as olive oil or mineral oil get used during production which leaves behind their own scent.
The oil may have been used to coat certain parts of the wood stove to prevent rusting. This would eventually burn away, but it could leave behind a scent in the meantime. Try burning incense or scented candles during this time period if you are bothered by these smells persisting despite doing all of your normal cleaning routines.
If any odors continue for long periods after receiving your new appliance then call up customer service and ask about replacement options. It is possible that there was something wrong with production at their factory which has since been fixed so they can send out another unit right away instead of waiting for yours to be returned first. If you get an answer along those lines then definitely go ahead with getting rid of it altogether because it could be hazardous to your health if the chemicals are not right.
There may also be a possibility that there were no odors at all and it is just how things smell when you first buy them in general. Try waiting for about an hour after taking everything out of its packaging before using anything or moving it into place inside. This can allow any oils from manufacturing processes to dry up naturally instead of burning off because they will have already been heated once during this time period while being shipped to you by the factory which should burn away most of these scents, especially if the heat was involved with transporting them over long distances via trucking services.
If you want something done immediately then definitely talk to customer service they can set up a replacement unit right away if they think something is wrong with the wood stove. It may be that there was a problem during production or it could just smell like this normally when you first receive your unit so talking to them should give you more information about what their policies are for sending out new units in case of defects and how long customers usually have to wait before having appliances replaced by them.
If nothing else, then at least try burning scented candles while waiting for these smells to dissipate completely since it will only take up very little time out of your day but can help distract yourself from any potential odors that others might not even notice unless they were actively looking for them because the scent itself would essentially overwhelm all other senses instead. If someone has an especially sensitive nose, then try looking up air fresheners that can get rid of any odors such as scented oils or the scent itself which could help you immensely during this time period if it becomes impossible to ignore.
It might also be a good idea for you to do research online and watch videos about how powerful certain types of candles are at getting rid of smells in general so that you know what to expect when using them after your unit is delivered. You would not want to go into something completely blind hoping for the best because there could always be worst-case scenarios where these things did nothing even though they should have been able to clean out everything easily according to reviews by other people who bought similar products before yourself.
How Long Does A New Wood Stove Smell?
New wood stoves smell for a number of reasons. One reason is that the new stove’s materials are still curing and/or drying out, which releases some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into your home as they evaporate off. Another possible source could be from burning trash or other garbage in your fireplace or chimney before you use it to burn solid fuel such as firewood.
The third cause of odors may come from unseasoned firewood. Unseasoned logs can release smoke containing high levels of VOCs when burned inside homes with airtight heating systems because there isn’t enough oxygen available for complete combustion – one way to avoid this is by purchasing seasoned hardwoods at all possible! Lastly, it’s possible for some people to have an allergic reaction or sensitivity to smoke, soot, ash, and other combustion byproducts produced when burning firewood.
This is because wood stoves are essentially large open fireplaces with an insert instead of the traditional hearth. If you notice your new stove still producing odors after being used several times in different weather conditions, many recommend leaving the door slightly open overnight or at least until there isn’t any condensation inside on cold mornings – this should help dry out any moisture that may be trapped inside the unit which could cause bad smells later down the road!
Another option worth trying if you’re noticing excessive odors coming from your new home heating appliance would be to burn seasoned hardwoods such as oak, maple, beech, and birch. These woods burn hotter than softwoods such as pine and fir which produces less smoke when burned – this will help reduce any odors that may still exist!
Most new wood stoves shouldn’t require much more than occasional cleaning of the glass window to remove soot build-up but for those with existing chimneys or fireplaces located within your home, it’s possible these areas could also contribute bad smells just like a wood stove does too! Leaving your door open overnight should work wonders in reducing excess moisture levels inside the unit itself however if you’re noticing strong burning odors every time you use your fireplace then consider taking some additional steps before using it again. For starters try waiting until after the fire has died down completely before placing the screen back in front of it to reduce any smoke or soot build-up.
Another thing you could do is make sure your chimney flue isn’t closed off when starting a new fire – this will allow for more airflow which helps burn away toxins and odors quickly! Another possible cause mentioned earlier could be because of materials used on the inside walls, flooring, and ceiling too. If burning wood pellets instead of logs then consider using natural baking soda as an effective odor eliminator just by leaving some open containers around different parts within your home that have been affected most often by bad smells caused by major appliances such as stoves, dryers, furnaces, etc… This should help absorb any excess odors before they can spread through your home plus won’t leave any residue or aftertaste as some other chemicals would.
Environmental Protection Agency wood stove requirements
The EPA has emission standards in place to protect the environment. The following are exemptions for new stoves:
- Residential heating devices used exclusively in one or two-family dwellings, including manufactured homes were allowed by state or local laws.
- Portable fireplaces rated at 40 CFR part 60 subpart T *.
- Gas burning appliances are also listed as clean air products under section 59A of the Clean Air Act (CAA). This includes gas fireplace inserts and outdoor grills with dedicated natural gas pipeline connections. You can find out whether these types of units have been certified by checking your appliance’s instruction manual, contacting its manufacturer directly, or reviewing Energy Star’s online product database. As a general rule, if you have a gas stove or fireplace that has been certified as clean air by the EPA, then your wood-burning stove should be acceptable.
- But if you own an older model of Wood Burning Stove there are other options for protecting it from dirt and grease deposits which can lead to sooting:
- Manufacturers typically recommend cleaning their appliances before first use.
- If you find yourself having problems with ash buildup on a regular basis, purchase an inexpensive metal brush designed specifically for this purpose to help keep the glass clean during operation.
- Use only dry seasoned firewood instead of wet logs or green lumber since these tend to create an excess residue that leads to excessive build-up inside your unit over time, especially when burned without proper ventilation in place.
Safety Tips
- Check the chimney and flue pipes for blockages. In case you notice any, clear it as soon as possible to avoid a fire hazard.
- If your wood-burning stove has been installed recently, clean out all dust from its interior with an old cloth or vacuum cleaner after installing the appliance in your home. This will ensure that no carbon monoxide leaks into your living space if there is a crack somewhere on its surface instead of going up through the chimney pipe due to an incomplete combustion process inside the stove itself. If none of this works then consider getting rid of it and buying a new one completely different make altogether. It may be extremely dangerous since most people never even check their stoves for defects before lighting them.
- Do not ever leave your stove unattended while you’re out of the house or sleeping, especially if there are children around who could play with it and burn themselves seriously in case a fire erupts due to some unforeseen circumstances. If using a wood-burning stove at all during sleep time is an absolute necessity then keep on checking from time to time by looking up through the chimney pipe every now and again just make sure that everything looks normal even though it’s dark outside so as not to take any chances whatsoever.
- Make sure never put rubbish inside your wood-burning stove since paper, plastic bags, cloth, even untreated wood can cause a fire to break out immediately if you’re not careful enough.
- Keep your stove clean at all times by brushing away dust or ash that accumulates on its surface regularly with a brush especially around the rim where soot tends to accumulate quickly over time. This will ensure optimal heat distribution for an enhanced heating process while also keeping it free of any potential fires which could happen due to overheating in some cases.
- Do not ever take apart your chimney pipe since this is something best left up to professionals who have the necessary equipment and know-how needed for such work. Besides, most people are too lazy anyway when it comes down to hiring someone else to do their dirty work properly and end up paying the price for it in the long run by having to get rid of their wood-burning stoves entirely.
FAQs About Wood Burning Stoves
Why does my wood-burning stove smell?
You may be used wet or unseasoned firewood. Try to burn only well dried seasoned logs, the best are oak and ash which give off little odor when burning. At first, your new appliance will emit a certain amount of smoke as it is being used for the first time but this should dissipate after about 15 minutes once you have built up some heat within the machine itself.
What are the different types of wood-burning stoves?
There is a wide range of wood stoves to suit every home and personal preference. There is something for everyone, whether your ideal appliance has a traditional look or more contemporary styling, you will be able to find the perfect one that not only looks great but also provides all-year-round heating in even the coldest conditions. Each model offers its own unique benefits which could make it preferable over another product depending on how often they will be used and where they would like them placed within their property. The main styles include; cast iron stoves (traditional looking), steel plate stoves (modern design), and multifuel models (can burn logs as well as smokeless fuels).
What is the difference between a wood-burning stove and a multi-fuel stove?
Multi-fuel stoves are capable of using any type of solid fuel including oil, smokeless fuels, or logs. Wood burners can only use firewood as their primary source which means that if you do not have access to dry seasoned logs then they will not be able to provide heating all year round.
Conclusion
If you notice that your stove smells, chances are it is not properly seasoned. It takes time to season a new wood-burning stove since the chimney needs to be heated enough for all creosote and resin residue inside of it to burn off so there will be no smoke coming out when using the stove. When this happens, you can enjoy having an efficient heating appliance in your home without worrying about any unpleasant odors or fumes escaping into other parts of the house.