funky smell when lit...

[Deleted member 116684]

Alright peeps, when I burn wood I get this stange acrid smell. Not a nice smokey smell, but a sharp unpleasant acrid smell. Any one know what it could be? I burn well seasoned oak. Pipe is clean, just had it done before the burn season. And if you've experienced it before, can you give me some tips? I would like my neighbors to stay friendly.

 

[Iaff113]

I would just think it's the wood you are burning. I can always tell what my wife loads in the stove when I'm outside. Oak and locust don't smell the greatest to me. I love when the cherry is in the stove


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[sirbuildalot]

What temp are you burning your stove at? I know you said the pipe was cleaned, but it doesn't take long for creosote to build up. Is this a recent thing or has it been happening all season? Is all of your wood oak, or did you get into some oak just recently? Oak can take a couple years to season properly. My guess is that it still has significant moisture content in it and the moisture is what is causing the smell. Is there any water in the clean out pit?

 

[Andyshine77]

Really sounds like you're burning off some creosote when you get a nice hot fire really roaring.

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[Deleted member 116684]

oak seasoned 2.5 years. I burn hot fires. Stove temp is usually between 650 and 725. Rarely below that but sometimes a little above. I suppose it could be burning of creosote. I can't say I smell it every time I light up but I do seem to smell it often. Did't quite make it out of the 30s today so we've had fires going constantly.. Maybe it's the way the oak smells when it burns? I'll try some cherry in the next few days and see if it continues.

 

[chucker]

? with out evidence of oozing creosote it sounds like your flue is to small for the extra high temps you are maintaining! what is happening is gas build up in the fire box from lack of oxygen to eliminate the gas build up!?? "over firing" will choke you out from these gas's!! ? does the draft puff back when this is happening????

 

[muddstopper]

I get a little smell if I let the fire die down to just a bed of coals and then throw on a bunch of larger rounds. It doesnt last long, just until the fire gets too going again.

 

[Streblerm]

I don't care for the smell of oak myself. I find it has sort of an acrid smell even burning clean. It almost reminds me of coal. Try getting some maple, cherry, hickory, etc and see if the smell changes. Maple smells much nicer than oak IMO.

 

[Deleted member 116684]

? with out evidence of oozing creosote it sounds like your flue is to small for the extra high temps you are maintaining! what is happening is gas build up in the fire box from lack of oxygen to eliminate the gas build up!?? "over firing" will choke you out from these gas's!! ? does the draft puff back when this is happening????

I've seen No puffing at all. I don't know what your stove runs at but 650 is normal for mine. 840 is considered overfiring according to the manual but I don't let it get that high.It runs at the range I specified ealier with the Draft closed down as far as I can without letting the fire die, but I don't usually put it that far down unless it bed time, even then I like to leave it open more than that so it doesn't smolder while I sleep. It's been doing this smell thing for a while. My flue is a six inch insulated stainless pipe the stove calls for. If gases are bulding up I don't know how to fix that. It drafts pretty well. I'll try some cherry or pecan and see if I still smell it. Could be the oak.

 

[NSMaple1]

I think I would have a good look at my chimney - sounds like some creosote is being made. Then maybe some is burning off periodically.

Might also help to know exactly what you have for a stove.

Are you smelling this smell inside the house, or outside?

 

[Full Chisel]

What type of oak are your burning? Some species have a more acrid smell than others. Locust definitely smells "off". You could have fungus in some of the wood...I find that it has a very distinct acrid smell when it burns.

 

[Deleted member 116684]

osburn 2200 and I have never been told after it was inspected that there was creosote build up, just the opposite. The oak I burn is varied, we have so many types around here.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Jeez. My stove top usually is around 300-400*!

 

[chucker]

Jeez. My stove top usually is around 300-400*!

mine as well with out turning the sides red as Rudolph's nose! never heard of such a maintained temp!
(650-725*)










9

 

[svk]

Is the bad smell more noticeable right after loading? Bark doesn't smell so good when burning and that would burn off first.

I think oak smells good. Not as good as pine, cedar, maple, birch, or cherry but pretty good.

 

[Full Chisel]

mine as well with out turning the sides red as Rudolph's nose! never heard of such a maintained temp!
(650-725*)

The newer effeciency stoves running secondary airflow get very hot. With a full load of oak/locust the soapstone gets up to 600*+ with the damper fully closed.

 

[chucker]

The newer effeciency stoves running secondary airflow get very hot. With a full load of oak/locust the soapstone gets up to 600*+ with the damper fully closed.

still sounds hot! but my old stove that's home made out of 1/4' plate steel takes a lot to get that hot... the garage stove is a hot blast and it gets hot as hell but still not over 500*.

 

[schmauster]

I get that too. Ive attributed it to dust on the wood stove and stove pipe. It sure smells like burning hair or something gross. Ive noticed it on some stoves and some not. This is my guess, could it be the roof to stove pipe insulator? I air the house out before i start a blazing fire then it goes away as soon as it gets hot.


It smells like something between burning body hair and crack i'd guess.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Probably overfiring and burning off the paint either on the stove or on the pipe. I've had it happen when I've forgotten the air wide open.

Don't load the stove and sit on the couch... you end up waking up an hr or two later in a pool of sweat with the stove doing it's best to try and melt down. I've seen 800*+ stove top temps before! (normal is 300-400* area)

 

[schmauster]

Not arguing but checking facts, im curious what the smell is too..


We have 3 of those stove pipe thermometers, we heat our stove up quickly but when the funky smell occurs its usually in the 100-200*C range. Every stove is different but packed with semi dry oak it wont really get over 300*C

We have a giant wood stove in a small house so by the time it would be too hot we are sweating buckets