Stove smoking issue. Please help!

Dony

Hi all,

For the last few years I've had a solid-fuel stove installed and I've been really happy with it except for the last few weeks or so.
I just seem to be constantly getting a slight smell of smoke in the room even though the airtight ropes which seal the doors are in good condition(it has a side loading door too).
The rear of stove where it gets vented up the chimney seem to be sealed up very well and not leaking -I think.
Its very hard to know where its leaking from because a visual test isn't showing up anything.
The brand is Efel and it is only four years old. The chimney isn't blocked and has been cleaned recently. I've excellent draw/suction.
Is there any way I can test to see where the leak is from?
Is there a type of service-man I can ring up that will come and test the air in the room to see if its affected. Does solid fuel produce Carbon Monoxide? I usualy just burn sticks and logs.
Not sure how true this is but i read somewhere that you can put a smoke bomb on the grate and shut all vents etc on the stove to see where the leak is coming from.
I have a new born baby now and am very worried about this.
I haven't lit the stove since the baby came home and can't untill untill I get this sorted/checked out.
Thanks.

Pete67

Has anything changed in the room recently which might effect the operation of the stove? In addition to good draw from the chimney, there needs to be a good supply of fresh air into the room to support combustion. So make sure that there is reasonable ventilation in the room. Is there a permanent ventilation grill in the room? If so, has it been blocked from either the inside or the outside? If there is no vent, then air must come from leakage arund doors and windows, or through the building fabric, so any other changes made such as installation of new windows, draft excluders on doors etc can effect proper combustion in the stove.

Solid fuel can indeed product carbon monoxide, especially where there is insufficient air for complete combustion. You cannot smell it. If you are concerned you can buy a carbon monoxide alarm which will alert you to any build up of CO. You can also get indicators which change colour when CO is detected, but these do not alarm so you need to monitor them periodically.

Dony

Pete67 wrote: »

Has anything changed in the room recently which might effect the operation of the stove? In addition to good draw from the chimney, there needs to be a good supply of fresh air into the room to support combustion. So make sure that there is reasonable ventilation in the room. Is there a permanent ventilation grill in the room? If so, has it been blocked from either the inside or the outside? If there is no vent, then air must come from leakage arund doors and windows, or through the building fabric, so any other changes made such as installation of new windows, draft excluders on doors etc can effect proper combustion in the stove.

Solid fuel can indeed product carbon monoxide, especially where there is insufficient air for complete combustion. You cannot smell it. If you are concerned you can buy a carbon monoxide alarm which will alert you to any build up of CO. You can also get indicators which change colour when CO is detected, but these do not alarm so you need to monitor them periodically.

No nothing has changed. I just generally feel that the stove is leaking from somewhere.
I know what you mean when you mention about vents etc but I've changed nothing of late.
I've given the interior a really thorough cleaning out today of all ash etc but can't see anything.
Hopefully something will turn up.

patbundy

dony was your chimney lined with a flue liner when you got your stove fitted

Dony

Not sure what you mean when you ask me if it was it lined.
Its a standard new chimney which is only 5 years old which I believe is constructed with oven baked liners all the way up to the chimney pot.
I don't have anything else within this chimney from the stove.
The stove is venting straight up this standard chimney.
Its a high two story chimney.

whitelightrider

Dony wrote: »

Not sure what you mean when you ask me if it was it lined.
Its a standard new chimney which is only 5 years old which I believe is constructed with oven baked liners all the way up to the chimney pot.
I don't have anything else within this chimney from the stove.
The stove is venting straight up this standard chimney.
Its a high two story chimney.

Im having a similar kind of issue as Dony. I do have a flexi flue liner feeding from the stove and going into the standard chimney opening. Its about 1 meter long.
In my case I think I may need a cowl as we can hear the wind howling around the chimney.
Do you need to install a flue liner up the chimney?