Fumes from recently installed Stove

johnnygman

I recently had a Boru Fichra stove installed, bought it new and had fitters recommended by store fit it. I previously had a Gas fire which was removed by a RGI and no issue. They just packed behind the stove with rockwool which I thought was poor enough way to fit a stove and slotted it in.

They were at it 45 mins at most and charged €250 quid. I have read Manual, started with small fires and built it up as advised over 3 weeks now and fumes/smell is brutal, dries my throat and is near unbearable after fires reache a good temp. It surely cannot be the paint curing at this stage? I'm going back to shop to enquire and look for further help as the stove right now is unusable and I hope we have not damaged our health over the last 3 weeks trying to let this thing burn off the smell. It's has not gotten any better.

Could anyone who knows about this stuff please help as we have a small child in the house and I'm very unhappy as main reason we installed it was to save on LPG gas bill and have a warmer house. I'm wondering if it's the Rockwell behind the stove, or if it could be the fireplace which may not have been designed for higher temps as it was meant for a gas fire. Sorry about spelling/grammar as typed on phone!

Robbie.G

johnnygman wrote: »

I recently had a Boru Fichra stove installed, bought it new and had fitters recommended by store fit it. I previously had a Gas fire which was removed by a RGI and no issue. They just packed behind the stove with rockwool which I thought was poor enough way to fit a stove and slotted it in.

They were at it 45 mins at most and charged €250 quid. I have read Manual, started with small fires and built it up as advised over 3 weeks now and fumes/smell is brutal, dries my throat and is near unbearable after fires reache a good temp. It surely cannot be the paint curing at this stage? I'm going back to shop to enquire and look for further help as the stove right now is unusable and I hope we have not damaged our health over the last 3 weeks trying to let this thing burn off the smell. It's has not gotten any better.

Could anyone who knows about this stuff please help as we have a small child in the house and I'm very unhappy as main reason we installed it was to save on LPG gas bill and have a warmer house. I'm wondering if it's the Rockwell behind the stove, or if it could be the fireplace which may not have been designed for higher temps as it was meant for a gas fire. Sorry about spelling/grammar as typed on phone!

Need more detail is it free a standing or inset stove why was it packed behind.Post some pics and we might be able to advise better but for the mean time do not use until its checked out further.Who got fitters you or did the shop recommend them

Dtp79

Robbie.G wrote: »

Need more detail is it free a standing or inset stove why was it packed behind.Post some pics and we might be able to advise better but for the mean time do not use until its checked out further.Who got fitters you or did the shop recommend them

Also make sure there's an adequate vent fitted in the wall and a CO alarm in the room.

johnnygman

Dtp79 wrote: »

Also make sure there's an adequate vent fitted in the wall and a CO alarm in the room.

Cheers, yep there is a vent and I have a Carbon M alarm, it's an inset stove, I assume they pack in behind the stove to fill the gap between the rear of the unit and the back of the chimney. I'll speak to the store before it goes on again..

Dtp79

johnnygman wrote: »

Cheers, yep there is a vent and I have a Carbon M alarm, it's an inset stove, I assume they pack in behind the stove to fill the gap between the rear of the unit and the back of the chimney. I'll speak to the store before it goes on again..

I fitted an inset a while back and although it seems like a good idea insulate behind it I didn't because it clearly said on the instructions that I needed at least 100mm ( i think ) air gap all around it. Yours could be different. Read the installation instructions for yours

Supercell

We got a Country Kiln (non insert) stove and have a similar problem. The fumes off it the first 10 lights or so were so bad we had to open all the windows in the room and the air was actually visibly foggy.
Four months later we can light wood fires OK, coal fires are hotter and the fumes are very noticeable. But a small wood fire is fine.
We are very disappointed with it. I tried repainting the stove with stove paint but it made no difference.
I read extensively online about the problem and its easy to read many such accounts.

The conclusions seem to be :-

1) In some cases it can take years before the smells go if they ever go at all
2) In some cases the smell isn't actually coming from the stove - it may be the surrounds (which i suspect it may be in my house)
3) This doesn't seem to be manufacturer or stove specific problem, it just seems some of us are get bad stoves or there's something else at play going on which a replacement would do as well - which is why I'm very reluctant to go down the road of buying another one and getting it fitted. The smaller wood fires are fine but obviously its a compromise I wish I didn't have to take.

Sorry I cant give you any better advice OP.

dozy doctor

We bought a fireplace insert stove 3 years ago and it gave me severe headaches....

Got the usual **** from the manufacturers and the hardware store saying that you have to let the paint cure which went on for almost 4 months...

Absolute bo$$ox.... Put my foot down and demanded that they change it, which they did and fight have any issues with the new one....

My advice, is put your foot down and rehabs they change it.....

corkgsxr

There should be very little fumes of a stove. You sure it's not leaking flue smoke back into the room

dozy doctor

corkgsxr wrote: »

There should be very little fumes of a stove. You sure it's not leaking flue smoke back into the room

Positive.... It was installed correctly and the smell was horrible.....

alfunia

from my experience selling stoves and dealing with the problems, nine out of ten times its down to the installation and not the actual stove. I'd have no concern about the rockwool as that will never burn. I'm more concerned about how it is flued. You mentioned you had a gas stove removed. If you had a flexible flue liner in for the gas it won't do for the solid fuel. It needs to be twin wall for solid fuel. Otherwise it will burn out in no time. Ideally an insert stove should have 600mm of 316 stainless steel pipe fitted and then adapt to 316 twin wall flexible flue and go right to the top of the chimney. You wouldn't believe some of the stories I could tell you about bad installations. I'd call them back or put the pressure on the store that sold you the stove. Everyone is getting on the stove band wagon these days.. buyer beware

johnnygman

Thanks for all the great replies. I have persisted with it, the fumes are not nearly as bad but are still noticeable when the fire burning quite hot and after the mantlepiece has heated up.

As someone pointed out smaller fires, no smell/fumes, I know the installers personally and they have been in the business a long time, and they have assured me, installed to standard. and flu done properly, i think it is actually the bonding solution in the fireplace that is giving off the smell, as it is only noticeable now when the fireplace above the stove is heated to above a fairly high temp. As i said it has reduced greatly so I think this will prob sort itself in next month or so completely. Disappointing to still be having an issue but compared to what is was before christmas it's seems to be improving with every use. will touch base down the line with an update for anyone with a similiar issue..