Is our Stanley range poisoning us?

AthenaCottage

Hi all, :-)
Sorry for the dramatic title!! But we are beginning to wonder if we maybe will not wake up one of these days.
We recently moved into a cottage with an old Stanley Super 80 range. We've had endless issues with the house filling with smoke, very quick build up of soot in the fire box, tar running down the wall at the back of the stove (seems like from the chimney somewhere).
We had a Waterford engineer come visit who cleaned out the old ash from inside the sides of the range and advised us that the flue pipe had been installed too far back - there was a gap at the front and back of the box at the base of the flue where it attaches to the range. We filled this gap with fire cement to try and cure this particular issue.
The iron plate that sits to the left of the range over the fire box is warped and does not sit flat in it's original space also, allowing fumes and smoke to billow out, especially when coal is first added to the fire.
We were also advised to sweep the chimney which we did ourselves - didn't seem blocked and no birds nests or major build up came crashing down.
We were advised to buy a particular coal called Kosy King Emerald coal as this would give us the best heat output - we also had issues with the radiators not getting warm - so this was seen as the best coal for the job. Only issue being that the coal seems a bit wet compared to other coals we've used.
We have no idea if this has been fitted right at all. I'm a bit worried..to say the least.
Having just moved, we are somewhat on the lean side money wise so can't afford another range just yet.
Does anyone, please, have any ideas as to what is going on?
We don't particularly feel like popping our clogs just yet. :-)

New Home

The first thing I'd do would be to get a carbon monoxide alarm. Then I'd call a proper chimney sweep, and I'd stop using the stove until both it and the flue pipe have been looked at by an expert and they've been sorted. The iron plate will likely need to be replaced, if it's warped (or at the very least the seals around it will have to be, to stop the smoke from escaping), and possibly even the flue pipe may have to be repositioned, if it really isn't in the right place - removing the ash from the stove isn't enough, that's just general maintenance, like removing the ash from a fireplace.

Also, are you certain the chimney isn't leaking and doesn't let the rain in? That might need to be looked at too.

The stove might indeed need to be replaced, but perhaps you could get a second-hand one in working order/ a reconditioned one from a salvage place.

A lot of smoke 'leaking' into the house is not to be underestimated.

BarryD

Was the cottage occupied before you moved in? If the range wasn't lit for a good while, you might expect a certain amount of detritus from the chimney as it dries out and readjusts and which would settle down after a while. But really you shouldn't have smoke & fumes leaking back into the house. Get a carbon monoxide alarm and/ or avoid using till you've sorted it out, especially if your are concerned. A Superser type heater might tide you over for a while. I'd be guessing that the house in oldish and you may be best advised to get a flexible flue liner fitted or fit it yourselves. This runs from the chimney pot down to your flue pipe outlet in one continuous piece.

Atlantic Dawn

Don't stay another day in the house until you get a carbon monoxide alarm.

AthenaCottage

Hi...thanks for the replies.
We have been straight out this afternoon and bought a carbon monoxide alarm.
The range had not been lit since last winter we believe and the previous owners were using electric heaters, so not sure if they were aware there was a problem and had stopped using the range. Certainly makes you uneasy to think they may have known there was an issue but said nothing. :-(
Spoke to someone in Ganleys who advised having the flexible liner too so next on list. They advised there should be no dripping tar whatsoever in the house - almost certainly a cracked flue or damaged joint.
Alarm is batteried up and running. So will see how we fare until we can get it sorted.
Just out of interest if anyone knows? Is it difficult fitting a flue liner diy style? And what's the best type of liner to get..have read having it double skinned or insulated some how is the safest type?
Thanks for taking the time to answer guys...much appreciated.

BarryD

AthenaCottage wrote: »

Hi...thanks for the replies.
We have been straight out this afternoon and bought a carbon monoxide alarm.

Spoke to someone in Ganleys who advised having the flexible liner too so next on list. They advised there should be no dripping tar whatsoever in the house - almost certainly a cracked flue or damaged joint.

Just out of interest if anyone knows? Is it difficult fitting a flue liner diy style? And what's the best type of liner to get..have read having it double skinned or insulated some how is the safest type?

Tarry stuff and soot will collect on the inside of an old chimney and could fall back down when the fire is lit after a longish period. Tar or smoke should not leak back out through chimney masonry though, that would indicate a defect in the lining/ masonry.

We have an old chimney which has a flexible flue liner which I fitted myself. They come in different sizes, 6 inch would be typical to connect to the flue pipe outlet from your stove/ range. The double skinned ones are rigid as far I know and not what you want. It's not too hard to fit but a bit of a dirty job. First clean the chimney as thoroughly as you can and then decide how you will fit. You need to get up on the roof obviously, so I dropped a cord down the chimney and tied this to one end of the liner. Pulled this back up with someone down below to feed it up as straight as possible. There's a bend in our chimney, so a spot of bother but it wiggled up. You then need to secure at the top where it exits the chimney pot and fit a cowl. Cut to size at the bottom and connect. Bath afterwards, particularly for person standing at the bottom!

Make sure you've some access in the flue pipe to clean the liner but I notice that it doesn't gather much soot, being metal I suppose. Advice given on basis of what I know of it, seek further if desired

AthenaCottage

Thanks Barry D,
That's good info there. Think we might take a look at sorting this next week. It's just too much risk and worry to leave it.
Sounds like a fiddly dirty job but needs must! :-)

BarryD

AthenaCottage wrote: »

Thanks Barry D,
That's good info there. Think we might take a look at sorting this next week. It's just too much risk and worry to leave it.
Sounds like a fiddly dirty job but needs must! :-)

Grand, just pick your day to do it. Not great standing out on a roof in winter! Obviously take care and precautions with regard to same if you fit it yourselves

AthenaCottage

A while since my last post but an update seemed reasonable.
The carbon monoxide alarm got very alarmed and suggested we evacuate the house. Which we speedily did - twice! And then left the range alone. unlit for a week until we could find someone to fix things. We were recommended a solid guy who was indeed solid as rock - top man - spent 9 hours unblocking the 3 different bends in our convoluted flue pipe. :-( Buckets of soot and tar later and our range now pulls smoke like a good un. No more carbon monoxide meter having convulsions!
Previous owners had obviously never bothered to do anything properly including cleaning the chimney - eejits!
Will sort something with the flue pipe come the warmer weather as a liner will not be possible due to seriously bendy installation of flue.