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We just got a fireplace woodburning insert and have been using it for about a month now. We're still getting the hang of building a decent starter fire and keeping it going throughout the day. It works great, but one thing I don't like is the constant smoky air. It's not visible, but it constantly smells like campfire in the house, and that can't be good. And I almost always get a blast of smoky air when I'm adding new logs. Any suggestions? I don't want to get lung cancer over this
Before you open the door,make sure the damper is open all the way,if it has fan, turn it off before you open the door.After you add wood, leave the door open just a little, this will cause a draft and help the new wood to get going faster. Did you have your chimney checked before you put your insert in?
Before you open the door,make sure the damper is open all the way,if it has fan, turn it off before you open the door.After you add wood, leave the door open just a little, this will cause a draft and help the new wood to get going faster. Did you have your chimney checked before you put your insert in?
Yes, we did. Everything was fine before the install. Good point about the fan; I've never turned it off because I thought it was just blowing hot air.
I have a Fisher fireplace insert, installed in the late 70's-early 80's, which is inspected annually and the chimney cleaned when needed. I only use the fire for extra warmth of very cold days and for ambience, and burn with the doors open. This year I have had a lot of difficulty getting my fires started. I'm using oak cut in the winter of 2017 and split in the summer of 2018. Perhaps my wood is not quite dry enough, but once the fire is hot, it burns beautifully. My question is, would a steel grate help with air circulation and get my fire hot enough to catch and take off?
My question is, would a steel grate help with air circulation and get my fire hot enough to catch and take off?
You've been burning the wood directly on the floor of the firebox? I don't believe that's ever the correct way to use a fireplace or insert; a grate to hold the burning material up for airflow and clean burning is essential. At least, I've never used a fireplace or insert in any other way.
I have a Fisher fireplace insert, installed in the late 70's-early 80's, which is inspected annually and the chimney cleaned when needed. I only use the fire for extra warmth of very cold days and for ambience, and burn with the doors open. This year I have had a lot of difficulty getting my fires started. I'm using oak cut in the winter of 2017 and split in the summer of 2018. Perhaps my wood is not quite dry enough, but once the fire is hot, it burns beautifully. My question is, would a steel grate help with air circulation and get my fire hot enough to catch and take off?
Test the wood with a moisture meter. I'd bet it is still very wet since it was only split a few months ago. A solid log dries very slowly...hardwood should get about 18 months drying after splitting IMO.
You have CO detectors? If not get them, preferably ones with readout. While real low levels of CO can be present in the house generally they should read 0 most of the time. For example if you have gas strove and turn it on that is going to put a small amount of CO into the home and the readout on the detector may indicate that, same thing when you open the door on the insert.
It's only when you have levels that are immediate health risk or prolonged levels over given time period that pose risk that a CO detector will go off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maestramommy
Good point about the fan; I've never turned it off because I thought it was just blowing hot air.
That's all it blows however it could cause vacum type action and pull smoke from the firebox when you open the door. You really should not have a strong odor of smoke in the house. This can be caused by a variety of reasons. Not enough draft, blocked flue or it's being pulled back into the house from some other source.
Go out and look at the chimney, is the smoke near any opening like another flue or the vent for bathroom? Air needs to come back into the house from somewhere and if that air is smoky....
"You've been burning the wood directly on the floor of the firebox? I don't believe that's ever the correct way to use a fireplace or insert" ......... for a fireplace, yes, use a grate....but not in an insert.
Regards
Gemstone1
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