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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Next door's bloody woodburner

46 replies

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:18

Sigh. I don't know what to do. Next door's wood burner smoke is drifting down into our house and it stinks. It doesn't smell like ordinary open fire smoke either, it's really acrid- smells like they're burning green or damp wood. Now when we see they've lit it we quickly shut any windows or doors, but after an hour or so we can smell it in all the rooms on that side of the house, and it's not a smell you can easily ignore.
We've put up with it for a while, hoping it would only be an occasional problem, but no, they seem to light it every night now even when it's not cold, and every time there isn't much wind it stinks us out.
They aren't the easiest of neighbours so I am very reluctant to try to 'have a friendly word'. I don't think they'd take it too well.
They have a funny little cowling thing over the chimney, which seems to be channelling the smoke downwards, and, as I say the stuff they're burning seems to be giving off a lot of acrid smoke. It smells like a bonfire that idiots have been burning plastic on.
What shall we do?! I don't want to be a complaining neighbour!!

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 14/10/2014 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nomama · 14/10/2014 20:26

Definitely Env Health. Our woodburner doesn't smell like that, ever!

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:28

Thankyou, you two- I'll try that. It definitely doesn't smell normal.

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ThreeQuartersEmpty · 14/10/2014 20:29

My neighbours burn old railway sleepers and the like that he's got for free. The smell of the creosote burning is rank. Makes my throat burn.
I can only smell theirs when outside though, not inside my house.

You have my sympathy, I'd report them too.

Selks · 14/10/2014 20:30

First thing I would check and see if you are living in a zone where only smokeless fuels are allowed to be burnt. If so you, and they are burning fuels that aren't allowed, you have grounds to speak to the council.
Other than that I can't see that there is a lot that you can do, but won't you generally be having windows and doors closed anyway, with colder weather coming?

VivaLeBeaver · 14/10/2014 20:30

Is it new? We had ours fitted three weeks ago and it smells funny although its getting better. The fitters said it would smell funny for a week or two.

MissYamabuki · 14/10/2014 20:32

Report. They shouldn't be directing the smoke downwards.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:33

This IS with the doors and windows shut!

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InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:34

Ah- viva- it is fairly new, but it seems to be an acrid bonfire smell

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Nomama · 14/10/2014 20:35

You'd have to think about chimney leakage as well then... Env Health can help there too.

Queen0fFeckingEverything · 14/10/2014 20:37

Yes like Nomama I'd be worrying about the chimney - is the chimney breast adjoining your house? It might not be properly lined, or it might just need a good sweep. Acrid smell is possibly tar? In which case carbon monoxide is a worry - get a monitor asap to be on the safe side and speak the neighbours/Env Health as soon as you can.

Mascaramascara1 · 14/10/2014 20:37

If it's new just remember they may be in the novelty phase, and useafe may drop a lot when the shine wears off.

Mascaramascara1 · 14/10/2014 20:38

*usage

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:38

No it's not chimney leakage- we're detached- it's drifting down to our side door and windows. I think most of it's coming in when we open and shut the side door letting dogs out etc

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PrivateJourney · 14/10/2014 20:40

We have the same thing. The smell isn't bad exactly but it is strong. I don't want my house (and washing) smelling of wood smoke all winter.

I have the same issue with them not being the easiest people to speak to. They're still sulking with another neighbour because they think he reported them for something else - he didn't and they know that now, but they still seem to dislike him for it. Confused

Is it possible to report anonymously

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:41

That's what we're hoping mascara Grin

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VivaLeBeaver · 14/10/2014 20:41

Ours is a terrible acrid smell. The fitters warned us that we'd need to burn it with the windows open at first due to the smell.

If they've had it installed properly it will have been fitted by HETAS regulated fitters and should be kosher. Its a legal requirement for it to be HETAS signed off. The cowl thing at the top is a rain guard and shouldn't affect the draw of the chimney at all.

PrivateJourney · 14/10/2014 20:42

I thought that when it went in last winter but it's been lit everyday this week.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:42

I wouldn't mind so much if it was just a nice wood smoke smell, but it's not. It's definitely damp/ green wood stench

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Queen0fFeckingEverything · 14/10/2014 20:43

Ah okay I see. I'd still be getting a C02 monitor though as any smoke getting inside a house means there is a risk there.

Maybe their chimney isn't high enough for the wind to catch it properly and draw the smoke. Even if it was when built, other later buildings around a house can affect how well a chimney draws (according to the resident woodburner geek). Is the cowling like a witches hat type thing?

wobblyweebles · 14/10/2014 20:44

If it's any consolation their chimney will be filling up with gunk and will probably soon not work properly...

doziedoozie · 14/10/2014 20:45

Can you see where their wood store is, is it wood they are using or some other sort of solid fuel?

The wind direction affects whether or not I smell the smoke from my or my neighbour's woodburner so it's strange you can smell it all the time. Could there be leaks into the walls from their chimney?

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:47

Yeah it is a little pointy hat. I know it's a rain guard and you see lots of em, but it does look as though it's sending the smoke downwards. You can see the smoke rising, hitting it, then coming downwards again

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Bearleigh · 14/10/2014 20:47

If it's any consolation, their house must really stink of it!

We now get our wood from a place that seasons it properly, and it's hardwood, but before, when we got it from the wide boys, they supplied green pine, and our house reeked of kipper. We didn't know any better - maybe they need the name of a better supplier?

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/10/2014 20:48

Maybe we've just been having particularly still weather- can't see any wood stored anywhere

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