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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Women's fireplace stinks.

31 replies

Rockbottom2910 · 12/01/2022 10:50

Hi all. I live in a street where the houses are quite old but refurbished. Ex military housing. They originally had open fireplaces but most have been taken out, a few people have reinstated. Not this this is overly relevant.

Anyway I have a very good sense of smell usually. . Back in November I kept smelling smoke and it was smoky outside. I noticed it was coming from an older ladies fireplace 2 doors down billowing from chimney. It stank.

Then I got covid and haven't been able to smell it for a month.

But my god my smell is back and I can smell it. She seems to have it on day and night. I can't open my back door as it stinks.

Are fireplaces meant to smell this bad?! Never experienced it before.

Can't control what my neighbours are doing but my god she needs a chimney sweep I think.

Could smell it all night.

No, it's not from the covid. I did get a smoky taste and smell after covid but this is definitely the fireplace again. Dp can smell it too and his sense of smell is usually crap even before covid.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rockbottom2910 · 12/01/2022 10:54

Woman's *

OP posts:
Eleganz · 12/01/2022 10:56

Sounds like she might need it to be swept.

Winniemarysarah · 12/01/2022 10:56

I’ve not known anyone to actually use a proper fireplace for years now. Have you spoken to her about it? As it’s causing a nuisance and it may be a potential hazard then environmental health might do something about it

Subulter · 12/01/2022 10:57

Well, it might need sweeping, or it might be whatever she is burning in her fireplace -- some people throw on food scraps, bin contents etc.

MorningStarling · 12/01/2022 10:59

It might be that she's cooking on it? That would account for weird smells, especially as residue gets stuck up the chimney. Either that or she's burning rubbish on it.

Lockheart · 12/01/2022 10:59

It sounds like she needs the chimney sweeping or she's using inappropriate fuel. You shouldn't be smelling much at all.

phishy · 12/01/2022 11:00

Sounds like an environmental hazard. Is there anyone yiu can inform?

Ponoka7 · 12/01/2022 11:01

I agree that it could be what she is burning. If you wanted to report it, environmental health is the department.

Original poster
Rockbottom2910 · 12/01/2022 11:03

I never thought about environmental health thank you!

It's an older lady. Lives on her own. I don't really want a fuss. She's 2 doors down but semi detached so a bit of a gap. Must be awful for the people right next to her.

I wanted to open my windows today for a bit of fresh air...

I've been suffering with dry throat for a few weeks now. It must be the smoke, even when I couldn't smell it. Feels like it's catching my throat. My smell has only been fully back this week!

OP posts:
Woeismethischristmas · 12/01/2022 11:07

I’d suspect she’s burning rubbish in it and report to environmental health. Only ever had a vague smell from open fires certainly not billowing smoke.

theemmadilemma · 12/01/2022 11:53

I live in a row of houses who all have fires, I can barely smell anything.

I'd guess she's burning dodgy stuff.

CounsellorTroi · 12/01/2022 11:55

I opened the thread wondering if ‘fireplace’ was a euphemism……..

IncompleteSenten · 12/01/2022 11:56

@CounsellorTroi

I opened the thread wondering if ‘fireplace’ was a euphemism……..
Me too.
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 12/01/2022 12:04

If the chimney hasn't been swept for a while that's a fire hazard, isn't it? There are about 7000 chimney fires every year in this county, and if they are not noticed they can take out the whole house. I wouldn't want to have the other half of her semi.

According to the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, chimneys in use should be swept at least once a year, more often if you are burning wood.

But where you might get some help about it I can't imagine. Possibly the local fire brigade might be interested, if it is a potential fire hazard. Not sure about environmental health: do they deal with smoke from indoor fires as opposed to bonfires?

VestaTilley · 12/01/2022 12:07

What’s she burning in it?

Worriedgranmasmithy · 12/01/2022 12:23

Across from us a few years back they had some home incinerator for heating. Omg it stank of rank cabbage every time they used it. Wondering if it’s similar system?

Elodeastar · 12/01/2022 12:24

Fireplaces are still quite common where I live now, which surprised me when I first moved here, as they were 'out of fashion' where I grew up! It sounds like it maybe needs swept, or maybe she is burning items that she shouldn't really be burning. Either way, are you on good enough terms that you could casually mention it to her, in a friendly way. The other option, if you feel you cannot go down that route, may be to speak to someone from Environmental Health/local council and explain you are a bit concerned about how smokey a local fire seems to be. It's not a good idea to use them repeatedly without cleaning, or to burn things that are not meant to be burnt, so they should take it on board/advise you.

irishfarmer · 12/01/2022 12:28

Maybe say to her there is a lot of smoke coming from the chimney. She may not know, it could also open the conversation as to what fuel she burns. If it does need a sweep it's a fire hazard we sweep ours every year.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/01/2022 12:31

I opened the thread wondering if ‘fireplace’ was a euphemism

So glad it wasn't just me.

queenrollo · 12/01/2022 12:36

Yes environmental health will look into this if you complain.
I complained about my neighbours having huge bonfires when converting the property next door (they were burning all sorts they shouldn't have been) and they made an 'anonymous' counter complaint about the smoke from one of our chimneys.
Both parties were asked to keep diaries (so start doing this now) and eventually someone came out to assess the impact of our flue.

Chimney smoke does smell, it depends on wind direction and other factors. But really it should be a woodsmoke (or coal) smell and usually only when first lit or new fuel added.
Most people in my village have real fires. It's rarely intrusive.

There are also regulations about flue height and draw etc, but they might apply retrospectively.

Either way, if it's causing you problems then raise it with your Enviro dept.

Itsnotover · 12/01/2022 12:38

Omg. She's not a serial killer is she? 😨

Escapetothecatshome · 12/01/2022 12:39

I've had exactly the same problem, its awful the constant smell of smoke seems to linger every where - I've had to seal a window up with plastic it's got so bad. And I can't even open the back door without getting a mouthful.
I phoned the council and spoke to environmental health - like you its coming from 2 doors down, they have sent them a letter anonymously which I assumed they received, it got better for a little while. But since christmas and the cold snap they've been having fires and its bad again. Environmental health say the letter does the trick, in our case it hasn't, they want you to log everything times,,dates etc and then goes to court. Which is ridiculous they just need to send someone round.
Basically you can get away with burning anything and you haven't really got any come back. So it seems.

I've only been in this house 7 months and I can tell you now, I won't be staying as the air quality is shocking it like London smog from the 50's. Its affected my throat and eyes to.

My thoughts go out to you as I know exactly what you're going through and you're not going mad !

queenrollo · 12/01/2022 12:40

I have a neighbour who burns scrap wood by the way, and it frequently is things like old fence panels which have paint or wood preservative on. This STINKS to high heaven and is a real hazard for flue fires. I wonder if she has a free source of unsuitable firewood...

Tal45 · 12/01/2022 12:40

Damp, unseasoned or wet wood is the worst for billowing black smoke it doesn't burn well at all. Any rubbish she produced would probably burn through quite quickly so I wouldn't have thought it was that if it's constant and day and night.

The sale of wet wood and house coal is being phased out. Smokeless coals such as anthracites are what we use. I would speak to environmental health and see if they're interested and speak to the neighbours and see if they know anything about the situation.

Squills · 12/01/2022 12:43

Don't report her, just have a word with her about it.