To be annoyed about this smoke smell?

[Mandoidi]

Last night I came downstairs after putting DC to bed and the downstairs smelt of burning/smoke. It was overwhelming, gross and very unhealthy smelling/made me feel ill.

DH said maybe it was a wood burner and I think he is right.

If it was a wood burner being used by a neighbour, should I be able to smell it like this? This is our 3rd autumn/winter here and I don't recall this happening in previous years, so I'm thinking it must be new.

We did have the kitchen window and the velux vents open to freshen up the downstairs after cooking so I guess it got in there. Of course we could close them, but it would be to our detriment, so I would rather not.

So AIBU to be annoyed by it? And does anyone have any suggestions for me? I'm worried it will be every night now until Spring 😥

Could it have just been a bonfire or other external source of smoke? It is a time of year when bonfires are more common.
Perhaps try not to worry until/unless there are repeats of the experience.
I'm guessing that if it is a neighbour's wood burner, the installation isn't correct and you would certainly be within your rights to ask the neighbours about it and require them to put it right. There might be specific standards that the installer is legally required to comply with?

Yeah they absolutely stink but if it's legal you can't do anything.

Yeah, one of our neighbours has one. The second we smell the slightest hint of smoke we run round the house closing all the windows! The smell sticks to everything otherwise. I hate it but it's one of those things you just have to live with.

Maybe someone is burning plastic? That can be a horrible and overwhelming smell. Illegal too. There’s an option on the council website to complain.

Are you very near to your neighbour? I'm surrounded by wood burning neighbours but have never smelled the smoke from their fires and we're a 'windows open' house all year round. Sounds like a bonfire if it's that offensive.

If you've been there 3 years and this is the first time it's happened I'd let it go.

Don't make a complaint behind their back. Talk to them if needs be. Chances are it was a one off

One of our neighbours is constantly cutting old wood and their fire often stinks of a mixture of burnt wood, plastic, animal and 💩. Heaven knows what they burn. I'm close to complaining, especially as the female of the household is the neighbourhood nosey cow/judgemental complainer who thinks she's perfect (I have spoken to her in the past and tried to like her). OK my rant over. 😬

Oh to be clear I don't know for sure if this is a wood burner and I don't know if it is from any particular neighbour so I can't speak to anyone about it.
I was always going to see if it's a repeat occurrence, but just wanted to know if a neighbour did have one whether it should get into my house like this and smell so strongly.
Thanks for all your replies 😀

could you dh be a secret smoker ?

We get this every year. Smell of smoke in our house, having to close windows and even pets smelling of smoke when it's really bad.

Every year there are threads on here with people saying you shouldn't be able to smell it if it's a well maintained wood burner but we do and it's more than a few houses so we're surrounded.

Our neighbour’s wood burner smells awful. What are people actually burning to smell so evil?

Surely if you have never smelt it before and it was that strong, it must have been a bonfire?

Completely different smell

I mean we have a wood burner and all our neighbours have either a wood burner or a fire, and I can't say I have ever run around the house frantically closing windows because the smoke smell is so strong. Yes, if you go outside you can smell something but not to the extent that it affects anything. I'd rather the smell of smoke than the smell of slurry for instance (in which case I do run around closing windows and bringing washing in!)

If it smells really pungent then they aren't burning properly dry wood.

They are fine if they use properly seasoned or kiln-dried wood.

Almost all wood is combustible but that doesn't mean that all wood can be used in a wood burning stove.

fair point

It could be a wood burner. Our neighbour has one and it does fill our house with smoke. Most of it comes down our chimney though, they have a cowl on theirs that's stopping the smoke rising.

I've got COPD so it'll be shortening my life span as well. Seems crazy to allow it in a residential setting considering the particulates that are churned out, even with properly seasoned wood.

In 2021, DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) released a report which found that domestic wood burning has become one of the biggest sources of PM pollution in the UK, exceeding that of road traffic.

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/wood-burning-stoves/article/stoves-and-pollution-aIPXC8g7lbu5

That’s very odd, that it fills your house with actual smoke. Maybe put a cowl or something on your chimney,

if the winds are low with windows open and the smoke is smokey then that can make the smell to

It's got one, I've got a living flame gas fire which I can't use because I have to block the chimney when they start burning.

If you can smell it, it is actual smoke.

Fingers crossed for nothing tonight!
I'm hoping it was just a bonfire and an unlucky direction of wind

They can be that strong that you can smell them indoors with windows shut, I speak from experience, & god forbid you might want to open the window and let some fresh air in