A question about log burners

[LucidCamel]

We have a log burner which we've been using for the first time this winter. We had the chimney cleaned in October, we have a chimney thermometer which says it's getting to a good temperature, and I've fitted a CO alarm on the wall nearby. I get the logs from a local supplier. I clean it after each use.

Each time we use it, though, after a while it gives off a horrible sickly sweet smell that gives me a headache and lingers in the room for a day or so unless I leave the windows open for hours... which slightly defeats the point.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong or what the smell is?

They sometimes stink bit when first used, it is a chemically smell to do with manufacturing process and eventually goes away. Exactly when did you start using it?

Leave 1-3 inches of ash inside each time you use it (protects against bottom warping), keep fires short-lived and low temp for first few weeks (as well as you can). That is supposed to temper the steel/iron in so that it also doesn't warp long-term.

We started in November, maybe once every couple of weeks. But it's not a new burner, it was here when we moved in a couple of years ago, and had definitely been used.

I wonder if previous owners did something to it.
Solution is probably to use it more often & burn off whatever the yucky residue is.

I've never heard of cleaning after each use, so may be that? Burning cleaning product residue? It does the fire good to have a bit of ash in to get going I think (vaguely remember reading on Google at some point)
Other thought are checking seals to the flue and any joing in the flue?
And Making sure enough air is getting in (with those valve type things you can slide, flip etc) to burn the wood fully.

If we burn old fence posts that have been treated they smell awful, could it be that?

Thank you all. I'm not using any cleaning products, just sweeping out all the ash in case that makes it not burn hot enough. When we had the chimney cleaned they checked the flue seals. And I'm only using logs and kindling bought for burners.

Maybe it's something the previous owners did.... the safety glass in the front had a great crack across it when we moved in (which we've replaced), so maybe they did something. Not sure I can cope with the smell too many more times this year, though.

OP, I don't profess to know the answer to your query, but I can sympathise as we also get that sickly sweet smell that gives me a really bad headache.

However, whilst we did have a woodburner (multi fuel stove) at our last house, we sold that place in December and only have open fires in our new house.......and I reacted the same way in both houses.

I've been moaning to DH about it for ages and he thinks I'm imagining it - I'm not!

Anyway, we just discussed it in the light of your thread - he's now taking me more seriously, lol - and we both came to the conclusion it might be caused by the sap in unseasoned timber as we've not always been as picky as we should be with what we've been burning, ie, logs from the garden.....

Never happens with coal and also I had a bad reaction when a neighbour had a bonfire last week.....

Apologies for hijacking your thread btw, but other opinions would be appreciated......

Hope you get to the bottom of the cause soon x

Please don't apologise, it's nice to know it's not just me! Maybe I should try coal.

Do you have wood piled up at each side touching the wood burner? We had it like that as it looked pretty, but when it was lit there was an awful sweet woody smell to the point it was hard to breathe. Turned out it was the wood touching the side being warmed up once the wood burner heated up.

Ooh. Yes we do, and that makes sense. I'll move it and try again tomorrow. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure it's a fire risk to store the wood actually touching the wood burner, particularly if it's well seasoned. They do get incredibly hot. And you should try to only burn properly seasoned wood because otherwise you will get deposits in the flue which could cause a chimney fire.

Ours always smells a bit funny as the metal in the flue and receiving plate heats up, but it disperses quite quickly. Could it be something in the fireplace heating up and smelling?

we are always catching fire to logs as the side of the stove...sitting here minding my own business and suddenly realise the fire seems very smokey...

dh nags me about it, but i still do it.

I do make sure nothing is singeing away before i go to bed!

you need to leave a layer of ash in.

A wood fire burns with air from the top, and the layer of ash provides a heat reflector, so it burns best and gets hottest when lit with a layer of ash underneath in the can.

A coal fire needs to draw the air up from underneath through the bottom of the fire and so needs a cleaned out ash can.

I think it may be sap in the wood. You shouldn't burn pine at all, your wood needs to be well seasoned. (so if freshly cut down trees it needs to sit and season for 1-2 years)

Ours was fitted last winter and we have never had any smell at all. At the moment we use it 3-4 times per week.

What kind of wood are you burning? Is it kiln-dried or shudders filling station logs ?

Anither possibility is something dropped behind the stove which is heating up and smelling.

If you are unsure of how well seasoned the logs are, just check with a moisture meter. It should be less than 20%.
If the moisture is too high you can end up with a tar build up in your chimney which is a potential fire hazard.

I read somewhere you shouldn't burn actual coal even in a multi-fuel burner and certainly not in a woodburner. Smokeless fuel in the first is ok tho.

It's definitely the logs stacked at the side of the burner (particularly if you have any pine in there). Move them so that they are not touching the burner and you should be fine.

We had some slightly damp wood that I dried off by putting it on top of the burner whilst it was lit and it gave off an awful smell.

Alternatively if the previous owners used the stove for burning lots of eg unseasoned green wood it coukd be creosote deposits you are smelling. IIRC these aren't always removed by a regular sweep if they are really baked on.

That would also explain the headaches.

Personally I would stop using it and get a NACS chimney sweep around for a second opinion. Creosote is quite hazardous to health and also in terms of chimney fires.

You should leave an inch or so of ash at the bottom. I dont know if that would cause a smell.

The only time we've had an odd smell is if we've burnt dodgy wood.

You also need 18cm gap minimum between the log burner and any wood(or other flammable material ).

I moved the wood and have had it going for an hour now without a hint of the smell. Thank you wise MNers!

If you are using pine, it's resin that you can smell. Always use seasoned wood. I had to live with a stove for over 15 years. Never ever again. Bloody awful dust makers.

finger - ours is fab, the best thing we ever did. BUT we are not dependent on it for heat or water, it is extra, and when it is on, the heating is off, so double save (all our wood is free)