Smell from my wood stove, take a look?

[LittleLebowski]

Hello, I've been in this house I bought since February and this week is the first time I've really ran this stove hard and it is emitting a tolerable but noticeable acrid, chemical smell. It definitely looks like a newer stove to me with regards to age.

I understand that new stoves need a break in time and that this could be normal but I would appreciate it if folks more knowledgeable than I took a look at what I have. I see no smoke in the house when I smell this odor. I am not burning green wood nor trash in here. I do not see much in the way with regards to adjusting air flow other than two internal slats (terminology?) on the top that I may move forward and back. Currently, I am adjusting air flow by slightly cracking the door. I appreciate any and all advice.

 

[Streblerm]

Not quite cured paint will give off an odor for a while. I notice a bit of smell every year when I first fire my stove up. I attribute this to house dust that gathered on the stove burning off.

Get yourself a good hot fire going and see if it subsides. I bet it will.

 

[LittleLebowski]

Roger that, this is about the third good hot fire in this stove, I'll see if I can run it hard all day. I've checked and there is no black dust in the room where this stove resides, so probably not a leak, right?

 

[Streblerm]

Leaks in a stove pipe shouldn't let smoke into your house unless the cap is plugged. They will let house air into the chimney which cools flue gas and increases air infiltration in the house.

 

[Marshy]

Did you put some type of stove cement on the joints of the pipe? That could be curing and giving off the smell. It's also possible that the paint isnt fully cured. If you are adding extra air to the firebox by cracking the door then it's likely you have a hotter fire than in the past so the sides of stove is getting hotter and curing the parts that didn't get as hot previously. Make sense? The paint doesn't always smoke a while curing. While possible to smoke it doesn't usually unless you get the metal rolling hot.

 

[LittleLebowski]

Did you put some type of stove cement on the joints of the pipe? That could be curing and giving off the smell. It's possible that the paint is fully cured. If you are adding extra air to the firebox by cracking the door then it's likely you have a hotter fire than in the past so the stove is getting hotter and curing the parts that didn't get as hot previously. Make sense? The paint doesn't smoke a while lot when curing. While possible to smoke it doesn't usually unless you get the metal rolling hot.

I did not personally do so, what is pictured is what's there. I can take better pictures of the joints if that would help. I do think there is stovevement on the joints and I do think your advice makes sense.

 

[Marshy]

That stuff would tend to cure in one or two firings. It would likely be paint form the stove pipe or the stove. You could crank it on high and cook it all off and open your windows. Make sure you chimney is clean so you don't start a creosote fire if you have any in there.

 

[LittleLebowski]

So the smell seems to emanate from the inside of the stove. I just had the door cracked a bit and the odor was strong. I had to close the door. I'm going to continue stoking it today, going to try seasoned white oak next.

 

[LittleLebowski]

This is exactly what the interior of the stove looks like, how should the horizontal slats be adjusted up top; forward or back?

 

[Streblerm]

The gap should be at the front. This creates the "air wash" feature that burns soot off the glass. Your air adjustment should be a rod under the shelf or ash lip on the front of the stove. All the way out is full open and all the way in is full closed. With mine I start the fire full open and once it starts heating up I push it in until it is even with the lip. You should not have to open the door to regulate the fire.

From the look of the inside of the stove it is very new. Get yourself some type of thermometer. A good hot burn would be a measured 600F stove temp. My guess is that the stove is still curing.

 

[greenskeeper]

That stove is so clean is has to be the paint curing. Probably will take 3-5 good hot fires to get rid of the smell.

In each of the two house I've owned, I installed a brand new fireplace insert and was certain to run the stove hot in the early fall with all the windows open to cure the paint.

 

[Motorsen]

Next time you have your stove pipe appart stuff it with glass rope for sealing instead of that crappy Firegum or what ever name it's sold under. Best use for that is exhaust pipes on vehicles! Problem is that it gets hard and ridgid and tends to crack. Regulate that stove by the gearlever in the bottom and keep the door shut exept for starting or reloading.

Happy heating!
Motorsen

 

[LittleLebowski]

Much thanks to all for the advice so far, burning it in hard today

 

[Ryan'smilling]

I think it's normal and will subside soon. Also, as mentioned the gap should be at the front.

Once your fire is going, close the door and don't open it except to add wood or to rekindle an almost-out fire. You have a draft control on your stove. With a good fire going it'll be easy to figure out which way is open and which is closed. Open for more heat and a cleaner burn, closed for less heat, but sometimes a smoldering fire.

Hope that helps.

 

[Del_]

As mentioned that sure looks like a new paint job.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'm not sure why all that cement is needed on the stove pipe? The joints should be assembled so any creosote inside runs down inside the pipe and not out the joint. If it runs outside that will give a stench. Could that be why there is all that cement? Maybe some creosote is seeping under the cement and cooking off?

 

[LittleLebowski]

I think it needed burnt in, it's a lot better. Finding a 1/4" ID spring handle for the air control without paying a ton of shipping is harder than it looks, though

 

[blades]

Sure looks like a Englander NC30, almost new from from the inside pic so yep as others have said paint curing on stove as well as flue components. NC30 likes fuel with moisture content at around 15% it will work ok up to 20%, but the difference at 15% or less vs 20% or more is amazing. the air control under the ash lip won't seem to do much until it is about equal with the ash lip- the next 1" or so of travel makes big differences with just a little movement. Once mine is hot I set the air control so it seems that the air supplied from the dog house ( center of front opening-little square box type thing ) is sputtering ( best word I can think of ) and the secondaries from the tubes up top are blasting at that point. Particularly the second and third ones back- If and when the #4 fires off then I am looking at 600+ degrees on the stove top with a infrared gun. You do not want to run at 700+ though as that is considered over firing by Englander.
There are a lot of threads on this stove- if you want to do some searching of the forums.