Stinky Fireplace, HELP!

Renee · #1 (**permalink**) 06-06-2002, 03:08 PM

I hope someone can help. We just bought a house (and spent all our money on that!) I have been cleaning and painting and it is starting to shape up. Except the fireplace. It stinks.

It gets really bad when it is humid out. DH says he doesn't mind it, but I can't be in the living room.

I took the burned remains of the previous owners fire out. We have removed the carpet in the house. The living room has been painted. We had a chimney sweep come out and he said the chimney looked ok.

I will still sweep (shop vac) the fireplace out and clean some paneling behind the fireplace.

What else can I do? We don't have the money for a large remodel project. Any suggestions?

I am thinking about calling another chimney company.
HELP PLEASE!

pita1213 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-06-2002, 05:42 PM

does closing the flue help any? is the bottom of the fireplace soild or does it have a trap door for the ashes? if it has a trap door, the ash shoot may need to be cleaned as well.
i know that ours will smell like someone has a fire going if the wind blows right but having the flue shut helps a lot.

Renee · #3 (**permalink**) 06-07-2002, 04:40 AM

It doesn't have a trap door. Is a flue the same as a damper? If so it doesn't have one. The chimney company was supposed to install a damper and clean it. The first guy who came didn't have what he needed. A second guy came to do it and he said what the first guy was going to do was silly and he recommended leaving it alone or ordering one that fits in the bottom of the chimney from the internet. I couldn't find them. I'll do a search under flue. Neither of them cleaned it. Thanks, you have given me some hope!

janet · #4 (**permalink**) 06-07-2002, 05:52 PM

Did the previous owners leave a wood pile behind? Check it out and see what they were burning. Some people burn household trash in their fireplaces.

so bad to do and what a smell. Make sure you only burn seasoned wood, not green wood. There are scented pinecones you can toss in there when you have the fireplace going. I have even used cinnamon sprinkled in my woodstove....smells yummy!;-)

allenlee714 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-08-2002, 01:34 PM

we had an area in the house that did the same thing when it got humid out. my roomate suggested putting some charcol on it. just a bag of the cheap stuff for barbecues...it absorbed the smell..it worked for me..hipoe for you too...

allenlee714 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-08-2002, 01:38 PM

me again about the charcol..leave it there a few days and throw it out .....don't light it or anything...it is the best odor absorber around...

pita1213 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-08-2002, 07:04 PM

yes a flue is the same thing as a damper. if neither of them cleaned it, then that is probably what it needs to keep it from smelling. i'd call another company to come out and look at it to put in a damper. it's seems odd to me that the second guy wants you to look around on the internet for one instead of calling a supplier for one.

Renee · #8 (**permalink**) 06-08-2002, 07:27 PM

pita1213, Usually I am afraid contractors will do things I don't need, not the opposite. I thought it was weird, too. The second guy said the guy who came first had hurt his knee. I wonder if he was overbooked? Anyway, we called a couple places today, but didn't reach anyone. I'll try again on Monday. until they come I may try the charcoal.

GMC44 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-08-2002, 10:25 PM

HI THERE-I"M ALWAYS READING SOMETHING OR OTHER TO MY HUBBY AS HE HAS HAD EXPERIENCE IN MOST THINGS. (HES YOUR ALL AROUND HANDY MAN FOR RENT!)
HIS 2 CENTS ON THIS IS -- HAVE YOUR HUBBY PURCHASE SOME TAR (A GALLON SHOULD DO FOR LESS THEN $5.00) CLIMB UP ON THE ROOF AND TAR AROUND THE CHIMNEY AREA, AS WATER MAY BE GOING DOWN THE CHIMNEY AND RUNNING BEHIND THE FIREPLACE WALL WHICH WILL CAUSE MOLD TO GROW!!!.YOU CAN ALSO CHECK FOR MOLD BY CUTTING AWAY A SMALL SQUARE ON THE FIREPLACE WALL THEN STICK YOUR HAND BACK THERE -
THIS MAY SOUND GROSS BUT - SCRATCH AND SNIFF !! THIS MAY BE WHAT YOU ARE SMELLING WHEN YOU GET YOUR FIRE GOING.
YOU KNOW HOW CINNAMON DOESN'T START SMELLING GOOD UNTIL YOU BOIL IT ! SAME CONCEPT.
LET ME KNOW IF THIS HELPS AS HE CAN ALSO LEND A HAND IN REMOVING THE MOLD BEHIND THE WALL IF THAT IS WHATS NEEDED.
HOPE THIS HELPS JUST ANOTHER FRIEND,GLADYS

Renee · #10 (**permalink**) 06-11-2002, 05:32 PM

The chimney sweep came today. He said to put fiberglass insulation that doesn't have a paper liner up the chimney for the odor. He also said it would cost $1,650.00 to get it up to code. I already had another chimney sweep say it was up to code.

Who knows???