On Oct 11, 3:25*pm, HerHusband wrote:
You say you notice it when the *fire* is hot, not when the *stove*
is hot. *That suggests the problem is related to creosote buildup
in the chimney.

Just a poor choice of words...

The smell is most noticeable when the woodstove has heated up and I get a
good fire roaring in it. If I damper it down, the smell dissipates.

I thoroughly clean our chimney every summer with the appropriate wire brush
and rods, and completely remove the previous winters ashes, including
vacuuming any ash that falls down the chimney and builds up on the top of
the firebricks.

It has to be paint related, as it's the same smell we had when we first got
the woodstove. I expect it the first few fires, but eventually I would
think it would cure or burn off...

Anthony

The procedure for "seasoning" new stoves is to burn several small
fires before burning a long, hot fire. During these "seasoning" fires,
most of the paint burn-in will take place. But the first few times you
fire the stove high, you may get some residual burn-in odor. After
five or six fires, it should stop as it does with ours (1-2) burns. I
know it's a hassle but if your continues to off gas paint odors I'd
consider removing it, sandblasting the thing and repainting it then do
a good seasoning of the stove. Or you can continue breathing in toxic
fumes.