Hello,
I recently moved into my newly built home.
I have 3 fireplaces that all use the same physical mortared chiminey.
One on the first floor, one on the second, and then a third in the
basement.
They each have their own flue.

Recently, when we started burning firewood on the first floor, I
noticed that in the basement, there was a strong smell of the burning
wood from upstairs. AND, this smell was actually going through the
vents in the basement into the rooms on the first floor. I know this
because it doesn't smell much like burning wood near the 1st floor
fireplace, but smells alot in the other rooms on the first floor.

The 2nd Floor doesn't smell like burning wood at all.

If there are separate flues, should I be smelling anything in the
basement ?
When I open the damper in the basement, there is no soot or anything
falling down on me, so I still think that the flues are separated
properly, AND the 2nd floor isn't getting any smell.

Also, in the back of the fireplaces sticking out of the brick, there is
this cirular thing, that you turn and some small holes open up. I
assume this is for ventilation for the fire? Cold air comes in when I
open it. Could it be that the 1st Floor and basement use this same
vent, since the basement is underground ?
AND the 2nd floor has it's own ??

Let me know what you think.
Again, this is a brand new custom home.

Thanks

wrote:
Hello,
I recently moved into my newly built home.
I have 3 fireplaces that all use the same physical mortared chiminey.
One on the first floor, one on the second, and then a third in the
basement.
They each have their own flue.

Recently, when we started burning firewood on the first floor, I
noticed that in the basement, there was a strong smell of the burning
wood from upstairs. AND, this smell was actually going through the
vents in the basement into the rooms on the first floor. I know this
because it doesn't smell much like burning wood near the 1st floor
fireplace, but smells alot in the other rooms on the first floor.

I'd guess you have a proper updraft in your 1st floor chimney and a
downdraft in your basement chimney. The smoke goes up to the roof,
and then some of it gets sucked back down the basement flue
after it gets outside.

Are you running your 1st floor fireplace with the outside air intake open?
If not, you might be sucking in outside air through the downstairs fireplace
for combustion air. Is the problem worse when you are running the clothes
dryer, outside exhausted range vent, or when the furnace is running?

I get a creosote smell in my living room if I run my gas dryer
without either cracking the laundry room window or burning a fire in
the wood stove to force an updraft in the chimney.

I think you are correct as to the source. It is something to be
-really- concerned with because if you are smelling smoke in the
basement, you are also getting CO down there . IMO you need a
technician familiar with wood heat and chimney systems.

Harry K

What is the outside air intake ? Is it that round thing at the back of
the fireplace that I can turn ?

On 15 Dec 2004 12:38:02 -0800, someone wrote:


Let me know what you think.
Again, this is a brand new custom home.

So what does the builder say?

And if not satisfied, what does the chimney sweep that you've called
for a 2nd opinion say?

None of us has seen your chimney, and it is unwaranted speculation for
anyone here to opine that things are or are not separated properly.
From the smell, t sounds like you have a problem.

-v.


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