Hi,

We've recently moved into a house built in 2000, with a decorative effect
gas fire in the living room. Firstly, we've noticed a cold draught coming
into the room from down the flue. Secondly, after using the fire for fifteen
minutes or so, there's a smell in the room. The smell isn't gas, or what I
would consider fumes. But it's not pleasant.

There's no chimney as such on the house, more like a metal tube coming out
of the roof space which is about a third of the way up the roof from the
guttering. The house next door isn't very far away, probably about three
metres from our external house wall to theirs.

Can anyone shed any light on 1, what's causing the cold draught into the
room and how to stop it. And 2, what's causing the smell from the fire and
how do we stop it?

Many thanks in advance.

Jon