Smell From Coal Stove
So, this is the issue. Recently, my coal stove has been smelling a little bit more than normal. It started on around the 20th. I am not sure if it is just my imagination, but I believe I have a leak somewhere. My carbon monoxide detectors around the house have not beeped. I have one 7 feet from the stove, and one in other rooms. On smelling around the coal stove, I feel as if it is coming from where the feeder/hopper meets the coal stove. There is a little metal joint, where the hopper is bolted to the coal stove. I am thinking that in time, this seal may have sprung a leak? Is this possible? Is there any sort of sealant (which can withstand 600F heat) which I could put around it? Do let me know.
there is sealant that could be used there to stand the temps, but most joints like that use gasket rope of one size or another so that taking it apart later is not so bad.
have you cleaned out any fly ash recently from the stove itself or from horizontal sections of flue pipe? what is your draft reading now compared to previous years on the flue pipe versus the firebox?
have you adjusted the amount of combustion air recently, cleaned the grates holes, started burning a new load of coal that may be a different size than previous?
all of these things could have an effect on the draft of your stove and cause exhaust to escape from other places rather than the flue pipe.
edit to add....i always suggest having a digital co detector like a kidde nighthawk so you can see numeric readings. the alarm may not sound until it hits 35 or 40 ppm, the digital will show you readings less than that without alarming for an earlier warning.
have you cleaned out any fly ash recently from the stove itself or from horizontal sections of flue pipe? what is your draft reading now compared to previous years on the flue pipe versus the firebox?
have you adjusted the amount of combustion air recently, cleaned the grates holes, started burning a new load of coal that may be a different size than previous?
all of these things could have an effect on the draft of your stove and cause exhaust to escape from other places rather than the flue pipe.
edit to add....i always suggest having a digital co detector like a kidde nighthawk so you can see numeric readings. the alarm may not sound until it hits 35 or 40 ppm, the digital will show you readings less than that without alarming for an earlier warning.
- dcrane
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What kind of coal stove do you have? I assume because your using terms like "feeder" & "hopper" that you have a coal stoker of some sort? If this is the case then 90% chance your drafting is the issue (in other words...your hopper is drafting more then your chimney/stove pipe is, thats an extreme analogy, but may help you understand whats happening better HaHa). this is one problem with the auto feed pellet/rice burners (they can never be truly air-tight because they always need to maintain an opening for the pellets to feed onto the grate). fly ash build up is HUGE and NECESSARY maintenance item for this type of stove! If you have a different type of stove then im assuming please elaborate for me and ill try to make some suggestions...
Thank you so much for all the responses. As usual, every bit of education I have received has been on this forum, as I don't know anyone who has a coal stove in Upstate NY.
I contacted Reading stoves(my stove manufacturer), and he stated that even if the gasket was lose, the fumes should have still exited from the stove pipe, UNLESS IT WAS DIRTY!. He also told me that my stove had two pipes, where one visible and the other one was hidden. I shut off my furnace, did the best clean job I have ever did on it, and noticed that there was this other hole which I had neglected. This is my first winter with a Coal stove, and coming from an area where we didnt see snow, it has been a HUGE learning curve for me.
Anyway, I cleaned it out, and fired up the stove. AFAIK, I couldnt smell the stong fumes as I previously could. I am hoping it stays this way. If something goes on, I will be back on this forum.
P.s: Thank you for the recommendation on the digital CO detector. I have the normal ones all over the house, but will invest in a digital one, so that I can actually read it.
I contacted Reading stoves(my stove manufacturer), and he stated that even if the gasket was lose, the fumes should have still exited from the stove pipe, UNLESS IT WAS DIRTY!. He also told me that my stove had two pipes, where one visible and the other one was hidden. I shut off my furnace, did the best clean job I have ever did on it, and noticed that there was this other hole which I had neglected. This is my first winter with a Coal stove, and coming from an area where we didnt see snow, it has been a HUGE learning curve for me.
Anyway, I cleaned it out, and fired up the stove. AFAIK, I couldnt smell the stong fumes as I previously could. I am hoping it stays this way. If something goes on, I will be back on this forum.
P.s: Thank you for the recommendation on the digital CO detector. I have the normal ones all over the house, but will invest in a digital one, so that I can actually read it.
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You're not a lone in the Upstate wilderness! lol
My stove always smells a bit of sulfur when I change the ash bin... I just assumed that was normal.
My stove always smells a bit of sulfur when I change the ash bin... I just assumed that was normal.
- Dennis
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Mary, if you only get the smell when changing the ash pan that might be fine,but if you smell an odor when everything is closed up you better check for leaks.MarySthewriter wrote:You're not a lone in the Upstate wilderness! lol
My stove always smells a bit of sulfur when I change the ash bin... I just assumed that was normal.
When your changing the ash pan,you might be smelling the odor from the hot coals while it's praticly in your face while bending down to change,that happen to me also and happy new year
- dcrane
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she is all set and fixed the problem guys... incase mod wants to lock thread?Dennis wrote:Mary, if you only get the smell when changing the ash pan that might be fine,but if you smell an odor when everything is closed up you better check for leaks.MarySthewriter wrote:You're not a lone in the Upstate wilderness! lol
My stove always smells a bit of sulfur when I change the ash bin... I just assumed that was normal.
When your changing the ash pan,you might be smelling the odor from the hot coals while it's praticly in your face while bending down to change,that happen to me also and happy new year
- dcrane
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- Joined: Sun. Apr. 22, 2012 9:28 am
- Location: Easton, Ma.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404
her second post (only 3 down from her original thread states as follows...94Bison wrote:What was the cause of your smell?
"I contacted Reading stoves(my stove manufacturer), and he stated that even if the gasket was lose, the fumes should have still exited from the stove pipe, UNLESS IT WAS DIRTY!. He also told me that my stove had two pipes, where one visible and the other one was hidden. I shut off my furnace, did the best clean job I have ever did on it, and noticed that there was this other hole which I had neglected. This is my first winter with a Coal stove, and coming from an area where we didnt see snow, it has been a HUGE learning curve for me. "
It appears that her secondary vents were clogged (which could present a "drafting" problem for the unit), so the cause of the smell was poor "draft". hope that helps my friend...