Smelling Smoke

Kathyan | 22:15 Sat 05th Jan 2013 | Property

13 Answers

For the past couple of weeks I have been geting a smell of smoke in my living room. I can only smell it when I am sitting in a particular chair. The next door neighbours have got a wood burning stove in their living room. Could that be the reason for the smell of smoke in our living room and if so, how?

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woofgang

well that's possible, but i get a smell of smoke when I have sinusitis. I use sterimar to flush out the sinusses and the smell goes.

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The Builder

Yes, it could easily be from their stove if their flue is porous and not been re-lined.
Is it a terrace?
Roughly how old is the house?

Kathyan

Question Author

It's a semi detached, built in the late 60s.

The Builder

A difficult situation Kath. Late 60s.......... possibly flue blocks (special blocks with a hole up the middle) or, more likely, ordinary concrete blocks with clay liners.

Either way, it is quite possible that there is a break in their flue structure that's letting a tiny amount of smoke through the separating wall.

It would be all too easy to accuse your neighbours unjustly and create friction, so I think you may have to talk to them tactfully. Mention the problem to them and ask if they had the flue re-lined before installing the burner.
In a semi or terrace situation it is always a good idea to re-line. No one ever knows the condition of their chimney flue.

Worst case ...... they refuse to co-operate. Environmental Health would take this seriously. A depressingly high number of people are killed or taken ill every year with the effects of combustion gases.
With these gases, what you actually smell is just the tip of the iceberg.

Do have a chat to them.

Kathyan

Question Author

I have mentioned it to them (we get on fine!). She did say that she would have a word with her husband about it, but I said it was fine, not realising that it could be a problem. I know the woman who used to live there had an electric stove type fire in the living room which stood proud of the chimney breast (the fire surround had a marble back). The wood burner is set into the chimney breast and I know that he did the work himself. I will have a word asap. Thanks Builder.

DTCwordfan

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector....may be worth the investment in that in the interim and generally, if you don't have one already.

Kathyan

Question Author

I am going out to get one tomorrow! I was only talking to my husband about that yesterday. I am also going to go round to speak to the neighbours later. I will let you know what they say.