House got smoked up yesterday

I got the 911 call from my wife yesterday and when I answered, she said the entire livng room was filled with smoke and she couldn't see the stove. Well I am fortunate in my job that I can come home just about anytime that is needed. So I rush home to see all the doors and windows opened up and the house filled with the smoke smell that most of us are familiar with.

The fire was in the process of getting hot and there was slight smoke coming out the stack. Nothing unusual that I could tell.

During the interrogation, she said that she was starting a fire up to warm the house up. In doing so she used 2 small splits with some kindling and paper. The stove was old because it has been warm here the past couple of days. She said that she had the door closed securely, air flow all the way open, and everything was normal. She said thst when she came back into the room after about 5 minutes tomlook at it, she saw smoke billowing out from under the blower motor where the resh air kit is located.

So I took the front cover off and saw that the fresh air kit was all the way open and by my best guess, the smoke from the cold stack, using a lot of newspaper, and the windy draft that was going on outside was what caused the smoke to be comig inside. My fresh air intakes are located below the chimney top. Im assumming the windy conditions were blowing the thick smoke down toward where the fresh air intake was and it created a vacuum sucking the smoke into the house.

To hear her describe it, it was a five alarm smoke fire, but is seemed to clear out fairly quick once the flames in the box were large enough to start burning off the smoke.

I have inspected everthing and all looks fine. I have enougg common sense to know that where the smoke was coming from, was from the fresh air intake. There was absolutly no way for yhe flames to get underneath the stove. There was no carbon or scorched places under the stove.

Now comes the hard part. Convincing my wife that all is ok. When I went back to work yesterday, I loaded it with 6 splits of maple and left her with it. I did call and she said it was cruising along as normal, good secondary burns, and no smoke visible from the stack. I think that yesterday was a perfect storm and it just so happened when I wasn't home. Oh well. I was so upset about it, that when I got home, my son and I split 1/2 cord before supper. Our neighbors house burned to the ground about a year ago and this is why she is a little nervous. So I understand her concern. I think she will be ok, but I know I have my work cut out for me.

 

With a cold stove its possible that the chimney may have had a reverse draft/cold plug. Its common when the whole system is cold. Opening a window nearby will usually cure the issue and get the draft going back the right direction. The smoke was most likely coming out of the air inlets once it completely filled the firebox itself.

 

Quite a story! I'm sure a majority of us have had something similar happen at one time or another, funny stories when you look back at them later.
First thing, I'm so glad nobody was hurt and any damage was minor. Good thing your wife was home and was keeping an eye on it.

So from what I've read so far, the OAK was the culprit with a sort of back draft. Has anything like this happened before? It's in a close proximity to the flue, and the OAK does work off of a draft.

 

I had smoke coming out of the back of mine once after loading , not a lot but I was right there to straighten it out.
If I remember right outdoor temp was in the fifties.

 

You know Sconnie, I bet you are correct. I assummed that it was coming from that OAK, but now that you say that, I would tend to agree with that thought. That makes sense that it would be coming from the air inlet because of the cold flue and reverse draft. That makes perfect sense. That will help with the explanation when I continue the calmimg conversation with my wife.

Normally if and when I start from a cold stove, I will leave the door cracked a bit. I haven't had any major smoke spillage, and if I did, it was very very minor. And to be honest, we probably only cold start about 5 times during the burning season. But its been incredibly warm this winter and we have been sparadically burning over the last 2 weeks.

Thanks for the second set of eyes and opinion on this one.

 

55 here yesterday. So kinda sound like similiar conditions.

 

Well, I thought that the OAK was the culprit. However in reading Sconnies opinion, I would tend to lean toward a reverse draft and a cold flue. Once the box filled with smoke, the reverse draft grabbed the smoke and pulled through the air inlet which is directly above the OAK. So I am going to say that was the issue. Perfect storm, but like you said, she was home and caught it and no damage, other than the smoke smell. But I think that adds character to the house. She handled it like a champ. She actually did close the air off quickly once she got to it and I am sure this slowed down the back draft immensly. Which is why what Sconnie said makes sense.

 

Yep, cold stove, not real cold outside and windy.
I put some cardboard and newspaper in it the get the draft going better

 

Now to get rid of that smokey smell.....

Glad all is good and no damage was done.

 

Happened twice to me this heating season. Cold house and not so cold outside. Set the smoke alarm two times on two floors. Now, I throw in a Supercedar or heat the box up with a torch inside.

 

I usually do use the supercedars. But for some reason she used a bunch of newspapers and small splits. I think I have her convinced that the cedars are the way to go.

 

I've been using febreeze spray in the truck after smoking a cigar, maybe I'll give the vinegar a try.

 

I'm guessing you're talking about the wolf bros rum soaked cigars?



Haven't seen them where I get my cigars from but that doesn't mean anything.

I am working on cutting the cigars down and out, Dennis. Only smoking what I really like now. I'm about half of what I used to smoke at peak but then again, its only been about 3 years.

 

When I get a newer cruiser that another Deputy has smoked in , I have found over the years that getting a box of dryer sheets and placing about 20 of them around in the vehicle and closing it up and let it sit in the sun for a couple of days, will help get the smoke smell out. Its worked for me several times.

 

That part sounds counter productive...no?

 

Aids in the removal of smoke.....