Fireplace Smell - Please Help


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Old 01-15-18, 12:07 PM
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Fireplace Smell - Please Help

Long story short - there is an awful smell coming from our bedroom fireplace when lit. It's a direct-vent, gas fireplace. Home is about 2 years old and it's always had the terrible smell. I've followed the "burn in" procedures stated in the fireplace manual several times to no avail. Both the fireplace installer and the surround installer are stumped also.

I decided to open up the surround a bit to see if something was resting on top and burning.

The only thing I've seen so far is pink insulation resting on top of the firebox. See attached picture of pre-construction (arrows are where insulation is sitting). Should there be insulation here? FYI, since this is direct vent, it gets very hot and gives off a lot of heat.

If insulation is normal around the firebox, any other suggestions?

Thank you in advance.

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Last edited by PJmax; 01-15-18 at 12:50 PM. Reason: added 2nd enlarged pic
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Old 01-15-18, 12:24 PM
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Make and model so we can look at the mfg's guidance.
With no chimney I'm assuming the exhaust is blown out the back out of the house, is that correct?
Have you checked outside while it is running to be sure there is a strong exhaust flow?
I see a tall ceiling, is this a single story or two story home?

A picture of the outside of that wall so we can see the ground to roof.

Bud
 
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Old 01-15-18, 12:53 PM
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I agree with needing the make and model.

The last fireplace I wired that was similar to that was lined with cement board. There was insulation behind the cement board. I'm not sure if hot fiberglass insulation gives off an odor. The paper certainly would if it was paper faced.

What kind of smell are you getting ?
A wood/paper burning or a burning oil smell ?
 
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Old 01-15-18, 02:44 PM
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Heat&Glo SL-750TR-IPE-E is the model fireplace. I definitely feel heat coming out of the exhaust. The fireplace installer also did a leak check but didn't find anything. 2 story home but there is no room over this master bedroom. There are tall ceilings - without measuring, I'm guessing 12 ft.

Around the fireplace is a cast stone mantle with regular drywall behind it.

The insulation I can see is not paper backed.

It's very hard to tell what the smell is. Certainly not wood or something similar.

See attached picture of outside, pre-construction.

Thank you both for any advice.
 
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Old 01-15-18, 04:01 PM
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It's very hard to tell what the smell is. Certainly not wood or something similar.
There are several distinct smells you could be incurring.
Oil from the heat exchanger.
Unburned natural gas/ gas fumes.
Paper or wood.

Try to put into words what you smell.

Installation manual..... hearth n home/install/Manuals/2118_900.pdf
I'll check over the manual.
 
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Old 01-15-18, 04:46 PM
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It's not wood/paper. It's not natural gas. Still not 100% sure what burning oil smells like but I'm guessing something of the sort. Maybe adhesive also from the stone surround or drywall? Per the surround company, nothing different was used in this install vs their 1000s of other ones. No complaints of smell.

Page 19 of the manual says, "Insulation and other materials must be secured to prevent accidental contact" With the insulation sitting directly on the fireplace, does that seems like the most likely?
 
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Old 01-15-18, 05:40 PM
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If you can get a hold of some of that insulation from where you see it, or other places if the same, and heat it with a hair dryer to see if the smell is similar. I've had a few wood stoves and the burn-in time can vary and be stinky.

Bud
 
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Old 01-15-18, 06:33 PM
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The oily smell is what you'd get on original startup. You're saying this fireplace has been used several times and is two years old. I doubt it's still a startup issue.
 
 

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