Woodburner and double glazing problem

[Popcorns]

On a still day, the wind isn't blowing away the smoke, so as others have said, fresh air is being drawn down the chimney, or it's sinking down on a still day. If you've got a half round drain channel on the chimney, then that suggests no liner, but if there was an issues with the chimney, then they'd be smelling the smoke every time you lit it, so I think the chimney is safe. If you'd just installed the stove, then the blame could lie with you, but having had no problem over the last few years, and only since he's had the DG installed, then that all points to his changes highlighting the issue; but it's a fine line as to who's it is. If you tell him that the only way fresh air can get into his house is down the chimney, he may realise that he's essentially causing the problem, but whether he'll take that on board, is another matter all together.

You could ring HETAS and check for an authorised installer in your area, and they'd have no bias to sell you anything. And if you post a picture of the chimneys, and we can see if there are any sensible alterations you can make to divert the smoke away, but it may not cure the problem if the chimney is his only source of fresh air.

Ok since the cowl has been removed and the smoke from our chimney can go straight up as it was built, He reports "no smell" most nights, except when the air is really quite still.

He says he "Doesn't want to cause a fuss", but despite having the required 2 stage window catches on the windows, refuses to "crack them open" at bed time because he "doesn't like leaving windows open at night."

I have to say, that I'm tempted to write to him formally, recording the issue and my understanding of the cause, whilst the timescale is still clear - What say we ?

 

[Doggit]

I think that's not a bad idea; as long as it's not done too formally, and you point out how you are trying to bend over backwards to help, then at least you've stated your point, and it'll give him the chance to think about it. And if you make it explicit that it's only occurred since his change of windows, then he'll have a hard time actually blaming you for it, even though I suspect he'll still try to.

At the end of it; are you prepared to fall out with him.

 

[gasbanni]

At this time of the year it's more likely than not that warm air is rising passively up his chimney, so we can in all probability exclude smoke coming down his flue, apart from odd occasions due to downdraught.

I think it's essential that if your flue isn't lined the integrity of the flue is checked by carrying out a flue integrity test, the chimney stack may be unsound and the smoke may be getting through the feathers in the chimney and ingressing in to his flues.

If that's all tested and ok are you burning the correct fuel in your fire ? Are you in a smokeless zone ?

Sometimes the smell from solid fuel cannot be avoided I can smell it from a house 300 yards away on occasions !

 

[Popcorns]

I think that's not a bad idea; as long as it's not done too formally, and you point out how you are trying to bend over backwards to help, then at least you've stated your point, and it'll give him the chance to think about it. And if you make it explicit that it's only occurred since his change of windows, then he'll have a hard time actually blaming you for it, even though I suspect he'll still try to.

At the end of it; are you prepared to fall out with him.

Thank you Doggit, Yes that's how I see it too.

In honesty, the more I look at his problem, the moe concerned I become that his and his wife's health and possibly lives are in danger, because of his lack of ventillation and the potential for CO and CO2 to accumulate in his house from the cooker and just breathing !

I have suggested to him that he must not light that gas fire.

I would like to suggest he temporarily caps the chimney, to prove his house is sucking the air down it, but I fear that in itself could put their lives in danger because the house's only means of breathing will be shut off.

Yes to other posters, I will go down the path of suggesting he has a qualified gas engineer to "service" his appliances, in the hope that the guy has some sense and flags up the problem to him and puts prohibition notices on the appliances until proper vents are installed.

Apparently current Building Regs (I have a copy) require a new property to achieve 4 complete air changes per hour for new buildings and replacement glazing is required to make the non-cmpliance "no worse" than it was prior to having the glazing installed. Clearly there is no point in having double glazing installed, if it made the air change situation "no worse" -

Apparently he spoke to the "installer" (relative of his wife's) - who said he had never had that problem before.

It has been relatively quiet for a month now, I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago "Over the fence " and he said they only smelled it less than "once a week now" - but early morning on Saturday last, he knocked on the door and asked my wife to go and smell it, which she did.

It was still air and damp overnight.

I have no idea what he thinks I can do to overcome his problem, but he seems to think I am somehow "in denial" that he smeels fumes occasionally, which I am not.

A sensible guy who I spoke to about the situation said that "JUst tell him you've done everything you can to help him. Tell him to get a survey done to say how the smell is getting in and where from - then what should be done about it"

I have to say I have been going along that route - but now he dragged the wife in and she has said "Oh we don't need a fire tonight, it's warm enough" (she's a passive soul) - I'm conveinced teh problem is not going to disappear and I need to register it this year, before the waters "get muddied" by time lapse since the glazing was installed.

Damn I don't want to fall out with him, but I don't want "Passivity" to cause a minor problem develop into a major issue either !

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to Phrase a letter or "Report" without upsetting him too much ?

Thanks for teh input so far peeps

 

[TicTac]

Just started looking at this thread; and I'd say you're going to fall out with him - no question whatsoever. If he's stupid enough not to want to open his windows at night to get fresh air, then he's going to continue to cause this problem. If he had no problems till he installed the double glazing, then he's made the house too airtight, and you need to stand you're ground, and tell him it's his own fault. If someones stupid, then there's not a lot you can do, and if you fall out with him, then it's his fault, not yours.

What he's really trying to tell you to do, is to stop using your stove.

Dear neighbour

I'm sorry you are having issues when we burn our stove, but I need to point out to you, that there were no issues until you installed your double glazing, and I've had everything checked to make sure my installation is correct, and there are no leaks from my chimney, so I am confident that this is not an issue of my making. You have told me that you don't like opening your windows at night, so your chimney is the only way to get fresh air into your house, which is why you now smell the smoke, where you didn't before.

It's obvious that the only way you can get fresh air into your house, is down your chimney, and that's bringing down the smoke at the same time; obviously, it's not happening all the time, and it's not noticeable when the wind blows away the smoke, but is when the airs still, and the smoke lingers around the chimney pots.

As a good neighbour, I should also point out to you that in not opening the windows, when you burn your gas stove, you risk CO and CO2 poisoning, and it would be remiss of me not to warn you of that, and I could suggest you get one of those chimney draft stoppers to prove where the problem is, but that might risk asphyxiating you if there are no windows open.

In effect, you're really telling me that because you don't want to open your windows to get fresh air, will I please stop using my stove, and I've bent over backwards to try and help you, but I'm not prepared to do that.

I hope that you'll think about this issue, and start opening your windows, if only to see if the problem then goes away. I have no wish to fall out with you, but as I've said before, I do not intend to stop using my stove, and I hope that you can work with me on this to try and resolve the issue, that can only be a result of your double glazing.

Yours etc

 

[scbk]

Is the neighbour elderly? Maybe you can try and get in touch with their family, and have a quick chat, suggesting you're worried about the lack of ventilation in their house. Fair chance it will lead to mould.