Help - Log Burner

[pinkbobs]

Hello

For the last few months, we've had a burning paper smell in our house, we've searched the house from top to bottom and finally realised that the neighbouring property have a log burner. Sometimes our house is very smokey and the smelly is very strong.

Could this be from the log burner? and how do we go about combatting it? We have a 10 month old daughter so really don't want this kind of smoke in the house?

 

[Richard C]

If it is indeed your neighbour’s wood burner causing the problem you need to get it checked out quickly as it could be extremely dangerous for you & your family. You should tell your neighbour immediately that there is a problem which they must sort out before using the fire again. If they get difficult or refuse, report it to your local council Building Control office.

Do you share a chimney with your neighbour? If so it seems there is almost certainly a problem with the flue. Is the log burner a recent installation? If so, it must comply with current Building Regulations & must be installed, tested & certified compliant by either a qualified HETAS installer or inspected & passed by a local council Building Control office. If it’s a self install, it seems likely it hasn’t been done properly; in most cases a flue liner is required which means you almost certainly wouldn’t be getting these problems.

 

[pinkbobs]

Hello,

thanks for your response. We don't share a chimney with out neighbour, although his is and not too sure when the log burner was installed. Previously we have rented this house out, only moved into it ourselves in May and have noticed the smell since then.

There's a barn conversion across the road, we presumed it was coming from their and in through our open windows somehow. Recently we've noticed the smell is stronger and we haven't had our windows open. I knocked on next door earlier today (as the house was full of smoke) and asked if he had a log burner, he said yes he did and i mentioned our house was full of smoke, to which he just simply said "sorry".

I think i'll get my husband to have a word with him tonight

 

[Richard C]

Just realised this is in completely the wrong forum! It might be best moved to Building.

 

[Richard C]

If you’re renting report it to your landlord immediately, it's his responsibility to get it sorted out. Tell your neighbour sorry isn’t good enough & he must stop using the burner until it’s properly tested & certified as safe for use. If you don’t share a chimney then it's difficult to say how the smoke is getting into your property but it may be there is insufficient height on next door's stack; it needs to be properly checked out by a qualified installer.

This is still in the wrong forum!

 

[pinkbobs]

Hello

no we aren't renting we own this house, we used to rent it out previously.

Thanks for your comments we have had the fire safety officer round this afternoon and he has told our neighbour to stop using the burner until a proper flu has been installed, as he only had half a flu.

Thanks once again for your help