Gas Smell From the Fireplace

July 23, 2023

Having a fireplace is a very convenient thing. It is a beautiful addition to your home, it keeps working even if you don’t have electricity, and most importantly, it keeps you warm on cold winter days.

While it has its many advantages, a fireplace can be an alarming thing especially if you’re not used to using one. The main thing that people are worried about when using a fireplace is the smell of gas.

Why Do I Smell Gas?

While the smell of the gas might be unpleasant, it does not certainly mean that you have a gas leak. The smell is an added chemical that is meant to warn you when there is gas in the air so that you’ll know when it is becoming dangerous and you should leave your house.

Is it Dangerous?

Smelling gas does not certainly mean a gas leak.

You have that weird odor while lighting your fireplace for a few reasons.

The first reason might be that this is your first time lighting your fireplace. Normally, we only light our fireplace in winter, so it stands for almost a year without working so that odor that you smell might be dust and hair that has been stuck in there for a long time.
Also, if your fireplace is brand new, it might smell. Like a new car or book, a new fireplace also has a unique smell. Because of the paints and other things that the factory does while producing fireplaces, the fire burns the paint and other materials that may smell like plastic which will cause an odor.
Another reason might happen if you do not have a chimney cap or have to replace the one you have. The chimney cap keeps dirt, water, and even animals from entering the chimney’s throat. If something enters there while you start a fire, it will burn, and you’ll have an awful smell in your house.
The last reason is the most known one. If you smell gas for an extended time (longer than 15 minutes) inside your house, you should leave IMMEDIATELY. There’s a chance that you have a gas leak. It may not be serious, but you shouldn’t risk your and your family’s lives.

How Can You Prevent the Smell?

We’ve learned that there are a few reasons for the smells that your house might have. Now we need to know how to avoid that.

The first solution is to make sure that you have a chimney cap. As we’ve written above, a chimney cap can prevent things from entering your chimney, so you should install one in order to keep your house safe and clean.

Another solution is to have a good ventilation system in your house. If your house is well ventilated, then the air will flow smoothly and won’t let smells linger in it and cause a stinking smell.