Smoke nuisance from chimney.

tomstickland

I think I've finally located the source of regular woodsmoke smell in my flat.
It seems that a few nights per week it smells of smoke. I've been starting to go and out look for bonfires etc whenever this happens, just so I can look for any patterns.

The source might be a bit more simple than that though. There is a house about 30m away, slightly offset from the block of flats where I live and it has a chimney. I've been looking out tonight and there's white smoke coming from the chimney. This isn't really rising - it's billowing around the wind, drifting down the roof and then wisps of it are blowing along, sinking even lower.
The wind is changing direction, so every now and then the smoke comes my way.

I reckon that my ground floor flat is pretty much the perfect distance away for the smoke to be arriving at head height at.

I've been thinking back and I'd say the problem has got a bit worse recently. though it's been a mild nuisance for the last year. It's hard to quantify how much nuisance it is really. Generally I'd be happy to live and tolerate, but it's a bit sad that on a summer's evening like this that I'm having to close my windows.

I plan on talking to my neighbours to see if anyone else notices.
Then I'll probably go and visit the house and politely explain the problem.
I'm intrigued as to what they're burning. I'm guessing an open wood fire, hence the lack of heat and smoke that doesn't rise very well. I'd love to reach and amicable solution; maybe they have no idea that the smoke is causing a nuisance. Then again, if they show no interest and wish to dispute that there is a problem, can I involve the council enviromental health?

Errata

Check if your council area is smokeless, which means not burning anything that smokes, not just coal. Should be on their website.

Hapless_2

One answer maybe to suggest that they fit a cowl so to stop the smoke blowing in all directions.

Stroud is not in a smoke control area

http://www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk/locations.php?map_name=warw&la_id=264

tomstickland

Yes, I checked on the smoke-free status of Stroud.

I'm going to monitor the situation closely. I do need to confirm that it is the source, plus talk to neighbours etc.

Hapless_2

Just be aware that they may use a solid fuel stove for cooking (like we do)etc. So it may not be acceptable to ask them to stop lighting it. (not that I think you will, I don't think you are the sort of bloke to go in all guns blazing)
they may just need the chimney sweeping to help it draw better.

tomstickland

You are correct; I have no intention of telling them to do anything. I just want to draw their attention to the problem and see if there are any ways we could move forwards.

Poppycat

We just had a log burner fitted a few weeks back and had chimney lined and a cowl fitted, I could smell the burning outside about 12 ft away from our house, I wouldnt say it was a awful smell, quite pleasant in fact, but when we lit our coal fire which I say was far more dirty than logs we couldnt smell that at all, although it was a different chimney

navig8r

Hapless wrote: »

One answer maybe to suggest that they fit a cowl so to stop the smoke blowing in all directions.

Stroud is not in a smoke control area

http://www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk/locations.php?map_name=warw&la_id=264

The purpose of a cowl is to help stop smoke being blown back down the flue into the house,once the smoke has exited the chimney it is free to go where the conditions allow .A perfect working chimney can become troublesome by trees growing taller, building being errected,lack of sweeping or even draught proofing the house.Our house is prone to downdraught when the wind is from the East and the only way we can have a fire was the fit a "H" cowl .Most of the smoke exits fron the lower two openings and then blows around down to ground level.We have a wood burning cooker and quite like the occasional aroma of wood smoke..we don't consider it to be a "smell"and it signals that dinner is on the way.:D

Dave

tomstickland

This certainly isn't pleasant. I think it's different if you occasionally smell it or live in the house that is the source compared with having your house directly at the point of maximum impact.
Maybe they're burning something nasty. I don't know yet.

paddy's_mum

Might you want to consider the prevailing wind direction for your area. If you are downwind of the smoking chimney most of the time, that's one big nuisance. However, if you are say north of it, and the wind only blows it your way once in a blue moon, it may not be often enough to get worried about.

We use this line of thought whenever we light a bonfire at the bottom of our (large) garden and only do so when the wind is from the east so that any smoke goes out over 10,000 acres of empty farmland.

I wouldn't be too worried if the smoke is generally white. If it goes black, then you can guess that they are burning plastics or other not-so-nice household rubbish. Good luck with getting it sorted.