Neighbours smoke coming down my chimney?

modsandmockers

kaya wrote: »

I had exactly the same problem at my last house, turned out the neighbours flue liner was faulty and after a few hours noise from his side the problem disappeared , nothing to do with hot and old as we had an open fire that was never used and he had a woodburner and after his replacing the liner the problem was sorted

Did your neighbour's new liner include a completely different type of roof-top terminal? Sometimes that is all that is needed.

antinori

The Neighbour is using their woodburner just like last year - same frequency but the results are totally different. Not sure what a roof terminal is but I think they had a new cap fitted after the liner was installed

modsandmockers

Although it is not impossible that the fitter has made some kind of error, it’s one of the less likely causes of your problem. As stated in post 2, any alteration in the airflow dynamics of the property is capable of creating unforeseen effects elsewhere (installing a flue liner will, by design, alter the property's airflow dynamics). Initially, there are a few simple checks which can best be done by yourself and your neighbour.

1 - Can you see smoke coming out of the top of the neighbour’s flue (best checked when the fire is first lit)? If so, is the smoke then passing over the top of any of your own chimney pots (this will vary with wind conditions)? Can you see the smoke being drawn into your own chimney flue? Can you see it entering any of your rooms through any of your fireplaces?

If there is no visual indication that your neighbour’s smoke is getting into your house, then you have potentially eliminated at least one possible scenario. It’s possible that the strategic placement of CO detectors might help you to detect the ingress of smoke (but bear in mind that your own woodburning fire will also create CO when it is in use, as will your gas/oil central heating boiler). Maybe strategically placed smoke alarms would work even better.

As above - it’s likely that the installation conforms 100% to the regulations. If you and your neighbour can demonstrate for certain that your neighbour’s smoke is finding its way into your house, and you can identify the route which it takes, then there is a starting place for trying to find some remedial action.

Gloomendoom

The CO meters will only indicate the presence of CO, not smoke.

My father-in-law managed to fill our dining room with wood smoke a couple of weekends ago and the CO meter never rose above zero. You could barely see across the room.


We used to get smoky smells in the house when the kitchen extractor fan was on, as the expelled air was replaced by air from outside drawn down the chimneys.

Chimney_Sweep_3

its syphoning, where your flue is pulling air down and with it comes the smoke/fumes from next door. Its normally worse within the same property for example and old terrace 2rooms knocked into one with an open fire in one the other flue acts as a vent drawing air in and with it some smoke.
They have now most likley got a cowl fitted which will make the smoke exit more to the sides and help it cross your pot.
The fitter should realise this and make one of the pots higher or remove the cowl to help prevent it.

Mojisola

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The CO meters will only indicate the presence of CO, not smoke.

My father-in-law managed to fill our dining room with wood smoke a couple of weekends ago and the CO meter never rose above zero. You could barely see across the room.

That's why it's important to have a monitor. You can see and smell the smoke and know you have a problem - you can't see or smell CO.

muckybutt

antinori wrote: »

Do really have to worry about Carbon Monoxide? Isn't this only Gas Fires?

Seriously ? Did you just say that ? It's no wonder people get killed every year by CO poisoning from faulty appliances AND faulty Stoves and fires etc !

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas.

Greenfires

KevinBrooks wrote: »

I think you can contact chimney service Nassau county or near to area. As the professionals can give you best advice and solution to deal with this issue. You can find more solution at chimneygenie.com over the web.

What makes you think the original poster lives in New York?