Can't use wood burner - fire alarm goes mad

wifeforlife

Hi guys

I've had a wood burner in place for 2 years now and never been able to use it. I have tried to light it only on 2 occasions as both times I've lit it my fire alarm goes mad which is linked to 6 other alarms on my ground floor so it gets noisy.

I've a carbon monoxide alarm which never goes off, just my wired smoke alarm.

It's a big open plan room and definitely no smoke, I was wondering is it the heat that would be setting it off. I've hoovered the alarm in case it was dust etc but the only time it goes off is if I try the fire

I must say I've an open fire in another sitting room with both a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm and had no issues, it's just the wood burner

Any ideas if there is anything I can try or should I just resign myself to having a very expensive fancy ornament in my living room

TIA
Cate

Grenage

It's going off for a reason, and obviously air should be drawn into rather than out of the stove. Are you getting a down-draught from the flu?

shaun_from_Africa

wifeforlife wrote: »

I was wondering is it the heat that would be setting it off.

If the smoke alarm is working properly then there is no reason that heat should set if off.
There are 2 types of smoke detector and neither of them should be affected by ambient heat. (they both detect particles of smoke in the air).

Two things I would suggest.
Get someone in to carry out a full service of the fire and explain to them what is happening and ensure that they carry out a draw test to make sure that all of the smoke is going into the flue/chimney. Modern smoke detectors can be extremely sensitive so not being able to see any smoke doesn't mean that there is none there.

If nothing wrong can be found with the fire, get the smoke detector looked at.

wifeforlife

Grenage wrote: »

It's going off for a reason, and obviously air should be drawn into rather than out of the stove. Are you getting a down-draught from the flu?

Hi Grenage, I don't think so, the installers checked the draw etc when it went in, the flue is quite long it's a 3 storey property and there is a anti downdraught cowl on top too

Grenage

wifeforlife wrote: »

Hi Grenage, I don't think so, the installers checked the draw etc when it went in, the flue is quite long it's a 3 storey property and there is a anti downdraught cowl on top too

In that case I'd echo Shaun's suggestion of getting someone in to check it out.

wifeforlife

Thank you both so much, I'll make some calls!! I'm hoping to use it this winter with oil prices on the up

Gloomendoom

Some alarms actually sense heat, not smoke. Some sense both.

How close is the alarm to the fire? What make and model is it?

owen_money

May not be a factor but when a stove is new you have to cure the paint by lighting the stove. For the first few times there is quite a strong smell from the paint and you have to open the window. Maybe fumes are effecting the smoke alarm? Maybe not?

wifeforlife

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Some alarms actually sense heat, not smoke. Some sense both.

How close is the alarm to the fire? What make and model is it?

I took a photo to get the information for you and when I've zoomed in I see it is a heat alarm, it's Aico EI144RC

I never knew that until today

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Notbatman_2

Mind did this the first couple of time’s exact same scenario carbon monoxide detector was silent fire alarm going mad, I think as above it was the paint curing because after the second time I’ve had no problems since

Jeannine

Same as two people above - when stove was new, first few times set off our wired smoke alarms - just the ‘paint’ curing apparently. No problems now!