Caught a hidden flue fire in a 1920s bungalow because the homeowner mentioned a faint, sweet smell for two days.

I was finishing a standard cleaning in Springfield when that comment made me pull out the inspection camera, and we found smoldering creosote behind a cracked tile liner that the home's previous sweep had missed entirely. Has anyone else had a smell tip them off to a major problem like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

emeryo5811d agoMost Upvoted

Actually, that sweet smell is from the wood sugars cooking, not the creosote itself.

corap6111d ago

That sweet smell is actually a common sign of a flue fire, not just a random clue. It happens when the creosote gets super hot and starts to cook. I always tell my customers that any new or odd smell from the fireplace needs a check right away. It's easy to write it off as something else, but your story shows why we shouldn't. Good thing you listened to that homeowner and had your camera ready.

shanes6611d ago

Common sign" seems a bit dramatic for a weird smell.

kimblack11d ago

My neighbor's house in Toledo had a weird smell for a week, like burnt sugar. They kept saying it was from a new candle. Fire department found a slow burn in the wall behind their stove. It never even made smoke, just that smell. Scared me into getting my own wiring checked.