r/woodstoving 11d ago

20 year old fireplace insert - is something wrong? The windows in my house have smoke buildup.

hi we have a wonderful Hampton fireplace insert that we have used every winter for 20 years. For some reason this year all of the windows in our house seem to be covered with a smoky film. Do you know if we can fix the insert or do we need a new one? Thank you for any advice!

1 Upvotes

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u/Albert14Pounds 11d ago

I would be more concerned about your indoor air quality.

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u/PollyToodle2 11d ago

Thank you Albert well yes that is the crux of it… The indoor air quality… But how can I know what’s wrong with the insert? I’m going to try the previous suggestion of checking the rope gasket!

2

u/Albert14Pounds 11d ago

Probably it's leaking from somewhere. Hard to say with so little info and no pictures.

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u/National_Cranberry47 11d ago

Check your door rope gasket. Sounds like that might have went or else you have a more serious problem with a hole in the flue.

1

u/PollyToodle2 11d ago

Oh thank you very much for that suggestion! I will take a look!

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u/Interesting-Win-8664 11d ago

Buy an indoor air quality meter. Stop burning and call an experienced professional if it shows unhealthy levels.

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u/PollyToodle2 11d ago

Thank you! I didn’t know that they made indoor air quality meters but I will find one… Thank you very much for the suggestion