who says I lead a boring life?
It’s really cold this weekend. Yesterday the high was only 17°. I ran some errands and decided to light a fire when I got home, to have a little extra warmth as I ate dinner.
I’ve only used the fireplace maybe a half a dozen times this winter. Rather than buying wood, I’m trying to burn up fallen branches from the pile in the backyard. That seems like a better solution than bundling everything up this spring.
As I was fixing a salad in the kitchen, though, I noticed a strange smell—it reminded me a little of hot chocolate, but not really. I went in the living room to see what was up and found smoke streaming out of the fireplace—apparently the chimney clogged up. The fire had been going for close to an hour with no problems, but something happened. I still don’t know what.
It wasn’t a horrible amount of smoke—about like closing time at the bars I play, but a lot nastier-smelling. I doused the fire with water about five times. Apparently it takes a lot of water to really put out a fire, and of course it just made it smoke more. Despite the cold, I turned off the furnace and opened up the only living room window I could (the other one is behind the piano). I had to hold my breath any time I was in the living room, then back to the window to gulp fresh ice-cold air.
I ran downstairs to get a window fan to blow smoke out the window, moved stuff around so I could get a table next to the window to put the fan on, opened up the dining room and kitchen windows and found another fan to try to route clean air into the living room. I also found a piece of sheetrock and a quilt to block the kitchen doorway downstairs, since the cold air from the window went straight to the floor and headed downstairs instead of toward the living room. The cats, of course, thought this was a fun game and tried to knock the sheetrock down.
After an hour or so, the smoke seemed to have cleared out, but of course the room smelled so bad I couldn’t stand it. I closed the windows, turned the furnace back on, and went to Target to get some Febreze air freshener. It helped quite a bit, but I have to say the room now smells like Spring Forest Fire.
Ironically, it was so warm Tuesday (67°) that I had opened the windows to get some fresh air in the house. I never thought I’d be doing it again a few days later when the temperature was 50° colder.
I wonder what happened?
Comments
I'm betting somebody built a bird's nest in the chimney, especially since we had it cleaned/swept last summer and you've used it since.
Next time, remember the sand in the garage (sand, not water, to put out a fire!), but hopefully of course, there won't be a next time!
Sorry for all the stinkiness, honey, but I wish i were there to smell it with you!
Posted by: Mrs. Reecie | February 20, 2006 04:41 AM
My cousin had a similiar problem back in December. She got a 'lampe berger' and the neutral oil and it REALLY took the smoke scent out fast. I ended up getting one of these things later. Good for a household with cats --- none of that risk of flipping the tail through the flame like with a candle. I'm sure there is some gift shop near you that carries them. Probably one of those real 'girlie' gift shops though!
Posted by: Apriliz | February 20, 2006 08:49 AM
Thanks, April! I'll definitely look into that lampe berger thing. The smell is getting on my nerves and my sinuses are irritated.
Mrs. Reecie, I think you're right about the nest--I guess it just somehow worked its way loose and blocked the draft. The sort of sweet smell makes me think it was some kind of animal product burning. Yuck.
And yes, dear, I really really wish you were here to smell it with me!
Posted by: pat | February 20, 2006 09:50 AM
Your comparison to bar smoke reminds of one pub in Ireland when I was there last fall. No smoking indoors in public places there, but there's no law against fireplace smoke. And one pub had a fireplace and was distinctly smokey.
Posted by: Ellen | February 20, 2006 08:36 PM