When we are asked why a bio-fireplace smells, once it is established that it is not one of our products, it would be easy to blame the fireplace itself. However it would not be correct and, most important, it would avoid the search of the real cause. Let’s clarify.
If a bio-fireplace releases an unpleasant smell something is wrong. What are the causes?
They can be various; the main ones are:
- The quality of the burner
- The burner housing
- The ventilation of the room
- The quality of bioethanol
The quality of the burner
The bad smell is usually given by unburned bioethanol vapors that are released into the environment, due to incomplete combustion.
In this specific case the burner’s quality and construction technology are very important.The burner must ensure a complete combustion of the vapors. Only in the first minutes of ignition, when combustion is still precarious, there can be some odor; then, once it is well started, the smell must disappear.
The burner housing
In order to develop well, the flame needs oxygen. Therefore the burner needs a constant and turbulent-free supply of oxygen. Our combustion chambers are designed with the right proportions and tested to ensure the correct inflow of air to the flame, since even a small variation in the size of the protective glass can considerably affect the combustion. For this reason, we recommend particular attention when placing the burner in self-built fireplaces, wall niches, furniture or other housing. In all these cases, the assistance of a competent person is required. For the same reason, in custom-made biofireplaces we are sometimes forced to place technical limits on the imagination of customers.
The ventilation of the room
Aeration is not used to evacuate odors but to ensure the correct flow of oxygen to the bio-fireplace and to prevent bad smell. The flame consumes oxygen, which must be constantly replenished.If the burner is large and very powerful, a considerable amount of air will be required and, in a small room, this generates a turbulence that damages the combustion.The practice of frequently opening a window is also not recommended as it generates a discontinuous influx. Although the air exchange is necessary, it is preferable to have an air intake that generates a constant ventilation, as well as a burner and a chimney properly sized for the location.
The quality of bioethanol
Taking care of all the above factors is useless, if you do not use quality bioethanol. And it may happen to find products of questionable quality. Biothanol is a vegetables fermentation product, but on the market there is also ethanol, a product from non-renewable sources, from fossil fuels, basically from petroleum. It can be mixed with bioethanol (from renewable sources) to reduce its costs and this can cause annoying odors.
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