Fumes from new woodburner affects house cat?

[Jackie]

We recently had a new wood burner installed and decided to test it a couple of days after installation. The literature advised a gentle start for the first few times and we followed this advice. When the body of the stove had heated up smokey fumes were seen coming off the outside surface of the stove to the extent that every smoke alarm in the house went off. I assume that these stoves are coated in some form of metallic high temperature paint and that it needs to cure the first few times you run it. A friend of ours has the same model and theirs did the same thing when new.

 

Our cat Ben was asleep in the same room and although I had arranged extra ventilation with open window and fans running once I became aware of the problem, I suspect that the chemicals in the smoke may have affected his nervous system in some way. He got up late in the evening and kept wobbling in a way that reminded me of an animal recovering from anaesthetic, i.e. the back legs kept giving way. His eyes were jerking from side to side and he was clearly in some distress. We got him to the local vet and by this time he was beginning to recover, fresh air? Injections to dilate the blood vessels were given and the vet said that he may have had a stroke which was rare for cats although I understand that they are sensitive to chemicals. He was back to normal by the time we got him home and has been ok since.

 

He is currently on pills that do the same job as the injections. They are called Candilat and contain Vincamine 5mg and Papavérine chlorhydrate 10mg. The vet said one a day for 20 days but the manufacturers notes in the box says 1 a day for 10 days. If he has not had a stroke but was suffering from chemical poisoning I wonder if these pills would do him any harm and whether we should keep giving them to him for 20 days?

 

Has anyone else has had this problem with a new wood burner and their pets. It seems a bit of a coincidence that this should happen to our cat at the time we decided to test the stove. Have run the stove again since with the cat well out of the way and again noticed a strong chemical smell but no visible smoke...............any comments folks?................................J

 

[mint]

We had a woodburner installed last year.  Quite a big one, 15 kilowatt-size.

I can't remember any very strong smell or fumes like you have described.  You know how a new metal piece of equipment smell; sort of new and metallic (sorry, not much good at describing smells)!  But certainly not unduly smelly or unduly smokey.

[Jackie]

The translation from the booklet supplied reads: "A clearing of smokes and smells, owed to the painting of presentation, will become blurred in due time." Which indicates to me the manufacturer knows about this problem. There is also advice about having some ventilation for the first few times of using but no indication that it might have the effect I have described. We had a window ajar and the air vent behind the stove was open but clearly not enough ventilation to clear the smoke quickly enough. The stove is a Supra Orlando Ollaire Turbo 2 and in all other respects is just what we wanted, 9 to 10 kW. Once I have used it a few more times I think all will be well but I thought I would post this to warn others who might have the same problem with a new appliance. I suppose they don't heat cure the paint before selling the product to save money................J

[AnOther]

This does sound strange.

I can imagine a new stove giving off a slight smell and possibly even an odd wisp of something perhaps but smoking sufficiently to set off smoke detectors does not seem at all right. I wonder if your friends one came from the same batch and they have a faulty coating or were perhaps contaminated with something in transit or storage? The advice from your instruction booklet will be completely standard for a new appliance and certainly not an admission that there is a problem.

As for poor Ben, if the fumes were that noxious I'm pretty sure he would have woken up and made a swift exit rather than stick around inhaling them so it may have been coincidental. Cats which we have had have seldom put up with such things. For one the merest whiff of Superglue would send her scurrying for the catflap like she was being chased by Old Nick himself [:D]

I'm glad to hear Bens recovered, although I presume you mean 'recovering else why the tablets' but if you're worried about his treatment or dosage then with respect, it's the vet who treated him you need to speak to.

Good luck with the next lighting.

[suein56]

[quote user="Jackie"]

Have run the stove again since with the cat well out of the way and again noticed a strong chemical smell but no visible smoke...............any comments folks?................................J

 [/quote]

 

It sounds most odd to me and quite scary; have you tried emailing the company re the fumes and smoke? Or talking to the place you bought it from?

 

Sue

 

[cooperlola]

It is very odd.  The "dressing" on the glass does give off a few fumes when new, but not the kind of volumes of smoke you describe (in 35 years I've had four new woodburners and none have done this for long or in the way you outline) - I think it's much more likely to be an installation problem.  Having owned a dog who had three strokes before they finally carried him off - the symptoms you talk about seem in line with the vet's diagnosis but whether the two are linked is a moot point.

[Panda]

I too have installed a new woodburner with little or no fumes coming off, two in fact.  It does seem odd, the symptoms are identical to that of my dog who had a type of stroke and was also on Candilat Before the woodburners not after).  I agree with the other posts the smoke seems too much though for just bedding in a new stove

[Jackie]

OK the vet said stop the pills after 10 days but start again if we see any symptoms so that is what we will do. Ben seems ok just now, touche du bois. The fumes were from the paint on the outside of the stove and not the inside and this was what happened with some friends who had the same model installed some months ago. The second time of lighting no smoke but a chemical smell so I will try it a third time soon. My feeling is that all will be well now but thanks for the reponses...........J

[mint]

[quote user="Jackie"]OK the vet said stop the pills after 10 days but start again if we see any symptoms so that is what we will do. Ben seems ok just now, touche du bois. The fumes were from the paint on the outside of the stove and not the inside and this was what happened with some friends who had the same model installed some months ago. The second time of lighting no smoke but a chemical smell so I will try it a third time soon. My feeling is that all will be well now but thanks for the reponses...........J

[/quote]

I am sure you are right.  Let us know how it goes though when you'd get another chance to light it in this heat is anyone's guess!

[Jackie]

Will do but not now for sure just too hot already! Cheers........................................J

. 

[Jackie]

Have run it for several evenings of late now the colder nights have come and all is well, no smoke and no smells. Ben carries on with no repeat of his previous problem...........................J