How long does the new-fireplace smell last, and how can I get rid of it faster?
Most of it clears within the first three or four burns — roughly ten to twenty hours of total run time. To speed it up, run the unit at full flame in longer sessions with a window cracked and a fan moving air, rather than lots of short fires. Heat is what cures the paint and cooks off the oils.
The timeline
The strongest smell is the very first burn, and it drops off noticeably each time after that. By the third or fourth good fire, most homeowners can't detect it anymore. Total run time matters more than calendar days — a fireplace you run hard for a couple of evenings finishes curing faster than one you light for twenty minutes at a time over two weeks. There's no shortcut around the heat; you just want to give it plenty of it early.
Speeding it along
Run it hot and run it long. Full flame for a few hours does more than several brief fires. Crack a couple of windows to vent the off-gassing, and put the blower on or run a ceiling fan to keep air moving. Wipe the glass down once — after it's completely cool — since some of the film lands there. A little airflow and a few honest burns is the whole trick.
If it doesn't fade
The break-in smell should get weaker every burn and be gone inside the first week of normal use. If it's holding steady, getting stronger, or turning sharp and chemical instead of hot-paint, give us a call. And a rotten-egg or sulfur smell is never break-in — that's the odorant in the gas, so leave and call. Reach us at (828) 545-0525; your install carries our workmanship guarantee.
Related questions
- Why does my brand-new gas fireplace smell when I run it, and is that normal?
- Should I open windows during the first few burns of a new fireplace?
- Is there a break-in procedure I should follow for a new gas fireplace or insert?
- Will the first burn of my new fireplace set off my smoke detectors?
- Why does my new electric fireplace have a smell when the heater runs?
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
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