when you come back from work, there is a smell of smoke in the living room. I imagine that the chimney flue (open hearth, even if the shutter hatch) creates a call for air to compensate for the relative tightness of the rest of the room. Simple assumption. One day, I will put a small wood stove to improve the thing but we are not there yet ...
is a serious indication of the risk of asphyxiation by CO, one day of bad luck more than the other days !!!
Stove or open hearth or insert requires a nice supply of air for combustion, otherwise risk of death by CO on a day of bad luck !!!
The inert "chimney pipe (open hearth, even if the shutter flap)" does not create a call for air, but it is the VMC which requires air, creating a vacuum which sucks in the air by the chimney, which then works in reverse and which brings back the smells of soot from the chimney, even when extinguished. The even imperfect shut-off hatch allows this inverted chimney air to pass through, given the airtightness of the room !!! (it is the pleasure of double glazing).
If you make fires in this fireplace, a special air supply for the fireplace is imperative (whatever its nature: open, stove or insert), (typical standard 300cm2 which is above all a question of survival to avoid dying killed by CO and therefore to be respected !!! )
Your CMV and the tightness of the house imperatively have a special air supply for the fireplace (closed if off, never forgetting to open it for fires !! ), if not sooner or later, death by CO insured at home !!!! and much faster than a Fukushima-Chernobyl in France, sooner or later inevitable too !!!!
Also buy a CO detector !!!
I specify that I lived this problem in addition with my architect of 10 years ago, air intake too small, (I had nevertheless insisted!) Who was also condemned for this error (among other wet varieties ) and the expert specified 300cm2 and this without VMC and non-waterproof parts !!!!
So for your life, I insist, ensure a combustion air supply in all cases, VMC, double glazing and open hearth, not open, insert, stove !!!
Rather rare stoves have planned a special air supply essential for watertight houses with double glazing and VMC !!
See examples on econology !!
It's about your life, with CO you die in a few minutes and with toxic mold spores, you die in a few years !!
One day, I will put a small wood stove to improve the thing but we are not there yet ...
is a very dangerous misconception that can kill by CO, except stove or waterproof insert with special supply of outside combustion air.