In our living room, we have a fireplace that sounds like it is leaking (or something). It is a wood burning fireplace with a gas log lighter that has had a metal insert put into it with fake logs to be like a gas fireplace. We used it as a gas fireplace for a few fires because that is what we were told it was when we bought the house.
A couple years ago, the man from the gas company (who was in our house for another reason) suggested we never, ever use it because even though you can create a fire with the gas lighter, it was put together in a way that the insert and lighter were never meant to be used...the lighter was never meant to sustain a fire and has no pilot light or other safety features. So, we haven't used it for a fire in at least two years.
But, somewhere above the metal insert, there is a leak or condensation or something that causes a dripping sound on the metal insert. I'm listening to it now...drip...drip...drip. This doesn't happen constantly, and I haven't been able to determine a pattern. Every few weeks, I'll hear a tinkling crashing sound as if a big chunk of ice or snow is coming down the chimney and landing on the top of the insert. But, nothing ever comes down the actual chimney pipe onto the flue. A mysterious set of splash marks have developed in the front against the inside of the glass fireplace doors. Like someone sprayed chalky water on the doors...but we have never seen them wet. They just have splashy residue.
I'm home during the day and my husband travels often, so this usually happens while I am alone in the living room. Since there is never any evidence of water in the fireplace, I always sound like a crazy person trying to describe it.
We checked the top of the chimney this summer and the flashing around the chimney and it all looks great. But, now that winter is back, I hear the drip drip drip again.
Does anyone have any idea what could cause the dripping sound on the outside of the fireplace insert?
We live in Alaska, so it's been pretty cold already this year.
