So I Guess I Should Have Left The Steam Away Raised?

[Bruce L]

Was back down to the sugarbush today taking a small load of wood in,went into the sugar house to see if any 2 legged or 4 legged critters had been around.Opened the door on the steam hood,smelled like something crawled in and died.No way anything can get into the steam away,looked through the " window " into the flue pan,which is where I figured the smell is emanating from,flues are all still wet,as well as the troughs in the bottom of the steam away. Guess I will be taking the pressure washer back down to blow the pans again,then raise the steam away for a few days to dry out. I figured I didn't want to leave the steam away raised or some critter might be planning on making a home for the summer

[blissville maples]

You didn't drain the pan, how did thatmuch liquid get in there?? I leave my drain valve open all summer

[Bruce L]

Yes pan drained,but looks like just after taking a shower,everything still has moisture on it

[Daveg]

Well, with the temperature fluctuations you've been having it's not a stretch to assume condensation has accumulated and all it takes is a few left over Mommy and Daddy bacteria to get a whole colony a-growin' and digesting in that slightly damp environment! When you go from 7°C to 19°C in 12 hours with humidity above 50% moisture is the result.

[Super Sapper]

If it smelled bad it was not clean to begin with. It takes moisture and food for the bacteria to grow and create the odor.

[blissville maples]

So because the steam away is closed up it condensates?? Wondering if opening access door help