This is a question we get often here at NorthlineExpress.com.
Where there's fire there's smoke, and when the fire is in your fireplace
or wood stove you need that smoke to vent outside. The problem is that this
does not always happen as planned. If your fireplace is dumping smoke into
your home there is generally 1 of 2 reasons, you didn't open the damper
or your fireplace has a drafting problem.
The fireplace's flue is most likely the cause of this
problem. The flue is the part of your fireplace that runs from the top of
your woodstove or fireplace opening (usually at the top of the inside of
the fireplace) through the chimney to the outside air. Poor drafting can
be caused by a number of factors, some are minor fixes and some are more
involved. First we will look at the principals of how a fireplace works.
Then we will talk about why your fireplace may not be drafting properly
and give you ideas about how you can fix these problems.
There are many things that can cause a chimney to vent improperly. We
will address these problems individually to help you find your solution
faster.
Problem: Fireplace Smokes ALL THE TIME
- Let's get the obvious out of the way first, damper is closed, flue is
clogged with a nest (animals like birds, bees, raccoons, squirrels, etc.
like chimney flues), extreme creosote buildup, or other type of blockage.
If you have smoke simply pouring into your home whenever you attempt to
start a fire you should either call a professional chimney sweep or get
some Chimney Cleaning Supplies and begin cleaning. See
How to Clean a Chimney for help.
Problem: Fireplace Smokes SOMETIMES
- This takes some investigation. Don't just assume it is because of one
thing or another. There are so many possible causes for a smoking fireplace
that you can spend a ton of money guessing what the problem is. But with
some investigation you can usually narrow it down to just 1 or 2 possibilities.
Ask yourself the following questions:
First ask yourself these questions:
Solutions to the problems:
Is my damper opening all the way?
If your damper is not opened all the way and
will not open all the way call a chimney professional and have it
replaced/repaired. You may also consider removing your inefficient
throat damper and replacing it with a much more efficient
Top Sealing
Damper Cap. It will pay for itself in no time.
When was the last time I had the chimney
cleaned and inspected?
You should clean your chimney in between every
season. This will keep hazardous creosote from building up in your
flue and also help your fireplace draft better. It will reduce smells
in the summer time and eliminate the potential for dangerous chimney
fires. See How to Clean a Chimney for help. We also offer
Chimney Cleaning
Supplies.
Have I added any structures that may be
obstructing the draft of my chimney (home additions, garages/outbuildings
with high roofs, etc.)?
If you have added additions to your home or built
a new garage, pole barn, or other outbuilding with a high roof it
may be causing the problem. Usually this can be fixed by adding
length to your flue. A Flue
Stretcher may be all you need. If this does not work an Exhausto
Fan may be a better choice.
Have any large trees, plants, shrubs grown
up too close to my chimney over the years?
Trees and shrubs can be cut back and trimmed.
If this is not an option again an
Exhausto
Fan will do the trick.
Have I installed new windows, siding, insulation,
knocked down walls or made any other structural changes to the interior/exterior
of my home?
If you have done any major renovations to your
home especially those making it better insulated (which in turn
means better sealed and less "breathing") then you may have effected
the pressure in your home. Consider checking into an
Outside Air Kit if you think your home is sealed better than
before. If your home is more opened up then you may have too much
free air, try turning on exhaust fans, closing doors to other rooms
in the home, or once again consider an Exhausto Fan.
Does my fireplace smoke only during high
winds?
This could be due to a downdraft created by high
winds. There are chimney caps designed to deflect wind turning it
into more of a venturi action causing the smoke to be sucked out
of the chimney but these are never a sure fix. Be careful that you
don't undersize your masonry flue by adding one of these caps. See
our VacuStack Chimney Caps
for more information. If this does not work or if you cannot find
one that will not reduce your flue size then the Exhausto Fan will
work.
Does my fireplace smoke only when I first
start a fire?
The most usual cause of this is cold weather
but many other things like opened windows, running clothes dryers,
bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans etc. can have the same effect.
If this is not the problem start checking that all windows in the
home are closed, fans are off, and the clothes dryer and furnace
is off. If this does not work try closing doors in the home to reduce
the air volume especially a basement door. Check out our
Fire Starting Tips page for
more information.
Do small amounts of smoke leak out the top
of my fireplace?
This can be caused by an undersized flue/oversized
fireplace. A sometimes simple solution is the addition of a
Smoke Guard. The
smoke guard reduces the size of your fireplace opening and may reduce
it enough to create a proper draft.
Does my fireplace smoke sporadically with
no pattern?
Obviously these can be the most difficult ones
to solve but usually have the simplest solutions. This can be caused
by doors opening and closing, exhaust fans turning on and off, windows
being opened (a opened window in an upstairs bedroom can cause a
fireplace to smoke), clothes dryers, or anything that would effect
the air pressure in your home. All of these things suck air out
of your home creating a vacuum in your home making your flue act
like a straw.
Makeup Air Kits are available to force air into your home.
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