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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:
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First ask yourself these questions: |
Solutions to Problems: |
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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.
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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.
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Have I added any structures that may be
obstructing the draft of my chimney (home
additions, garages/outbuildings with high
roofs, etc.)?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. For stoves that use
chimney pipe you can also check out the
Tjernlund
Draft Inducer.
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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.
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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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