When it’s cool outside, it just feels so cozy to build a fire in the fireplace. What a great way to get the chill out of the air in your home! But if the room fills with smoke, then the enjoyment goes out the window. There are several reasons this may be happening, and all of them are an easy fix when you call the professionals at Owens Chimney Systems.
Air-tight House
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, one reason for this problem may be that your home was just built too well! Modern homes are built to be air-tight, and this can cause a situation in which the air is drawn down an unused flue, picking up smoke that is exiting nearby from the fireplace in use. This smoke then comes back into the living area. A simple solution to this could be to open your windows a little ways; another solution would be to install a top mount damper on the fireplace is not used as often.
Creosote Build-up
Another reason that you may be getting smoke back in your room instead of out the chimney may be because of a creosote build-up. So, what is creosote? According to the CSIA website, when you use your masonry fireplace by-products such as smoke, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbons, and more are released. The purpose of your chimney is to provide a passage to release these by-products into the air rather than into your home. As they move up your chimney, they cool and leave a residue behind which coats the inside of your chimney. This residue is known as creosote. If this creosote build-up gets too thick, the air flow can become restricted, smoke won’t be able to make its way out of your chimney as efficiently, and your room may become smoky. An even bigger concern to a thick creosote build-up is that this creosote is extremely flammable, and a chimney fire may occur.
Damaged Chimney Flue
The Inspectapedia website tells us that a damaged chimney flue can occur for several reasons, and a damaged flue will also cause problems when burning a fire in your fireplace. Whether your flue was damaged from improper installation, frost, not having a properly installed chimney cap, no chimney cap, or any other reason, a damaged flue may be the reason for smoke in your living area. If the smoke is not being guided out of the house by a working flue system, the result may be smoke heading into your home.
Diagnosing the Problem
If you are having an issue with smoke in your living area when you burn a fire in your fireplace, it’s time to call in the professionals to diagnose and solve your problem. At Owens Chimney Systems, all our lead service technicians are CSIA certified; they also participate in mandatory industry training so that they are on the cutting edge of technical advances in the chimney care industry. They know how to diagnose your chimney problems and how to make these problems disappear. For exceptional service, contact us online or give us a call today!