Our Company Blog

Chimney Draft and Smoking Problems

The last thing you want this winter is a drafty chimney. It can waste heated air and fuel, cost you dearly in heating bills, and even lead to health issues that can affect your family. If your chimney is smoky or drafty, there is usually a reason why–a problem to be solved–and we can help. Calling a chimney professional is your first step to a well-working chimney system, a warm hearth, and a safe fire. Chief Chimney Services is the #1 choice for comprehensive chimney care in Suffolk County and beyond. We can help diagnose your chimney problems and even help you troubleshoot by phone.

How the Chimney Works

Constant airflow keeps your chimney working correctly. For a fire to burn it must have fuel and oxygen. The fuel is the wood, pellets, or gas and the oxygen is drawn from the home. Some appliances draw air and vent air through a wall. These units will not have smoke or drafting issues because they’re closed units.A traditional fireplace with a draft issues will be difficult to light, keep lit, or will be very smoky. Oftentimes, homeowners can troubleshoot a smoky fireplace themselves, but when it can’t be fixed, it’s time to call a professional.

Common Causes for a Smoky Chimney

1. A Faulty Damper
It may be that your damper is just in the wrong position. However, if you’re using the damper correctly and your fireplace is still smoky, it may be damaged. The damper is made of metal and will rust and deteriorate over time. It can also become clogged with creosote and soot that keeps it from working properly. If the damper is engaged and the fire is burning, the smoke and carbon monoxide is not able to vent properly and can lead to serious health concerns and even death. Let the damper be the first thing you check and schedule a repair right away!
2. Green or “Wet” Firewood
Your firewood should be properly seasoned before burning. Properly seasoned firewood is wood that has been cut and stored for 3 to 6 months before being burned. It is easier to light, burns more completely, and burns warmer than wet wood. If you burn wood that isn’t properly seasoned, it will undoubtedly produce more smoke than heat. That means the heat is not enough to carry the smoke up the chimney.
3. A Neglected Flue
Your chimney will not work as well when it isn’t cleaned on a regular basis. Failing to schedule regular sweeps will allow soot and creosote to build-up in the flue system, slowing airflow, and causing smoke to stall in the system where it cools and falls back into the fireplace. If your chimney isn’t cleaned before burn season, it may also have debris in it that can slow airflow and even ignite a fire in the system.

The problem that causes your fireplace to smoke may be a serious construction issue. The flue may be sized incorrectly, the chimney may be too tall, and there may be serious damage that prevents the draft from working properly. Don’t assume you know the problem. Call the professionals who have seen it all.

Call on Chief Chimney Services at 631-863-2460.

Correcting Draft Issues

A draft in a literal sense means to “draw” or to “pull”, which is why the selective service is called a draft. When your chimney is having a drafting issue, it means the chimney system is not able to properly and effectively pull air through the chimney and out of the house. The chimney should be working constantly when a fire is burning in the fireplace. That means there is constant airflow pulling the heat, smoke, and other gases out of the chimney and home. A smoky chimney is the first indication of a draft issue. Unfortunately, there are many reasons for a draft issue–some may be simple, quick fixes, and others may be more serious.

The Wrong Wood

The number one cause of simple draft problems is that you’re burning the wrong firewood. Good wood is properly seasoned, meaning it has been cut and stored to dry before it is burned. “Green” or wet wood has too much water inside and has to work harder to burn. It will be more difficult to light, will burn with less heat, require more wood to reach a desired temperature, burn incompletely, produce more ashes, and be smokier. A great way to check to see if this is the problem with your chimney is to build and light a fire with properly seasoned firewood.

A Competing Draft

Other large systems in the home, such as the central air and heating system, can interfere with your fireplace. Your home may also be so tight that it is impossible for the chimney to pull air from the house. In order for the chimney to pull air out of the house, more air must be pulled into the house to keep airflow going. Otherwise your home becomes a vacuum, and the air will not flow. This problem can be quickly checked and remedied by cracking a window in the house to allow air in.

A Dirty Chimney

When the chimney system is coated in soot and creosote, the efficiency drops because airflow slows down. If the air cannot travel up and out of the chimney, the result will be a smoky fireplace. You can solve this problem by scheduling a chimney sweep. Schedule now, and you can avoid the fall rush. You may also find that the smoky problems from last season aren’t present this year!

Chimney Sizing

Believe it or not, the size of the chimney matters–a lot. If the chimney is too tall or short, the smoke will not rise up and out. Instead, it will fall into the living room the next time you open your damper. If the flue isn’t sized correctly, if the smoke chamber isn’t the right size, or if the smoke shelf isn’t large enough, then you will have a smoke problem.

Chimney Damage

Damage to the liner can slow air flow and cause a draft issue. You should have annual chimney inspections to insure you that all the seen and unseen portions of the chimney system are in proper working order. This means that your smoky chimney does not have a complicated solution. If your chimney is in ship-shape, then the problem is simple and can likely be resolved through troubleshooting.

Still unsure what to do with your chimney? Call Chief Chimney Services at 631-863-2460.

Resolving Chimney Smoke and Drafting Problems

Your chimney should work for you. Like other systems in your home, you may take it for granted until it doesn’t work. Your chimney will work fine for a long time, venting your fire as it should, smoke escaping out the top of the flue. As long as it’s working, many homeowners don’t worry about scheduling routine services. The biggest thing to remember about the chimney system, however, is that when it works, it’s good. When it doesn’t work, it’s very bad.

Dangers of a Smoky Fireplace

If you find that your fireplace smokes when you’re lighting the fire, especially in a cold chimney, it’s not a huge deal. If a little smoke escapes your stove when you open it to load in more wood, that isn’t a huge deal. When you have a persistent smoke issue and the damper is in the open position, it’s a problem. When the smoke pushes into your room consistently, and visibly, you have a problem. Your inefficient chimney isn’t just a fire hazard at this point. It’s also a hazard to your health.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes a smoky fireplace is a simple problem with a simple solution. If the chimney is cold, it can be difficult for the smoke to rise up the chimney. If the fire is hot and has been burning for an hour or more, this is likely not the issue. It may be that you have a draft problem, meaning your house is too tightly sealed and cannot draw air from it to create a draft. If this is the issue, it can be resolved simply by cracking a window or opening a door on an opposite side of the house. Other appliances may also interfere with the chimney’s draft. You may also try shutting these off to see if there is a difference in the chimney’s performance.

If you have tried troubleshooting with no luck, are burning dry, seasoned wood, and your damper is in the correct position, and you still have a smoky fireplace, it’s time to call a professional.

Chief Chimney Services Offers Diagnostic Inspections

At Chief Chimney Services, the safety and comfort of our customers in Suffolk County is our #1 priority. Fire is not the only safety concern when it comes to fireplaces. Smoke inhalation can cause respiratory issues over time, sudden respiratory distress in asthmatics, and carbon monoxide poisoning in people of all ages. If you think you or a family member has inhaled too much smoke, seek medical attention.

If you haven’t resolved your smoky chimney/fireplace yourself, you can count on Chief Chimney Services. One of our technicians will come in and assess the entire chimney system for failing parts. It may be a simple issue that was overlooked during construction or something that occurred over time. If it’s a chimney sizing issue, it can be resolved with a new, appropriately-sized liner. We can replace it if it’s a faulty damper. If there is a solution to your chimney problem, the Chief can resolve it.

Contact Us

Call Chief Chimney Services to handle your smoky fireplace in Suffolk County. Call 631-863-2460, or schedule online.