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Your Stinky Chimney: Chimney Odors and What to Do About Them

You want your fireplace to offer the ambiance you expected when it was installed, along with efficiency and safety to boot. That isn’t too much to ask. When your chimney stinks it’s not only inconvenient, but it also points to a bigger problem that should be dealt with right away.

What a Stinky Chimney Means for You

A chimney that is working properly shouldn’t stink–if it does, there is an issue inside. By identifying the type of smell, it can be easy to diagnose.

• A musty, dank odor means there is moisture in the chimney. When moisture gets into the chimney it mixes with soot, resulting in an unpleasant odor. This is a common cause of a stinky chimney, and homeowners should be aware of this and call a professional right away because water can wreak havoc on your chimney .

• A singed, smokey odor means there is a draft problem, or some bad burning habits on the part of the homeowner. If there is a draft problem it might be as simple as opening a window in another part of the house to replace air in the house. However, it can be a bigger problem, like a liner that is the wrong size, or a chimney that is the wrong height. If this is the case, the odor will persist until the problem is fixed, and these repairs should be done by a professional. If the odor is the result of poor burning practices, it is the easiest fix. The only fuel that should be burned in your fireplace or appliance is exactly the fuel it is designed for.

If you burn cord wood, you should only burn seasoned wood that has been cut, set aside, and dried for a number of months before burning. Burning wood that is not dried properly can cause incomplete burning which can contribute to draft problems as well as soot buildup. Also, trash and other items should never be burned in the fireplace. These items do not burn completely and pose a threat to the chimney system and the home.

What You Can Do For a Stinky Chimney

1. Call a Professional

Even if you are able to correct the problem by cracking a window to improve the draft, or by using the proper wood, you should call a professional and have your chimney checked out. Depending on how long the odor has been present, there may have been damage caused to the chimney. For instance, both a draft problem and improper fuel can cause creosote buildup on the flue lining. This will continue to stink, as well as may cause flue blockage, and threat of fire.

If the odor was caused by moisture in the chimney a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS)  can assess the cause and the damage. The chimney may need to be relined, resurfaced, or waterproofed to prevent further damage.

2. Remember Maintenance

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends regular chimney sweeps and annual chimney inspections to insure the chimney system is operating at it’s best efficiency and safety. These are preventative steps that you can take as a homeowner to prevent costly damage later.

To learn more about how your chimney works and reasons why your chimney isn’t working, visit with a professional today. Chief Chimney Services is available for consultation, chimney sweeps , and inspections. Schedule your appointment online today.

What To Do About a Smelly Chimney

When you have a smelly chimney it’s easy to know what to do…CALL A PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP. Chief Chimney Services has been serving residents of Long Island and curing smelly chimney issues in Suffolk County since 1983.

On those oh so familiar hot humid summer days, when your nose connects with that foul pungent odor from your fireplace and chimney, hear warning bells in your mind alerting you that something needs attention. Just like the warning tone your ears hear when your fire and carbon monoxide alarms go off, when your nose detects that putrid smell it’s time to call your chimney professional.

Stinking chimneys can be caused by a single problem or a combination of several. Most likely the cause of your smelly chimney won’t be apparent to the naked eye, and even if you forsook your own safety and climbed on the roof, you wouldn’t be able to see far enough into your chimney to locate the problem. Smelly chimneys occur when there is mold growing or water seeping in your chimney, a build-up of creosote, nesting and decaying animals and birds, all of which are complicated by negative air pressure in your home.

Mold remains one of the top health hazards and special care must be given not only to remove it, but also to prevent its re-occurrence. A common misconception is that bleach is a mold inhibitor, which it is not. Mold can exacerbate breathing and pulmonary issues and cause severe health issues. It spreads quickly and needs prompt attention. Seeping moisture breeds mold. A professional chimney sweep will locate the source of the moisture and correct the problem and remove the existing accumulation; both are necessary to solve mold issues and their subsequent odors.

Your chimney presents an attractive living space for birds and rodents as it is warm, dry, and protected from predators. The troubles occur for when the animal droppings build in the chimney and/or they die inside. Both the decaying bodies and parasites the carcasses attract linger inside your chimney. It is not only unhealthy, but it also blocks proper airflow and causes an awful stench. Adding further to the problem is the fact that in many communities, nesting birds cannot be disturbed. Part of the training professional and certified chimney sweeps receive is how to prevent wildlife from turning your chimney into public housing in the first place and what to do if they have while conforming to wildlife protection laws.

Downdrafts present their own issues and causes of smelly chimneys. The Professional Home Inspection Service wants homeowners to recognize, “While a mild smoke odor is a minor problem, the issue can be very serious if the same thing occurs with naturally drafting gas appliances. The same negative pressure could be drawing combustion gases including carbon monoxide back down the utility chimney, posing a very unhealthy situation. If this problem is a possibility in your house, make sure your carbon monoxide detector is in good working order, and call in a professional for further assessment.”

Professional chimney technicians will pro-actively troubleshoot the potential causes of a smelly chimney and remedy them during their annual inspections. Built up creosote, along with all of these causes of smelly chimneys can be identified and corrected by following the guidelines recommended by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) for annual chimney inspections and cleaning.

Remember a smelly chimney is a warning for you to call your chimney professional! Chief Chimney Services is here for homeowners on Long Island.