QA

Question: Why Does My Fireplace Smoke

How do I stop my fireplace from smoking?

How To Keep Smoke From Coming Out Of A Fireplace Use A Fireplace Grate. Build Fires Towards The Back Of The Fireplace. Build Fires Using The Top-Down Method. Burn Dry & Low Moisture Content Firewood. Open The Damper Fully Before Each Fire. Preheat The Chimney To Start The Draft. Build Smaller, Hotter Fires.

Why does smoke keep coming out of fireplace?

One of the most common causes of a fireplace smoking back into the home is due to poor quality firewood. Damp firewood produces more smoke than a flue can handle and will cause back-puffing. On the other hand, firewood that’s too dry and old can also cause problems with smoke blowing back into your home.

Why does my house fill with smoke when I use my fireplace?

The most likely reason that your house is filling with smoke when you light a fire is that the damper is closed. The damper should be fully opened when the fireplace is in use, and closed when it is not. All indoor fireplaces have a damper that must be opened before you light a fire in your fireplace.

Is smoke supposed to come out of fireplace?

You should never find your home filled with smoke after you start a fire safely in the fireplace. As long as your fireplace damper is open, the smoke and vapor should be moving upward out of the chimney, not entering the room.

How can I improve my chimney draft?

How to Increase Draft in Your Chimney Start with a Hot, Fast Fire. Starting a cold wood stove with a hot, fast fire will get the draft going the quickest. Burn Extremely Low Moisture Wood. Improve Airflow Around the Fire. Warm the Chimney Flue. Provide Enough Air to Replace the Air That is Lost.

Why does my wood fire smoke?

Your wood stove relies on suction, called draft or draught, from the chimney to draw the smoke up out of your wood stove and out of your house. There are a few items that can cause bad draft in wood burning stoves: a cold chimney, wind induced down draft, or even a clogged or obstructed chimney.

How do I stop my fireplace Backdraft?

How to Prevent Chimney Downdraft Shut Off Exhaust Fans: When your fireplace is in use, turn off your exhaust fans, as they naturally increase negative pressure by pulling air out of the house. Adjust Your Damper: If your damper is warped, you might need to adjust it slightly to get the right airflow.

How do you stop a downdraft in a chimney?

Adjust the Damper You can oftentimes fix and prevent downdrafts by adjusting the damper. For a fireplace to function properly, the damper must be at least partially open at all times. If it’s fully closed, smoke and hot air will accumulate inside your home rather than venting out through the flue and chimney.

Should you open a window when you have a fire in the fireplace?

Open a window when using the fireplace to prevent the room from becoming smoky. The air coming in from the window will go up the chimney. Before making a fire, open the glass doors, pull aside the screen curtains, and place the kindling, newspaper and logs inside. Use fireplace tools to handle burning logs.

What color should chimney smoke be?

The exhaust coming from the top of the chimney should be perfectly clear or white with steam. A plume of blue or gray smoke indicates that you have a problem.

What makes a chimney draw?

When a chimney is filled with hot gas, that gas tends to rise because it is less dense than the air outside the house. The rising hot gas creates a pressure difference called draft which draws combustion air into the appliance and expels the exhaust gas outside.

How do I get the fireplace smoke smell out of my house?

Place vinegar in a few shallow bowls around the room to absorb any smells that pass by. Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz the fireplace area to deodorize at the source. Spray a towel with vinegar and wave it around the room to absorb the fireplace odor.

Can you put a fan in a wood burning fireplace?

Yes, you can add a fan/blower to most gas and wood fireplaces, inserts, and stoves. You will likely want a certified fireplace dealer to install your fan to ensure it is done correctly, is level, and doesn’t rattle. When shopping for a fireplace you will want to search for a unit that has the option for a blower.

Why is there a draft from my fireplace?

The size of a chimney needs to be built relative to the size of the appliance that will vent into it. A chimney that isn’t sized correctly will lead to fireplace draft issues. This problem most commonly arises when a gas insert is installed and the liner is not properly sized or insulated for the new upgrade.

How do you fix a chimney draft problem?

Solutions for a Draft Chimney Keep the damper open whenever a fire is burning. If your damper doesn’t work properly, get it replaced. Leave a few of the windows cracked to allow fresh air into the home and smoky air out. Limit your use of green wood or wet wood straight from the outdoors.