Are You Tired Of Dealing With A Smoky Chimney?

Dealing with a smoky chimney can take all of the joy out of your fireside experience and leave you coughing and cursing. It can also be difficult to pinpoint just what’s causing your smoke problems, making it nearly impossible to resolve the issue. But we’re here to help!

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Here at Atlas Chimney, we have decades of smoky chimney troubleshooting experience and can help you identify and fix the problem. The first thing you’ll need to determine is whether or not your smoke problem is sporadic or constant.

Common Causes Of Constant Smoke Problems

Here are a few issues that are commonly responsible for constant smoke problems:

• Closed Damper – Be sure that your damper is properly functioning and fully opened before you start a fire. If your damper is broken or stuck in place, it’s possible that you think you’re opening your damper when you aren’t.
• Insufficient Air Supply –Try opening a door or window to see if the smoke issue lessens or resolves. If so, it’s possible that your chimney has insufficient air supply. This is a common problem in newer, airtight homes, but we can always install a vent to bring in outside air while your fireplace is in use.
• Fireplace Opening – It’s possible that your fireplace opening is too large for your chimney flue to effectively draft. In this situation, your fireplace will allow more air into the chimney than it can handle. If this is the cause of your smoke problems, we can either install something to decrease the size of the fireplace opening or install glass fireplace doors.
• Chimney Flue Blockage – Have you had your chimney inspected? It’s possible that you have a blockage in your flue that is preventing smoke from properly exiting the chimney. Obstructions can include bird nests, bricks, creosote buildup, and other fire and health hazards. If this is the cause of your smoke issues, proper cleaning and sweeping should help.
• Poor Chimney Design – Another common cause of constant smoke problems is poor chimney design and construction. Our technicians can evaluate your chimney’s construction and make recommendations based on our findings.

Common Causes Of Occasional Smoke Problems

Are your smoke problems more sporadic? Common causes for sporadic smoke problems include:

• Temperature/Air Pressure – When the inside and outside temperatures are in the same range of a few degrees and you have a high-pressure cell in your area, chances are you will not have enough available air pressure to obtain a proper draft in the chimney flue.
• Vents – If the return air vent is in the same room as your fireplace you may notice smoke coming into the room when your heat turns on.
• More Than One Fireplace – If you burn wood in one fireplace, your other fireplace may smoke. This issue can usually be resolved by increasing the height of the problem flue.
• Type/Condition Of Wood – Another common cause of sporadic smoke issues is the wood itself. If the wood you’re burning isn’t dry and properly seasoned and aged, or if your wood is very dense (like mesquite), you will experience smoke issues.
• Chimney Height – Your chimney flue should extend at least 3 feet above your roof and should be at least 2 feet higher than anything else within 10 feet of your home. If it’s not, you will experience draft and smoke issues.

Let Atlas Chimney Help Resolve Your Smoke Issue!

Whether your smoke problems are sporadic or constant, those of us here at Atlas Chimney can help! Give us a call today at 512-702-7415 or click here and we’ll come out to evaluate your system and help you resolve your smoke problems for good! Call or click today!

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