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Common Chimney Draft Issues

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Draft plays an important role in the operation of your fireplace and chimney system, and different factors can cause chimney draft issues. If your house smells smoky or if you have trouble with starting a fire, you are experiencing chimney draft problems. Since several things can cause these issues, it can be challenging to diagnose exactly what is wrong. Atlas Chimney is here to help solve your chimney draft issues. For over 25 years, we have been working on the chimneys of the residents of Central Texas, and we know how to diagnose and fix problems with drafts in chimneys. We would like to tell you a bit more about the symptoms of these issues, what causes them, and how we can correct the problems.

Common Chimney Draft Issues Image- Austin TX - Atlas Chimney

Difficulty Starting a Fire

If it takes you 30 minutes to an hour to get a good fire going in your fireplace, your flue could be too large for your heating appliance. You could also have leaks in the lower half of your chimney. According to Mother Earth News, the best solution for both of these problems is to reline the chimney. Atlas Chimney can install a new stainless steel liner that will provide a correctly-sized flue for your heating appliance. This will also help to seal off any leaks.

Smoke Fills the Room on Windy Days

In the best case scenario, wind helps the draft in your chimney to pull out exhaust gases from your home. However, the wind could be directed downward towards your chimney by part of your roof, another building, or a tree. Atlas Chimney can help with this issue by installing a chimney cap that has vents on its sides. These vents will direct the wind to improve your chimney draft and pull out the smoke and gases from combustion,

Unpleasant Odors in the Summer

The heat and humidity of the summer can worsen the odor of creosote, so if you have not had your chimney professionally swept since you last used your fireplace, you could have stinky creosote deposits inside your chimney. Chimney draft problems can force these odors back into your home. The most common reason for this smelly issue is that your house is preventing adequate airflow up the chimney because it is sealed too tightly for weatherization purposes. This problem can be solved by two simple solutions. You can crack open the window closest to your fireplace to give the chimney enough air to draft properly. You can also schedule your annual professional chimney sweeping in the spring or summer with Atlas Chimney, so our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney sweeps can remove all of the creosote from your chimney before it starts smelling so strongly.

Have you noticed any of these symptoms with your fireplace? Contact us at Atlas Chimney so our certified sweeps can diagnose and solve your chimney draft problems.