How To Solve Fireplace And Chimney Problems
In the past, one of the worst nightmares for a homeowner was to have a chimney fire because of chimney damper. But with the development of highly efficient wood fireplaces, often times people will forget just how important it is to have their chimney, chimney damper and fireplace inspected frequently.
How Chimneys Work
While you don’t have to know not how to build your own chimney…you should understand some of the basic functions why and how a chimney works. Just remember that a chimney is really nothing more than a tubular device that is designed to pull exhaust fumes away from brick fireplaces and expel them into the outside air.
See once you have a fire going, the chimney damper (the manual air flow valve) and chimney create a draft. So the hotter the fire gets, the hotter the exhaust fumes that are released. This turn makes for more draft being created. The draft creates a vacuum or suction effect which stops smoke from escaping back into the room and pulls the fumes up the chimney.
The narrow channel in the chimney, is called the flue, and should be insulated using a flue liner. This allows the exhaust gases to remain hot until they can be pulled or expelled outdoors. This is why a flue liner increases the draft. Once the fire is going, a working chimney and damper create a giant feedback loop.
Smoking Chimneys Caused by Damper Issues
One of the most annoying things most fireplace owners commonly confront is the smoky fireplace. While not all smoke problems are caused by chimney damper issues, enough of them are so you should always check the damper first.
Quick Tip 1
Smoking seems to happen only when the fire is first lit. Fireplace dampers are designed to prevent the loss of heat when the fireplace is not being used. Always remember to open it before you start a fire. And always remember to close it down once the fire has gone out. You can lose as much as 30% of your household heat from an open damper.
Quick Tip 2
“Damper will not open or close all the way”. If you can’t get the manual valve to close down all the way or not open all the way, you may at first want to take a chimney brush and a flashlight and gently clean away any soot or debris from around the damper handle. If this doesn’t work you probably need to call in a chimney professional to have it checked.
Quick Tip 3
When was the last time the chimney and fireplace were inspected? For safety sake you should have your chimney cleaned before every season or at least annually. The main problem is that over a period time, flammable creosote builds up in your flue. Creosote can be a major cause of house fires as well as severely reducing the expulsion of fireplace fumes.
Quick Tip 4
Fireplaces only smokes during high winds? Back drafts from the overhead winds are blowing back down your chimney. You should have a professional install the proper size chimney cap and chimney flue caps on the top of your chimney in order to deflect some of the wind.
Now that you know more about how a chimney damper works within your fireplace you can make better decisions on what you need to have inspected.
