A smoky fireplace is not only annoying, but it is also a fire hazard. Nobody wants smoke billowing into their living area. There are many different reasons why your fireplace could be smoky and it is important to try and pinpoint the reason before trying to remedy the situation. At Old Smokey’s we want to help keep your home smoke free. Our trained and certified chimney technicians can help pinpoint your smoke issues and re-mediate them for you.
Like we said earlier, there are many reasons that your fireplace may be smokey. Some common issues include:
Broken damper 
When you start a fire, are you sure that you opened your damper? If your damper is closed, smoke won’t be able to get up your chimney. Sometimes dampers get rusted or jammed in the closed position. When this happens it is often necessary for us to replace your damper. Usually, we suggest switching to a top-sealing damper, which is less likely to rust or jam shut.
Smoke chamber issues
Smoke needs a quick and easy route out of your chimney. Your smoke chamber, located just above your fireplace, is designed to gradually funnel smoke from your fireplace, into your chimney. However, if there are gouges, crumbled brickwork, or chipping in your smoke chamber, it can cause smoke to bounce around longer in the smoke chamber than it should, allowing it to back up and spill out of your fireplace. If this happens the technicians at Old Smokeys can perform a smoke chamber parge. Parging smooths down the inside of the smoke chamber, allowing smoke to be easily compressed into your chimney once again.
Airflow issues
If a fire isn’t burning hot enough, it tends to smoke more. If your fires aren’t burning hot enough, you may be experiencing airflow issues. Oftentimes, it takes a chimney professional to determine where the airflow issue originates. Sometimes, homes can be sealed too tightly, so all you really need to do is crack open a window. Other times, your chimney may be blocked. If your chimney is blocked by either creosote or debris, it needs to be cleared immediately. This is because, in addition to smoke issues, creosote and chimney debris are also a fire hazard.
Incorrect fireplace dimensions
Sometimes fireplaces get built incorrectly. If your fireplace doesn’t go back far enough, you are forced to build fires closer to the front of the fireplace. This can cause smoky fireplace issues as well. If this happens, you can try to raise your fire higher in the air using fire bricks or andirons. However, for a more permanent solution, one of our masons at Old Smokey’s would have to perform a fireplace rebuild. If this is the case, it may be a good time to remodel your fireplace since we’d be working on it anyway.
No matter what is causing your smoky fireplace issue, we can identify the cause and repair it for you. Call Old Smokey’s today at 800-876-6539 or schedule an appointment online to set up an inspection today. At Old Smokey’s, we guarantee you’ll be happy with our professional and high-quality service.