There could be many reasons why your fireplace doesn't work properly. With over 19 years of fireplace and chimney cleaning experience we know quite a few of them. Before we can get into them, we'd like to provide you with an overview of how fireplaces work.

It seems that fireplaces have been around since cavemen figured out how that a fireplace would be a good source of light and heat. Although fireplaces have evolved over the years from a basic campfire to a modern day factory smokestacks, they've all relied on the principle of hot air rising. The fireplaces that we use in our homes rely on these same principles. After you light your fireplace, the air inside the chimney gradually gets warmer. Cooler air from the room flows into the firebox and fans the fire with the cycle repeating itself over and over again.

Although we'll try to explain some of the basic reasons why your fireplace isn't working properly here, a chimney cleaning professional has extensive experience and understands the importance of air flow patterns, pressure differentials, and actual fireplace construction techniques.

One of the most obvious reasons that your fireplace isn't working is because of an over accumulation of creosote which can seriously affect the way your chimney performs. First and second degree creosote is a powdery soot-type material and over time evolves to a third-degree stage, changing to a more glaze-like coating. At this stage, removing it with a brush becomes extremely difficult. As the layers of creosote thicken, they restrict the flue so there is no longer enough free area to vent the fireplace properly. Even small buildups (1/4" to 1/2") make a difference in the ventilation. A 1/2" buildup will restrict the air flow by 17% for a typical masonry fireplace chimney, and by a whopping 30% for the average prefab. Regular chimney cleaning before and after the winter by a certified chimney professional, will prevent creosote buildup and ensure proper ventilation.

Another reason that your fireplace might smoke up is because the chimney isn't tall enough. Chimneys need to be at least 10 or 12 feet in overall height in order to function correctly. The section of the chimney that projects above the roof should be at least 3 feet tall. It should also be at least 2 feet higher than anything within 10 feet of it-including other buildings, trees, air exchangers etc… You have to remember that the taller the chimney, the stronger the draft. Sometimes a short chimney may not have enough draft even though it follows the 3-2-10 rule, but sometimes the problem can be solved by adding of a few feet will solve a smoking problem.

Fireplaces also smoke because of homeowners forget to close their fireplace dampers. Dampers should be opened before starting a fire. They prevent heat loss when the fireplace is not being used. Sometimes homeowners forget to close it after the fire has gone out and the damper acts like an open window and allows heated air to escape. The best thing to do when you are ready to light a fire is to open the damper completely. If you try to operate the fireplace with the damper half-closed, in order to get more heat into the room, you might only increase the amount of smoke in the room. In order to reduce smoking, open the damper and leave it open until the fire is out.

Finally, you should check to see if your flue is large enough for the fireplace opening. An smaller flue won’t be able to properly vent the volume of smoke causing it to spill back into the room. Some of the factors that contribute to the problem include the overall height of the chimney, the amount of warmth of the flue and how the throat of the chimney is positioned. Experts agree that the fireplace opening can be no more than 10 times the area of the flue (12 times for round flues). An undersized flue creates many challenges that can be overcome with some creativity. You could always make the room opening smaller with metal smoke guards or some creative masonry work. Before beginning this project, check with a Certified Chimney Professional to ensure that all safety precautions have been followed.