What Do I Have To Know About My Chimney System?
Home Tap to Call Now

Know Your Chimney System

Professional Chimney Inspection in Dodgeville WI & Mineral Point, WIFrustration with smoky, sluggish fires in the fireplace is common among homeowners who are unfamiliar with their heating system. Proper operation depends on all fireplace and chimney components working as they are supposed to. Optimizing the safety and performance of your fireplace is easier when you know your chimney system and how it functions.

Understanding the Draft

Of course, the chimney’s purpose is to remove smoke and other combustion byproducts from the home, but it doesn’t always work that way. The following are three issues related to the draft that affect chimney operation or prevent a fire from starting or from burning hot due to lack of sufficient air.

Damper

If you forget to open the damper, smoke is prevented from moving into the chimney. A closed damper is one of the top reasons starting a fire in the fireplace results in smoke getting in your eyes.

Cold Air

If your chimney is on an exterior wall of your home, a column of cold air will likely fill the chimney flue in very cold weather. The cold air pushes down toward the fireplace and prevents a fire from getting hot enough to displace the cold air with warm air that rises. The typical solution is to create a torch with some newspaper, light it, and carefully hold the torch up to the open damper. Light a match and see if the air now goes up the chimney. If it doesn’t, use another torch, which should fix the problem.

Negative Air Pressure

Your entire home affects the operation of the chimney if there is negative air pressure. The following can prevent a sufficient amount of air from getting to the fire—keep in mind a fire must have oxygen. In addition, the chimney draft doesn’t work right if there is negative air pressure:

  • Typical in new homes, the structure is tightly sealed, preventing needed air flow for fireplaces. A temporary fix is to open a window.
  • Negative air pressure could be caused by an exhaust fan running in the bathroom or kitchen.
  • Running an attic fan or whole-house fan can also create negative pressure that adversely affects the draft.

Know Your Chimney’s Anatomy

Fireplace Inspection in Boscobel, WIChimney systems are more complex than many realize. The following is a list of the various chimney components:

  • Chimney Damper
  • Smoke Chamber
  • Smoke Shelf
  • Chimney Flue
  • Chimney Liner
  • Chimney Chase
  • Chimney Crown
  • Chimney Cap
  • Chimney Flashing

Contact Chimney Specialists, Inc.

The certified chimney sweeps at Chimney Specialists, Inc., serve homeowners and business owners in Highland, WI, and the surrounding area. Our chimney technicians are highly trained and experienced and understand the function of each part of a chimney. If you need to schedule a chimney inspection, chimney cleaning, or chimney maintenance or if you need help with a smoky fireplace, contact Chimney Specialists today by calling (608) 929-4887. Additional contact information follows.

Chimney Specialists Inc.

869 Main Street, Highland, WI

Phone – (608) 929-4887 / Toll Free (800) 395-6660

 

Dubuque Fireplace & Patio

925 Century Drive, Dubuque, Iowa

Phone – (563) 582-5156

 

Call Now Button