What causes smoke to come back down chimney?

When the air inside your flue is too cold, it forces smoke back down into your home because colder air is more dense. Many times, this is the case when you haven't started a fire in a while and it's been very cold during that period.

How do I stop smoke coming back down the chimney?

Can smoke coming back down chimney?

In other words, the smoke and flue gases are not being pulled up the chimney with sufficient strength. This becomes a problem if the wind outside is drawn into or over the chimney in a way the prevents the gases from exiting. In that case, they can be forced back down the chimney and may seep out of your woodburner.

Why is my chimney smoking?

A flue can become blocked by leaf debris, animal nests, or the buildup of creosote, a dark brown to a black coating that forms in the chimney when fire by-products harden. These obstructions can reduce or prevent the passage of smoke from the firebox to the outdoors through the flue and lead to back-puffing.

What does white smoke from a chimney mean?

Excessive levels of oxygen within the combustion chamber can cause inefficient fuel burning and lead to the dense, white smoke emanating from your chimney. A licensed technician will need to examine and clean the burner's internal components to remove particle buildup.

Common Wood Stove and Firplace Backdraft Smoke Issues

Should I see smoke from my chimney?

Smoke is unburned wood particles – if you can see smoke from a chimney, you need to improve your technique. If you see a lot of black smoke, it's a sign you're burning something toxic. a light colored smoke means your fire isn't burning efficiently and you need to adjust your air intake.

How can I make my chimney draw better?

Should fireplace damper be open or closed?

A fireplace damper should always be kept open while the fire is burning. Furthermore, keep the damper open until all the embers are completely out; since smoke and dangerous carbon monoxide can enter the house. Once the ember bed is entirely out, close the damper.

What color should chimney smoke be?

The smoke coming out of your chimney should be almost colorless and thin. Thick, white or black smoke indicates that your fire is not receiving enough air. Woodstoves, fireplaces, and barbecues should be used in such a way as to minimize the impact on neighbors.

How often does chimney need to be cleaned?

HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood and at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels. The best times to have your chimney swept are just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a prolonged period.

How do you know if creosote is building?

Does smoke mean creosote?

When the oils in the wood aren't completely burned, they off-gas as volatiles and travel up through the smoke. The smoke cools as it rises, and ultimately condenses with water and other chemicals on the interior of your chimney and flue. This residue is called creosote.

What does GREY smoke mean in a fire?

Grey smoke can indicate that the fire is slowing down and running out of materials to burn.

Should flue be fully open?

The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Close it when it's not it use. Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not generate more heat. Instead, blocking the passage through the flue will result in smoke entering the home.

Is it OK to leave the flue open overnight?

The smoke from burning wood contains carbon monoxide, so in order to prevent this toxic byproduct from entering your home, it is important to leave the flue open overnight. This enables a draft to carry the compound out into the atmosphere, instead of sinking down the chimney and saturating the room.

Is a damper and flue the same thing?

A damper is located in the flue of your chimney. The flue is where the smoke escapes when the fire is going. Dampers are placed inside of the flue to help control ventilation. Your damper should have a chain or handle that you can access in order to open and close it.

How do I know if my chimney is blocked?

What does Brown smoke mean in a house fire?

Tan/brown smoke indicates unfinished wood that is pyrolizing just prior to ignition (e.g., wood framing and trusses).

What does white smoke mean?

White Smoke: If you see white smoke that is hazy and thin, it is most likely a natural occurrence from condensation. However, if it is a thick white or light gray cloud, you may be dealing with something more serious. Dense white smoke can suggest that your engine head gasket or engine block is endangered.

What color smoke is a house fire?

Most fires will produce a mixture of black, gray, and nearly white smoke because of the variety of fuels and the variability of air supply.

How do I stop creosote buildup in my chimney?

Will a hot fire remove creosote?

One method to loosen crusty or tarry creosote so it flakes off and falls down into the firebox or fireplace is to burn aluminum cans in a very hot fire. While this method works, it does not clean the chimney of creosote completely, and chimney brush cleaning is still necessary.

Do the chimney cleaning logs really work?

Many homeowners wonder if the chimney sweep logs or creosote sweeping logs really work to clean out fireplace flues and get rid of creosote residue so that the fireplaces are safe to use. The short answer is no, they don't work. At least, not well enough to completely clean out the flue the way it should be cleaned.