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Couldn't figure out why this fireplace smoked until I checked the outside air intake
Had a call last week for a fireplace that always filled the room with smoke. Checked everything inside, the liner and damper were all fine. Finally went outside and saw the air intake was completely blocked by leaves. Cleared it out and now it draws perfectly, a simple fix but easy to miss.
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adamw156mo ago
People forget how much wind direction matters too. A strong crosswind can push right back down an intake even if it's clear. Happens a lot with houses on a hill.
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elliot_wright26mo ago
My buddy's cabin up in Vermont had the exact same problem. Fireplace would smoke out the whole living room every time they lit it. Turns out a bird nest got built right in the exterior vent during the summer. Cleared it out, worked like a charm. Those outside openings are sneaky like that, easy to forget until they cause trouble.
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sarah_torres206mo ago
That's a smart find with the bird nest. But fireplaces don't have outside vents like that. They have chimneys with flues, and the top part is the chimney cap where birds nest. It's key to use the right terms so folks check the correct spot. A blocked flue will always smoke up a room. Putting a screen on the chimney stops nests for good.
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