Smoking fireplace

welch100 · 09-06-2013, 10:50 AM

Last fall we had the chimney cleaned and a cap installed at our island cottage. Ever since, the fireplace has been smoking like crazy. We called the chimney guy who said neither the cap nor cleaning should make a big difference in how the fireplace draws. It always smoked a little, but now it's terrible.

Looking on the internet, I see something called a baffled chimney cap. Does anybody have any experience with that? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

ITD · 09-06-2013, 10:55 AM

Open a window and see if that stops the smoking, you may not have enough make up air to get a good draft. If that doesn't help, pull the cap off and see if that helps. Good luck.

SIKSUKR · 09-06-2013, 12:11 PM

If you didn't have a cap before then I would suspect that as the culprit.I would do as ITD suggested.

camp guy · 09-06-2013, 02:23 PM

First, check to see that the damper is open all the way. If it is, then try the window trick. If this doesn't help, it could be that the cap is too close to the opening of the chimney and has reduced the amount of opening for exhaust to a space smaller than necessary.

Also, if this is a situation you are experiencing just now it could be that you are not building a hot enough fire to really heat up the chimney and get a good draft going. Sometimes, in the early fall, people build a small fire to "just take the edge off" and this creates a problem in that the products of combustion basically, creosote) aren't fully exhausted and precipitate out onto the walls of the chimney. Then, a little later, when you build a much more robust fire you run the risk of igniting these precipitated by-products and experiencing a chimney fire (not fun).

I would check the draft as a first line of diagnosis.

Pineedles · 09-06-2013, 08:06 PM

Tell the firm that put the cap on to get their collective A$$$'s down there and solve the problem. Be nice, but firm! It was OK before they did their work, and now it ain't.

ApS · 09-07-2013, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welch100

Last fall we had the chimney cleaned and a cap installed at our island cottage. Ever since, the fireplace has been smoking like crazy. We called the chimney guy who said neither the cap nor cleaning should make a big difference in how the fireplace draws. It always smoked a little, but now it's terrible.

Looking on the internet, I see something called a baffled chimney cap. Does anybody have any experience with that? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Oftentimes, a new cap will be installed with a new "spark screen". (Old "spark screens" rust and break up, allowing an efficient fire

). Burning a quick fire with newspaper or high-clay-content paper (catalogues or magazines) will clog the "spark screen" and smoke will find its way through tiny openings in the chimney pipe.

If this is the case, "someone" will need to inspect the cap (and "spark screen") on the rooftop.

I'm not saying to throw away the "spark screen".

If that's not the problem, you might block the cap on the side that faces the strongest winds. Wind direction and shape of the roof can play havoc. We get smoke with easterlies, but no other winds.

pcmc · 09-07-2013, 08:47 PM

Being that the chimney was just cleaned also, I would suspect the damper was adjusted during the cleaning. Then closed, or set to where they thought it was, when the job was done.
That would my first place to check.

tis · 09-08-2013, 06:57 AM

We have a smoky fireplace in a fairly new building. We have to crack a window or door to stay in the place. It is very disappointed. The mason who is one of the best in the area, has been back and back, even put a new (I don't know what you call it) but it's another rectangular hole and it still smokes. I guess we just live with it.

JDeere · 09-08-2013, 07:25 AM

Had same issue. Lose the cap AND if it still smokes have the mason add more length to the chimney and it will help with the draw.

welch100 · 09-10-2013, 03:30 PM

Thanks to everybody for the good suggestions! We tried them all, starting with the easiest and working our way through. Finally climbed on top of the roof and took off the chimney cap. Now the fireplace works great! The new cap significantly reduced the size of the chimney opening; maybe that was the problem. Anyway, we are delighted to have a working fireplace again.

tis · 09-10-2013, 04:10 PM

Lucky you, we don't have a cap. Happy burning!!

09-06-2013, 10:50 AM	#1
welch100 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Welch Island, Gilford Posts: 51 Thanks: 50 Thanked 15 Times in 6 Posts	Smoking fireplace Last fall we had the chimney cleaned and a cap installed at our island cottage. Ever since, the fireplace has been smoking like crazy. We called the chimney guy who said neither the cap nor cleaning should make a big difference in how the fireplace draws. It always smoked a little, but now it's terrible. Looking on the internet, I see something called a baffled chimney cap. Does anybody have any experience with that? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

09-06-2013, 12:11 PM	#3
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	If you didn't have a cap before then I would suspect that as the culprit.I would do as ITD suggested. __________________ SIKSUKR

09-06-2013, 02:23 PM	#4
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,181 Thanks: 299 Thanked 525 Times in 293 Posts	Smoking fireplace First, check to see that the damper is open all the way. If it is, then try the window trick. If this doesn't help, it could be that the cap is too close to the opening of the chimney and has reduced the amount of opening for exhaust to a space smaller than necessary. Also, if this is a situation you are experiencing just now it could be that you are not building a hot enough fire to really heat up the chimney and get a good draft going. Sometimes, in the early fall, people build a small fire to "just take the edge off" and this creates a problem in that the products of combustion basically, creosote) aren't fully exhausted and precipitate out onto the walls of the chimney. Then, a little later, when you build a much more robust fire you run the risk of igniting these precipitated by-products and experiencing a chimney fire (not fun). I would check the draft as a first line of diagnosis.

09-08-2013, 07:25 AM	#9
JDeere Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 295 Thanks: 74 Thanked 52 Times in 25 Posts	Get rid of the cap Had same issue. Lose the cap AND if it still smokes have the mason add more length to the chimney and it will help with the draw.

09-10-2013, 03:30 PM	#10
welch100 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Welch Island, Gilford Posts: 51 Thanks: 50 Thanked 15 Times in 6 Posts	Problem solved! Thanks to everybody for the good suggestions! We tried them all, starting with the easiest and working our way through. Finally climbed on top of the roof and took off the chimney cap. Now the fireplace works great! The new cap significantly reduced the size of the chimney opening; maybe that was the problem. Anyway, we are delighted to have a working fireplace again.

09-06-2013, 10:55 AM	#2
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,924 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	Open a window and see if that stops the smoking, you may not have enough make up air to get a good draft. If that doesn't help, pull the cap off and see if that helps. Good luck.

The Following User Says Thank You to ITD For This Useful Post:
welch100 (09-07-2013)

The Following User Says Thank You to SIKSUKR For This Useful Post:
welch100 (09-07-2013)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to camp guy For This Useful Post:
GsChinadoll (09-06-2013), welch100 (09-07-2013)

09-06-2013, 08:06 PM	#5
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,542 Thanks: 1,071 Thanked 667 Times in 366 Posts	Tell the firm that put the cap on to get their collective A$$$'s down there and solve the problem. Be nice, but firm! It was OK before they did their work, and now it ain't.

09-07-2013, 08:47 PM	#7
pcmc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 412 Thanks: 211 Thanked 106 Times in 73 Posts	Being that the chimney was just cleaned also, I would suspect the damper was adjusted during the cleaning. Then closed, or set to where they thought it was, when the job was done. That would my first place to check.

09-08-2013, 06:57 AM	#8
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,697 Thanks: 751 Thanked 1,452 Times in 1,009 Posts	We have a smoky fireplace in a fairly new building. We have to crack a window or door to stay in the place. It is very disappointed. The mason who is one of the best in the area, has been back and back, even put a new (I don't know what you call it) but it's another rectangular hole and it still smokes. I guess we just live with it.

09-10-2013, 04:10 PM	#11
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,697 Thanks: 751 Thanked 1,452 Times in 1,009 Posts	Lucky you, we don't have a cap. Happy burning!!