Proper functioning of the chimney is of great importance for every household. Chimneys have the role of removing smoke and all harmful chemicals that occur during the combustion process. If you notice that your house fills with smoke every time you light a fireplace, this may indicate a chimney downdraft. Situations like this are not at all naive. Chimney downdraft can cause serious health problems due to carbon monoxide accumulating in the house and sometimes even lead to a fatal outcome. If you want to learn how to fix a chimney downdraft and protect your household members, keep reading.
What is a downdraft chimney?
When the chimney works normally, it removes smoke and all harmful chemicals that are created during the combustion process into the external environment. During this process, the smoke moves upwards and does not accumulate in your home, which is the way it should function. This is made possible by the construction of the chimney, which includes several different components, such as a smoke shelf, a crown and a chimney flap.
If the chimney becomes clogged or there is irregular pressure in the chimney, the smoke cannot flow freely upwards, so it returns to the fireplace and your living room. This process is referred to as chimney downdraft and is very dangerous because it releases carbon monoxide – a colorless, odorless gas that has very detrimental effects on health.
How to recognize a downdraft chimney?
There are several ways you can conclude that a chimney downdraft has occurred and that it is necessary to do something about it:
-
There is an accumulation of large streaks of smoke in your living room
When the smoke moves properly, i.e., up through the chimney, there will never be its accumulation in the house, because everything goes out into the outside environment. If strands of smoke appear, it is always a sign that something is wrong.
-
Dark soot stains appear on the windows
Another sign that negative pressure and chimney downdraft has occurred is the appearance of soot stains on the windows. These particles are usually not visible elsewhere, as they mix with the dust, but remain on the windows and become clearly visible.
-
A smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide detector are activated
If the smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector are activated, and you do not see anything happening, you may think it is broken or accidentally turned on. However, keep in mind that carbon monoxide may have accumulated in your home, and you may not be able to smell or see it. Always be careful when the carbon monoxide detector rings and check if everything is okay.
-
Your eyes feel irritated
In case you notice that your eyes feel irritated when you are near the fireplace, it may be a sign that a chimney downdraft has occurred. As we mentioned, in such cases, soot particles are released, which are not always visible, but stinging the eyes can be a clear sign that they are present.
Keep in mind that you should never use a fireplace if you find that a chimney downdraft has occurred. Such situations are very dangerous, so it is necessary to contact experts as soon as possible to help you solve the problem. You can learn more about this at Doctor Chimney.
How to fix a downdraft chimney?
-
Check for obstructions around the chimney
One of the common reasons why a chimney downdraft occurs is that there are obstacles around it that interfere with the proper airflow and create negative pressure. For example, if there is a tree near the chimney, consider removing it or at least reducing its height so that it does not come into direct contact with the chimney. If the surrounding buildings are a problem, you can increase the height of the upper part of your chimney, as this can reduce the impact of obstacles and allow proper smoke flow.
-
Fire must be strong enough
If you light the fireplace for the first time after a long time and notice that smoke is accumulating in your home, it is not always a sign that something is wrong. The fire must be strong enough to raise the smoke and direct it towards the outside environment. So it’s a good idea to try using a material like newspaper or extra wood first to increase the fire. This can often completely solve the problem and fix the downdraft chimney.
-
Use the help of the wind
In case you live in a windy area, you will be happy to hear that you can use it to repair your downdraft chimney. Sometimes the negative pressure occurs because the top of the chimney is not adequately designed, but this problem can be solved by placing a special cover on it. Parts of this cover allow the wind to move around the chimney and create a current that stimulates the smoke to move upwards. This is a very simple approach that uses natural wind power to speed up the proper airflow and solve the problem with the accumulation of smoke in the home.
-
Call the professionals
Lastly, the best way to fix your downdraft chimney is to call in professionals. Yes, there are many ways you can solve the problem yourself, but that is not always the case. Sometimes the problem is too complicated, or you are simply not skilled enough in this. So, while there are many DIY projects you can implement, at the end of the day, the safest and fastest way to solve this problem is to hire experts who already have a lot of experience in this field.
Conclusion
The chimney has a very important role in every household because it moves smoke and harmful substances to the external environment. If, for some reason (chimney obstruction, pressure difference, etc.), a chimney downdraft occurs, it can be very dangerous as carbon monoxide builds up in the household. You can repair your downdraft chimney by lighting a stronger fire, harnessing the force of the wind, removing obstacles around the chimney, or calling in professionals to find the best solution to your problem.
