I frequently have problems with smoke backing into the room when using my
fireplace. At times it backs up when I first start a fire. Other times it
works fine for an hour or two and then backs up. I've tried opening a
window and preheating the chimney. I've had the chimney cleaned and even
had an engineer measure it to see if it is designed correctly (it is). The
height of the chimney is correct and there are no trees around it. Does
anyone have more suggestions?

"Bob Sanderson" wrote in message
I frequently have problems with smoke backing into the room when using my
fireplace. At times it backs up when I first start a fire. Other times it
works fine for an hour or two and then backs up. I've tried opening a
window and preheating the chimney. I've had the chimney cleaned and even
had an engineer measure it to see if it is designed correctly (it is).
The
height of the chimney is correct and there are no trees around it. Does
anyone have more suggestions?

Do you have a cap on the chimney?

Sounds like a problem I had, the chimney sweep recommended a cap. I thought
it was a sales pitch, but I had him go ahead with it. The problem was
solved.

How new is your house? Newer houses, or even well built older ones,
are usually air tight and that is also a factor in getting a draft.
Without knowing more about your house, the solution could vary widely,
and I'm not an expert anyway.

Good luck

Bob Sanderson wrote:

I frequently have problems with smoke backing into the room when using my
fireplace. At times it backs up when I first start a fire. Other times it
works fine for an hour or two and then backs up. I've tried opening a
window and preheating the chimney. I've had the chimney cleaned and even
had an engineer measure it to see if it is designed correctly (it is). The
height of the chimney is correct and there are no trees around it. Does
anyone have more suggestions?

Bob Sanderson wrote:
I frequently have problems with smoke backing into the room when using my
fireplace. At times it backs up when I first start a fire. Other times it
works fine for an hour or two and then backs up. I've tried opening a
window and preheating the chimney. I've had the chimney cleaned and even
had an engineer measure it to see if it is designed correctly (it is). The
height of the chimney is correct and there are no trees around it. Does
anyone have more suggestions?

A fire consumes oxygen. That air has to come from some place. Normally
that air is coming from inside your house, and eventually that air
needs to be replaced from outside. Usually the replacement air comes
from various small openings to the outside. This is why the net effect
of having a fire often cools a house.

If your house is well insulated and there are few cracks and crevices
to allow the air to get in, your house will become depressurized enough
that air will get pulled down the chimney.

If you have other combustion sources in your house that are dumping air
to the outside, that may be contributing to your problem. They are all
competing or air. Things like gas dryers, furnaces, or even bathroom
and kitchen vents.

If you have a gas water heater, that may be backdrafting as well. You
may need supply air.

It's worth getting checked out.

On 13 Dec 2005 22:23:35 -0800, someone wrote:

If your house is well insulated and there are few cracks and crevices
to allow the air to get in, your house will become depressurized enough
that air will get pulled down the chimney.

Yeah yeah, but he said he tried opening a window.


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"Katzenmyer" wrote in
:


"Bob Sanderson" wrote in message
I frequently have problems with smoke backing into the room when using
my
fireplace. At times it backs up when I first start a fire. Other
times it works fine for an hour or two and then backs up. I've tried
opening a window and preheating the chimney. I've had the chimney
cleaned and even had an engineer measure it to see if it is designed
correctly (it is). The
height of the chimney is correct and there are no trees around it.
Does anyone have more suggestions?

Do you have a cap on the chimney?

Sounds like a problem I had, the chimney sweep recommended a cap. I
thought it was a sales pitch, but I had him go ahead with it. The
problem was solved.

Yes, I got the same sales pitch and had one installed but it didn't help.

If your house is well insulated and there are few cracks and crevices
to allow the air to get in, your house will become depressurized enough
that air will get pulled down the chimney.


Yeah yeah, but he said he tried opening a window.



Depends on which window and whether the wind is blowing. Depending on local
condnitions, if you open a window on the windward side of the house,
you will increase pressure in the house and the smoke will go up the
chimney. If you close windward windows and open a leeward window, you
will decrease the pressure in the house and pull smoke down the chimney unless
you have got a good roaring fire going. Various other vents and leaks
can have similar effects.

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:33:17 GMT, someone wrote:

... Various other vents and leaks

Etc etc. I am SOOOO glad my fireplace doesn't have these problems. A
Q: is OP's chimney on an outside wall? I know that is commonplace,
but it sucks. I believe that my chimney being surrounded by warmth
contributes to the good standing (even before the fire is started)
draft available, and we don't lose heat off the back side either.
(The back of the chimney is finished brick and makes one wall of our
entrance hall - and a comfy warm wall it is when the fire is going.)



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