My new massonary fireplace leaks smoke and odor into the house

there does not seem to be a pattern that i can find yet.

here's the info I know

52x32 front opening
2 feet deep
It has ash shoot near the back of the firebox

damper is cast iron and is 6X39 it is installed on an angle if that
matters

Aprox its 41 inches from the floor of the fireplace I have a metal
rack
so wood is a few inches higher

there is 8 inches from the font of the opening to the top of the
angled damper

the flue tile is aprox 13 x 17 outside dimensions. I do not know how
large the
smokebox is but when I look into the fireplace it does angle up to the
flue

at first I thought it was cold flue and only leaked when first started
but yesterday
it leaked during the whole fire and you get the smell in the house.
its not like it pours into the
room most does go up the flue. I did the tin foil test but not sure I
did it right and lowered the opening
like 12 inches and still leaked but not sure i did it 100% right. I
think the top of the chimeny is 3 ft higher than the roof but not
sure, the fireplace is on an outside wall is aprox 23 ft high.

I am looking for a sweep in my area of NC, but till then I was looking
for some guidence and to see if
the thing is even constructed properly. Is the flue too large etc.

thanks so much and I will provide more info if I can.

I am sure you have checked, but are you 100% certain that the damper is
fully open? It may not have enough draft.


Have you tried opening a door or window about 12 inches (in the same room)
to see how it draws ? It is possible that your house is TOO airtight,
and your fireplace doesn't have enough air to feed it efficiently.


Of course, you would also want to go up on your roof with a strong light of
some sort, and make sure there is no physical blockage of your flu. (You
may be able to do this from the inside, depending on your damper
arrangement, and whether you can remove it to inspect up your flue).


You are correct about one thing. It often takes a while to get the flue to
warm up before a fireplace will draw well. This may take a while, depending
in part on the type of wood you are burning.

I hope these ideas help, please let us know !!


--James---

The fireplace has a fresh air pipe and it seems like it gets worse
when open

I had 2 sweeps come out and one thinks it chimmeny to short the other
says try it without the flue cap

damper all way open and theres no blockage I looked from inside

windows open seem to make it worse, as the fire was burning I tried to
air it out and
not sure but seemed to smell more. its not dense smoke but it burns
our eyes and you can smell
it in the house. I will try the window again jusy do not want the
house full of the smoke and smell

the top of the flue is like maybe 3 ft or little more aboe the edge of
the roof but I do have a another
section of the house that is higher. its like 20 feet or so away from
it.

thanks again for your input if you need to knwo anything else let me
know

the house is 3 months old and its so frustrating

we want to use and enjoy it but cannot

"James Nipper" wrote in message ...
I am sure you have checked, but are you 100% certain that the damper is
fully open? It may not have enough draft.


Have you tried opening a door or window about 12 inches (in the same room)
to see how it draws ? It is possible that your house is TOO airtight,
and your fireplace doesn't have enough air to feed it efficiently.


Of course, you would also want to go up on your roof with a strong light of
some sort, and make sure there is no physical blockage of your flu. (You
may be able to do this from the inside, depending on your damper
arrangement, and whether you can remove it to inspect up your flue).


You are correct about one thing. It often takes a while to get the flue to
warm up before a fireplace will draw well. This may take a while, depending
in part on the type of wood you are burning.

I hope these ideas help, please let us know !!


--James---