Why house fills with smoke from fireplace?

The most likely reason that your house is filling with smoke when you light a fire is that the damper is closed. The damper should be fully opened when the fireplace is in use, and closed when it is not. All indoor fireplaces have a damper that must be opened before you light a fire in your fireplace.

How do I make smoke come out of my chimney?

Essentially, this is accomplished when you light something on fire (newspapers work great!) and hold it up in the chimney using some chimney tools. This creates an updraft, which has airflow moving through and up the chimney. This encourages the smoke to be pulled up the chimney, rather than out into the room.

What is wrong with my fireplace?

A chimney is not the low maintenance feature many people think it is. Some common chimney problems are: chimney obstruction, creosote, brickwork problems, chimney crown and cap, and cracks in the flue. Obstruction. Chimney obstruction or blockage is caused by numerous things, including obstruction of the chimney draft.

Why does my fireplace smell like a smoke house?

However, when warmer weather rolls around, you may notice that your house or fireplace has a smoky smell. If your fireplace smells like smoke without a fire burning in it, you may have creosote and soot build-up. Creosote is a wood-tar that has been released from burning wood in the fireplace. Soot is an ashy residue leftover after burning wood.

Why do fireplaces smell like smoke?

Creosote and soot are the most common culprits for a smoke smell coming from a dormant fireplace. Both of these are caused by burning wood in the fireplace. Creosote is a dark, flammable tar that gets absorbed into the masonry of your fireplace and that traps the smell in your fireplace.

Why does smoke come out of my fireplace?

Ideally, chimneys should be built within the house envelope to keep them warm. Cooler temperatures in the flue may cause the fire to burn sluggishly. Smoke may spill out of the front of a fireplace or the door of a wood stove especially when the fire is dying out.

Can fireplace smoke be harmful to your health?

Some people use wood as their main source of heat, while others have wood stoves as a back-up. But wood smoke contains a number of pollutants that can be harmful to your health. If you use a wood stove or fireplace in your home, there are steps you can take to reduce the health risks for you, your family, and neighbours.