Ways to fix your smoky fireplace, simplest first
Try these in order
Open the damper all the way
Check by looking up with a flashlight. A handle in the open position doesn't always mean the plate has moved.
Warm the flue
Hold a lit roll of newspaper up near the damper for a minute before lighting. A column of cold air in the chimney often causes smoke at startup.
Burn dry, split wood
Damp wood makes more smoke and a cooler fire that drafts weakly. Build the fire toward the back of the firebox, not right at the opening.
Give the fire some air
Crack a window near the fireplace and turn off kitchen and bath exhaust fans. If the smoke stops, the house was short on air and the chimney may be fine.
Try a smaller opening or a smaller fire
If smoke curls out along the top of the opening, partly closing glass doors or burning a smaller fire may help. Check your fireplace's manual first: some glass doors must stay fully open while a fire burns. If it does, the opening may be too large for the flue.
If none of that changes anything, the cause is physical. How the parts of a fireplace work together explains where draft is made or lost, and our guide to fireplace efficiency covers why a good draft matters for heat as well as smoke.
How the visit works
Cracks in the firebox let heat reach the framing behind it. A damaged smoke chamber is a common cause of smoke spilling into the room.
Diagnosis
What is failing and why.
Options
Repair, replace a part, or reline — explained plainly.
Work
Done once you approve the scope.
Check
Draft and operation are tested afterwards.
What we look at
- Smoke chamber and smoke shelf
- Hearth and surround
- Firebrick or refractory panels
- Doors, glass and gaskets
- Damper operation
If smoke comes into the room
Stop adding fuel, open a window and don't relight the fire until the chimney has been checked. If the smoke is heavy, an alarm sounds or you suspect a chimney fire, get everyone outside and call 911.
When to book fireplace repair
- Rust or warping inside the firebox
- A damper that won't open or close
- Doors or glass that are cracked or don't seal
- Smoke coming into the room
- Cracked or missing firebrick or refractory panels
Smoky fireplace fix in Connecticut
When home adjustments don't solve it, we come out and find which part is failing. Common repairs include:
- Clearing a blockage or heavy creosote
- Repairing a damper that won't open fully
- Installing a chimney cap to stop wind from pushing smoke down
- Rebuilding a broken smoke chamber
- Draft repair at the firebox opening
Our service for fireplaces that won't work properly covers all of this.
We're available 24 hours, Sunday through Friday and take emergency calls.
For more on causes, read why fireplaces smoke. Our smoky fireplace repair page compares cleaning with repair. If you're finished with wood smoke, an electric installation is another way out.
