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How to Start a Fire with Less Smoke

Sitting in front of a roaring fire on a cold day can be one of life’s simplest pleasures. Even the most idyllic scenes in front of the fireplace can be interrupted by smoke blowing back into the room.

Start A Fire With Less Smoke - Ann Arbor MI - Clean Sweeps of MIMany homeowners are baffled by what causes excessive smoking in the fireplaces, choosing instead to avoid using their fireplaces altogether or switch to an alternative fuel source. However, there are a number of ways to reduce the amount of smoke starting a fire causes, most of which can be easily implemented the next time you build a fire.

Use seasoned firewood

Using seasoned firewood is one of the easiest ways homeowners can reduce the amount of smoke their fires produce. Fresh cut firewood can have a moisture content of as high as 45%. This water must be evaporated out of the wood before it can burn; fresh cut wood will often make loud popping sounds and smoke excessively. Seasoned firewood, on the other hand, has a moisture content of between 15-20%. The reduced moisture content allows the wood to ignite faster, burn hotter, and produce less smoke.

Build a top down fire

Most people grew up with or were taught the “log cabin” style of creating a fire, which involves stacking the wood with the smallest sticks and kindling at the bottom. While this method does end with a fire, it can be a frustrating process. Large logs shift and fall on the small fire, lots of smoke is produced, and homeowners are forced to tend and stoke the fire often to get it started.

In the top down method, the largest logs should be stacked at the bottom of the firebox with the ends at the front and back. Placing wood this way allows better air circulation through the fire. Next, continue stacking gradually smaller pieces until about half the firebox is filled, topping the stack with wood shavings, small sticks, or other kindling. As the kindling ignites, it will warm the flue and continue to ignite the wood underneath it. This means that homeowners no longer need to stoke or tend the fire and there is less smoke produced.

Open the damper

While this may seem obvious, some homeowners do not open the damper when they are trying to start a fire, falsely believing downdrafts from the chimney will extinguish their fledgling fire. Instead, keep the damper open the entire time your fireplace is in use, including while staring the fire and while waiting for it to completely extinguish. Closing the damper at any time may cause smoke to backup into the room.

Avoid fires on windy days

On an extremely windy day, there is often little you can do to avoid smoke blowing back into the room. If you can hear the wind “whistling” in or rattling the chimney, even the best technique may not prevent a smoky fire.

Call a chimney sweep

If you’ve tried the above techniques and are still having issues with smoky fires, you may need the assistance of a certified chimney sweep. At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, our highly trained expert staff can help identify the cause of your smoking issues and get you back to enjoying your fireplace again!

What the Cold Winter Can Do to Your Chimney

As the temperatures outside drop, we use our fireplaces and stoves to heat our homes and keep us and our families warm and comfortable. But while our fireplaces are keeping us cozy inside, the harsh winter weather may be damaging our chimneys outside.

Cold Winter and Your Chimney - Ann Arbor MI - Clean Sweeps of MIThe cold, snow, and ice during winter can create chimney problems, as well as exacerbate any existing issues. Below we’ve listed several ways that winter affects your chimney system along with ways you can prevent them from happening.

Water damage

Although water damage can affect chimneys any time of year, it is often the worst during the winter months. If water is able to enter the chimney, it can damage everything from the bricks and mortar all the way down to the flue and damper. Additionally, finding the source of the leak can be difficult as most chimneys are complex structures.

The most common – and most damaging – source of water entry is through the bricks and mortar of the chimney structure. Even the smallest cracks can allow water to be absorbed into the masonry. As this water freezes it expands, causing the crack to get larger and allowing more water in. This freeze/thaw cycle continues indefinitely, causing significant damage to the chimney structure. In extreme cases, it can even cause the bricks to crumble and fall apart.

The best way to protect against water damage is to prevent it. Regular maintenance and inspections of your chimney will let you know if there is any existing damage; repairing damage quickly prevents it from getting worse.

Animal entry

Just like people tend to stay indoors during the winter, many animals also seek out a warm place to hide as the temperatures drop. This may lead to birds, raccoons, or other small mammals attempting to nest in your chimney structure. This is extremely dangerous for both the animals and homeowners. For animals, once they get in they may not be able to get back out. Chimneys have slick walls that are impossible for most animals to climb; likewise, the dark chimney structure is often difficult to navigate. For homeowners, animals in the chimney leave a fireplace or stove unusable until the animals and their nesting materials have been removed.

Most commonly, animals are able to enter a chimney structure through a chimney with a damaged or missing chimney cap. Having your chimney swept and inspected annually is one way to ensure that there is no damage to your chimney cap – and no way for animals to get in.

The Stack Effect

The Stack Effect is caused by a difference in air pressure inside and outside a home. Warm air from inside your home can rise up your chimney, causing the cold outside air to rush in to replace it. Called a backdraft, it can even negate the heating effects of the fireplace itself if too much cold air is allowed to enter.

The easiest way to prevent backdrafts is to keep your damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. If you notice that cold air still seems to be seeping in, your damper may have lost its seal. Dampers should be professionally installed to ensure a tight seal that will keep hot air in and cold air out.

If you have questions about the health of your chimney system, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today!

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