Homeowners will occasionally call in to inquire about smells coming from their chimney. The chimney is designed and constructed to pull air up and out; however, there are a few common reasons you may be experiencing what industry professionals refer to as a drafting issue: when air is coming back in through the chimney and bringing bad smells into your house.

It is extremely important to have any drafting issues addressed, as the fireplace is often not the only component of a home that uses the chimney. Other heat systems, such as the furnace and water-heater, are also exhausted through the chimney. If the air is coming back down the chimney rather than out, the natural gases from those systems may be as well.

Causes of Chimney Drafting Issues:

Cause: Build-up of creosote or soot in the chimney’s flue system can cause a downdraft in the chimney.

Solution: Chimney Sweep & Inspection.

It’s a great idea to have your chimney inspected if you’re experiencing bad smells and stinky downdrafts. If the problem is a simple buildup of soot or debris in your flue system, an inspection and a good chimney cleaning should get your problems sorted out.

Cause: Holes in the chimney’s flue system (between flue-tiles or throughout the liner) can also be a cause for drafting issues.

Solution: Assessment of the Flue System (tiles or liner).

If your flue system is full of holes, it’s no wonder that you can’t control the drafts that are coming through your chimney. Call in a professional to examine your flue network and inspect it for holes. Once you know the exact situation, repairing your chimney flue should be a straightforward process, and your air will be fresh again in no time.

Cause: Missing Rain-Caps.

Solution: Assessment & Rain-Cap Installation.

Rain-caps are small, tower-like covers for your chimney that let smoke and air escape from inside the house, while keeping debris and water outside. Without rain-caps, it’s much easier for debris to block up your chimney or stray gusts of wind to force their way down the flue and into your home. If your chimney isn’t protected by a rain-cap, consider purchasing one. It could be a big improvement to the smells and drafts in your home!

Cause: Large trees directly above the flue or top of the chimney.

Solution: Assessment & Trimming of Trees.

If trees are looming over your flue and not letting air escape upwards, it makes sense that the air would go back down instead. Inspect your trees—either on your own or with the help of a professional—and consider trimming them enough to open up the chimney flue again.

Cause: Wind circulating from larger homes or trees that surround your home (mountains can also cause this to happen, but we’re in central Indiana, so..).

Solution: Assessment of the height of the flue.

If you think nearby wind circulation might be your problem, call in a professional to assess the height of your chimney’s flue. They will help you determine whether or not that really is the cause of the problem, and if so, how your flue might be altered to reduce those drafts.

It’s really not ideal to be having a down-draft coming from your chimney, so take a quick smell of the rooms in which fireplaces are located, and give us a call if it smells smokey, or musty, or just strange (please ensure there are not live animals or critters in there first; we don’t work well with live animals!).

For any other chimney concerns, reach out to us today!