Turn to Mason’s Chimney Service for Proven Fireplace Performance Solutions

What Are Common Contributors to Fireplace Performance Issues?

We’ve been in business since 1955 and we’ve seen a lot in that time. Fireplace performance problems can be caused by all sorts of issues, but there are a few culprits that are more common than others.

Blocked Flue

Your flue needs to be clean and clear to properly vent smoke and other toxins, and a blockage could be contributing to smoke and other problems. If you’re keeping up with your annual chimney inspections and sweepings, you shouldn’t experience a blocked flue since your Mason’s Chimney Service technician will remove any deposits of creosote – a residue that forms as hot air and byproducts rise, and condensation cools.

Unfortunately, creosote isn’t the only contributor to blocked flues. Missing or damaged chimney caps can allow birds and other animals access to the flue. The nests and other debris from these animals can quickly block a flue. We can inspect your flue to make sure it isn’t blocked, and, if possible, remove any materials that are creating blockage.

Something to keep in mind: one of the reasons it’s important to have a chimney cap is to keep out birds, and if federally protected chimney swifts end up nesting in your chimney, it’s illegal to remove them or their nests. You’ll have to wait until they leave on their own.

Drafting Problems

For smoke and gases to properly move up and out of the flue, your chimney needs to have the proper draft and capacity. In this case, a draft is the movement of air that pulls fresh air into the fireplace to fuel the burning process. This creates smoke and hot gases, which the draft then pushes out through the flue. The strength of that push depends on the level of pressure inside your home and the chimney. For example, if your chimney is operating too cold, your draft may be too low to properly exhaust the gases, and smoke can puff back into your home. We’ll assess your whole system and if the draft is an issue, we’ll fix it.

Chimney caps can help too. A chimney cap is a small part that brings a lot of benefits, from blocking rain and animals to, in some cases, helping your chimney vent. Special caps that are installed and sized properly can help eliminate wind-induced downdrafts and improve venting.

Smoking Fireplaces

It’s not exactly a good time when you’re trying to enjoy a fire that’s billowing smoke towards you. Smoking can be caused by a variety of issues, including:

• Having the wrong size flue for your appliance.
• A chimney that has too many bends.
• Problems with other vents in the home – dryers, exhaust fans – allowing too much air to escape and creating low air pressure.
• Having a home that’s so airtight, sufficient air isn’t flowing in to feed fires.

These are just a few things we’ll be looking for. Sometimes repairs can be as simple as encouraging you to open a window or make sure all fans are shut off when you’re operating the fireplace. Other times, we may recommend that you install a smoke guard to correct the size of the firebox opening, or have your flue relined to size it correctly for your appliance. Whatever your problem is, we’ll recommend exactly what you need to do to enjoy your fireplace safely and efficiently – nothing more, nothing less.