Common Causes for a Fireplace Fire That Did Not Start
How many times have you attempted to start a fire in your home, only to find that the fire either won’t start or produces a room full of smoke? The last thing you want to worry about on a chilly winter day is a broken fireplace.
Lack of oxygen makes it harder to start a fire if the chimney airflow is insufficient. A chimney doesn’t provide an adequate draft for a number of reasons. If you don’t have a chimney cap, it’s possible that an animal has made a nest in your chimney and blocked it. The chimney could be blocked by branches. If you do have a chimney cap, there may be soot or outside material on the netting that has clogged it. These problems, as well as any others you may have with your chimney, can be handled by a qualified Local Chimney Cleaning Drytown sweep.
If you fail to reopen the damper when the fireplace is in use, it could be one reason why it isn’t functioning properly. If it is shut, not enough air can escape, which causes a fire to burn ineffectively. Even if you remember to open the damper back up, there are occasional issues that prevent it from doing so fully. This can take place if the damper has water damage or soot buildup. If this is the case, you will need to call in a professional chimney sweep to complete a thorough cleaning of your fireplace.
The chimney’s height is yet another potential issue. The chimney should extend at least three feet above the roof and should be at least two feet higher than anything within ten feet of it. The chimney should be at least 10 feet tall overall. When the wind blows, it is easier for the wind to blow down the chimney, making a short chimney more obvious.
As we all know, soot and accumulation in chimneys can degrade the efficiency of our fireplaces and chimneys. Even birds and other small animals can mistake your chimney for a hollow tree and decide to nest there, leaving twigs, leaves, and other detritus behind. Occasionally the buildup can get so bad that it restricts the flue. Contact your neighborhood chimney sweep if you’re concerned that a dirty chimney may be preventing your fireplace from operating as it should because they have the expertise to get rid of these critters and perform a cleaning. If wildlife is the problem, your chimney sweep might also need to install a chimney cap to prevent the problem animals from coming back.
For a fire to burn, a lot of air is necessary. Since a lot of air is moving up your chimney, there must be enough air inside the house for it to move up and out of the chimney as well as provide oxygen for the fire. Modern, energy-efficient homes are sometimes so well-insulated and weather-stripped that fireplaces struggle to burn properly and start to smoke. Carbon monoxide poisoning can result from this issue, which is another concern it can create. Typically, opening a window will solve the issue momentarily, but a long-term fix is required.