Ensure Your Wood is Dry
The first, and perhaps most important step, is to ensure you are starting with dry wood. Proper firewood should be split, stacked, and covered for 12 to 18 months. Wet wood can be challenging to light and maintain. Additionally, the wetter the wood the more smoke and creosote that is produced. Creosote, is the harmful byproduct of your fire that remains behind in your chimney.
Start with A Large Firestarter
The second step in building a successful fire is to start with a large firestarter. A common issue with firestarters is that they burn out before the wood completely catches fire. The firestarter will only last a few minutes and create only enough energy to get the wood smoldering before it goes out.
To ensure enough time to light, we recommend using a 4.5 oz firestarter. Our personal favorite is the Duraflame Cowboy 4.5 oz Indoor Outdoor Firestarter. By having a large firestarter, you are ensuring the wood and kindling have enough energy to begin the combustion process before the firestarter fades out.
Add Ample Kindling to Your Fire
Any firestarter is not enough to ignite a large round piece of wood. Another issue many homeowners experience when starting a fire in their fireplace is not having enough kindling in the fire. Kindling is smaller pieces of dry wood, 1 to 2” in diameter. These smaller pieces of wood ignite easily and produce the added energy to get large round firewood ignited.
When building the fire, it is recommended to start with equal parts kindling and firewood in mass, but splitting up wood to create kindling can be a time-consuming process. A safe and easy way to make kindling is with the Kindling Cracker King. This handy tool allows you to split firewood with just a hammer.
Prime Your Draft
Now that you have your fire built and ready to start, the next step is to prime your draft. This will ensure the airflow is going up and out of your chimney preventing smoke from coming back into the room. To do this you will want to put a heat source up through the fireplace into the chimney toward the damper.
One of our favorite tools to do this safely and effectively is a MAP Gas hand-held blow torch. Hand-held blow torches are easy to maneuver up into the chimney for effective priming. Using a MAP gas blow torch will also create a tremendous amount of energy without any smoke at all.
If you see smoke start to fill the room after you light the fire, you can use this blow torch to quickly prime the draft and reverse the airflow allowing the smoke to flow upwards out of the Chimeny. The hand held blow torch will last you years even with regular use lighting fires in your fireplace.
An additional benefit of having a blow torch is to reignite your fire. If you have not been paying attention to your fire for some time and all the fuel went out. A blow torch can quickly ignite a fresh piece of wood over the hot coals.
By using dry wood and a large firestarter, adding ample kindling, and priming your draft, you can build a successful fire everytime. If you have not used your fireplace in some time but would like to try to build a fire, schedule a chimney inspection first to ensure your fireplace and chimney are in good working condition.
]]>Wood Burning Inserts are becoming a very popular environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fireplaces. Wood-burning inserts not only increase the efficiency of your fireplace, they also reduce emissions. An open-burning fireplace produces 100 grams of particulate per hour with wood with a moisture content of 25%. With the same wood, a modern wood-burning insert produces 1.4 to 5 grams of particulate emission. This is a 95% or greater reduction in fireplace emissions.
Open Fireplace vs. Wood Burning Inserts
The biggest issue with traditional, open fireplaces is that there is no way to control how much air is going into the fire. More oxygen reaches the fire creating a faster burn. When wood is burning too fast, it cannot dry out quickly enough. The more moisture content in the wood, the more smoke is produced.
Wood-burning fireplace inserts, on the other hand, tightly control the amount of oxygen that can reach the fire. Wood-burning inserts feature a gasket-sealed door and air intake control damper that is no larger than the size of a nickel. These factors dramatically reduce the amount of air going into the fire creating a slower burn with adequately dried wood. The result is a nearly smokeless fire and a minimal amount of ash.
Less Wood, Less Mess
While reduced particle emissions are a key benefit of wood-burning inserts there are a few others that can be considered. With a slower burn, wood-burning inserts will use less fuel over the winter allowing you to use a renewable energy source more efficiently.
A cleaner burning fire doesn’t just mean fewer emissions, it also means less ash and soot. A wood-burning insert only needs to be cleaned after every 10-15 uses versus a traditional fireplace which requires cleaning after every use. Additionally, less creosote will build up in the chimney. Creosote is one of the leading causes of chimney fires.
More Efficient Heat Source
Open fireplaces are not very efficient heat sources. Most of the heat generated from the fire can be lost up the chimney instead of radiating throughout the room. It’s not uncommon for open fires to result in negative efficiency and cause your heater to turn on increasing your gas and electric usage.
Wood-burning inserts feature a blower that takes in room-temperature air, pulls it under the insert, and blows the warm air back into the room. With a blower, a wood-burning insert can heat up to a 2,000 sq ft space.
Whether you are interested in minimizing your environmental impact this winter or would like to increase the efficiency of your fireplace, connect with the Chimney Scientists to discuss wood-burning insert options for your home.
]]>The hotter and more humid it is, the more intensive the smell can be. When air pressure is lower indoors than outside, air flows down through the chimney and out the fireplace to equalize the negative pressure. As air flows downward through the chimney, it picks up aromatic hydrocarbon from the creosote in your chimney. This gives the incoming air a smokey smell
Home appliances like HVAC systems, furnaces, oven hoods, bathroom fans, and dryer vents can also be a source of negative pressure. When these appliances turn on and pull air though the house, they can also pull air down through the chimney.
If you are dealing with a smokey smell in your living room, here are some steps you can take:
1. Call a Certified Chimney Company
The CSIA recommends that chimneys are cleaned and inspected annual. Cleaning your chimney will remove the creosote that has built up and help to relieve the intensity of the smell. For heavier creosote build ups, a chemical treatment can be used. Most homeowners wait until the fall to have their chimney cleaned and inspected. This is considered peak season. If you go ahead and get your chimney cleaned and inspected in the spring or summer, you can benefit from offseason pricing and have your fireplace ready to use come the first cold in fall. You can book an appointment here.
2. Install a Top Mount Damper
A top mount damper secures to the top of the chimney. A quality top-mount dampers features seals and gaskets that help prevent air from entering the chimney. Installing a top mount damper can not only help with the smokey smell in the spring and summer, it will also help improve your home’s efficiency in the winter. That is because it will not allow cold air from outside to come inside.
As a bonus, top-mount dampers can prevent bugs and animals from entering your chimney. This can be beneficial as some animals like migratory birds can be challenging to remove.
3. Get Negative Pressure Testing or a Home Energy AuditNewer, more energy-efficient homes often have negative pressure issues with their chimney. This is because improved seals on energy-efficient doors and windows more effectively seal the air inside the home. This leaves the Chimney has de facto point of entry for outside air.
Getting a negative pressure test or home energy audit will identify if negative pressure is the issue. A home fresh air makeup kit can alleviate these issues by providing appliances with a supply of outside fresh from a dedicated source.
Your fireplace should be a source of comfort during the cold winter month, but you should not have to put up with unwanted odors in the summer. If you are dealing with smokey smell resonating from your fireplace, give us a call today.
]]>How Fireplace Inserts Work
A fireplace insert features a blower that pulls in room temperature air between in interior and exterior steel box and blows hot air back into the room. With a gasketed-sealed glass door, no smoke can come into the room from the fire. Fireplace inserts feature airflow controls that allow you to control oxygen available to the fire thus controlling how quickly it burns.
There are some key benefits to fireplace inserts that make them attractive options for both wood-burning and gas fireplaces.
Benefits of Fireplace Inserts
If you are interested in learning more about fireplace inserts or getting a quote on installation, contact us today.
]]>Why You Need a Chase Cover?
The top of a factory-built chimney is a wide opening. The chimney chase cover protects that wide opening from precipitation, animals, leaves, and dirt from entering the chimney. The chase cover protects more than just the flue and fireplace, it protects the structure. Continuous water intrusion can lead to structural damage and mold.
Signs Your Chase Cover Needs to be Replaced
Replacing Your Chimney Cover
When the time comes to replace the Chimney Chase cover, we recommend contacting a CSIA-certified chimney professional.
At the Chimney Scientists, we will do a thorough inspection of the Chimney Chase Cover to determine if a replacement is needed. If needed, we will take all the measurements and arrange to have a new chase cover custom manufactured. While traditional chase covers are galvanized steel with a limited lifespan, we offer 316Ti Stainless Steel Alloy. This material is corrosion-resistant and comes with a lifetime warranty.]]>Maybe you hear chirping or fluttering coming from your fireplace or you see birds entering or exiting the top of your chimney, what do you do next?
The first thing you should do is call animal control. CSIA-certified chimney sweeps are not qualified or certified to handle wild animals. Wildlife control companies are best suited to handle animals in and around the home. The first thing they would do is identify the type of animal that has made a home in your chimney. Some animals are protected and cannot be removed.
One of the most common Chimney nesting birds is the aptly named Chimney Swift. As a migratory bird, the federally-protected Chimney Swift settles in Eastern North America during the summer. When a Chimney Swift nests in your chimney, you will need to wait until it leaves to use your fireplace again.
The good news is that when the weather begins to change, the Chimney Swift will leave your home and migrates south for the winter and your chimney will be fully operational for the winter season.
Once the bird or animal has left your chimney, can you start a fire?
Before you start your first fire in your fireplace, you should have your chimney inspected by a CSIA-certified chimney. If the bird built a nest in your chimney, it could block airflow and present a fire hazard. Animals can also cause damage to the flue and liner.
To prevent animals from nesting in your chimney, talk to your chimney sweep about installing a chimney cap. If specific animals are a recurring problem, specialized caps and screens are designed to keep them out.
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The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents be cleaned and inspected at least once a year to ensure safe operation.
As you burn wood in your fireplace, a byproduct of the combustion is a sticky residue called creosote. Creosote can build up on the interior of your flue and chimney. It has a tar-like consistency and is combustible. If enough creosote builds up in the flue, you could experience a chimney fire.
Chimney fires are more common than you might think, and the majority of chimney fires go undetected. Slow-burning chimney fires may not be visible but can cause significant damage to your chimney structure. We see homeowners that have experienced chimney fires and didn’t even know it all the time.
Larger chimney fires might be noticed by a load “freight train” sound, dense dark gray smoke, or a strong smell outside of wood and burning tar.
If your chimney flue has cracks or holes, creosote will fill in these gaps and a chimney fire can expand to the larger chimney cavity. This typically results in a larger, more explosive chimney fire. During your annual inspection, these cracks and holes would be detected and fixed. If you believe that a chimney fire occurred, do not wait until your next annual inspection. You should have your chimney inspected and repaired if necessary.
While there are tips on how to properly burn wood to minimize the build-up of creosote in your chimney and flue, different cords of wood will have different moisture content and produce different amounts of creosote. It is not uncommon for us to see customers that burn the same amount of wood season after season and have dramatically different levels of creosote at each cleaning and inspection.
But what if you only use your Chimney a couple of times a year? Should you still get a cleaning and inspection? This is a common question we are asked. Even if you do not use your fireplace often, an annual inspection can check for blockages, commonly resulting from animal nests or deterioration that may occur with or without use.
If you are due for your annual chimney cleaning and inspection, now is the best time of year to schedule an appointment before the busy season begins in the fall.
]]>You may find it surprising, but the best time is…NOW! The summer is the best time to have your chimney cleaned and inspected before the cold months come around.
Most homeowners wait until the fall to clean and inspect their chimney. Once the weather heats up, their chimney is the last appliance on their minds. As a result, demand for chimney cleaning services is concentrated from late September through December.
It is difficult for the established and reputable chimney cleaning companies to keep up with this surge in demand and service every customer during this period. If you wait until September or later, you might find a one to two-month wait just to have your chimney cleaned and inspected. And if there are any issues with your Chimney, you could face an additional one-to-two-month delay to get the necessary repairs done. The fire-burning season could be halfway over or worse before your fireplace is operable.
The Chimney cleaning industry tries to keep up with demand during the fall, but it is impossible to add additional workers safely. Reputable chimney contractors will ensure all chimney sweeps are experienced and certified before sending them out on their own. A chimney sweep is not a seasonal position. A Chimney Sweep Apprentice works 6 – 12 months under a CSIA certified chimney technician to learn the craft and gain the certifications necessary to properly clean and inspect your chimney. This training period is vital to ensure your Chimney is safe for use for you and your family.
Beat the Rush
The summer is the slowest time of year for chimney cleaners. With fireplace season months away, chimney cleaning companies have the capacity to quickly clean, inspect, and repair your fireplace and chimney. The homeowners that do schedule cleaning and inspections during this time can get serviced within a week from scheduling. If there are any issues with the Chimney, there is no wait time for repairs.
The spring is also another great time to clean your chimney. During the humid summer months, the atmospheric pressure can push the smokey smell down through your chimney and into your house. By cleaning your chimney after your last use for the season, you can avoid any unwanted smells coming from your fireplace.
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Left unaddressed, a chimney leak can cause damage and potential structural problems with the chimney and the home. Let’s explore some of the most common causes of chimney leaks and how to repair/prevent them.
Reason #1: Flashing
The most common place a chimney leaks is from the chimney flashing. Flashing is found where the roof meets the chimney. The flashing is meant to provide a waterproof seal. As a result, compromised or deteriorated flashing provides an opportunity for leaks.
The number one sign that your flashing is the cause of your leak is water stains on the ceiling of the top floor around the chimney. If you notice a leak in this area, the flashing may need to be resealed or replaced.
Reason #2 Oversaturation
Another common reason for Chimney leaks is oversaturation. Masonry is water-resistant but not waterproof. It will absorb water and the water absorbed evaporates off. 5lbs. of masonry can absorb up to ½ cup of water. After it reaches this level, a saturation leak can occur even without any visible holes or damage. Saturation leaks can often go undetected by homeowners until obvious problems arise.
To remedy or prevent oversaturation, a semi-permeable waterproof sealant can be applied to the masonry surfaces. A semi-permeable barrier will provide additional water-resistant protection to your chimney while allowing trapped moisture to evaporate off.
Non-permeable sealants should not be used because they can trap moisture inside. If the paint begins to break down in one area and let water in, there is no way for the water to get out and oversaturation will occur.
Reason #3 Chase Covers
Most homes built in the last 30 years were built with Factory Built Fireplaces. These fireplaces were installed with galvanized steel chase covers. Galvanized steel rusts and breakdown over time. When the chase cover breaks down it will let rain enter the top of the Chimney.
The solution is to replace the old, galvanized steel Chase Cover with a Stainless-Steel chase cover.
At The Chimney Scientists, we specialize in diagnosing and repairing chimney leaks and waterproofing chimneys for leak prevention. If you are facing a leak or are just concerned about the potential of a leak, contact us and schedule a time for an inspection.
]]>This means that there was either not enough energy or oxygen to get it established. You may have heard our team mention the combustion triangle, in which equal parts of oxygen, fuel, and heat are needed to create a viable fire. When you see too much smoke, you’ll know that combustion – the process of the fuel reacting with oxygen to release heat – in this case was slow. Instead of quickly creating a flame, it produced smoke instead.
Additional Reasons for Excessive Smoke
The Importance of Priming Your Draft
Priming your draft basically means creating energy inside your chimney, so that you can reverse the air from going down your chimney to going upwards and outwards. Priming reverses your downdraft so that air correctly flows out of your home.
In order to do so, you will need to create a heat source for 20-30 seconds. Here are two effective options we recommend:
When you apply a heat source to the damper, you will be able to physically feel the airflow change. This, as well as the reduced amounts of smoke, is how you’ll know you’re on the right track.
The next time you notice smoke in excess, consider the impact of the weather and try priming your draft. We guarantee you’ll notice a difference.
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Next time your nose tingles at the sense of smoke in the same room as your fireplace, recognize that perhaps you should consider investing in a new damper.
]]>Are you smelling or seeing smoke in your home, days or even weeks and months after using your chimney? If your answer is yes, it may be the result of several weather-related factors.
It’s important for you to know that the presence of a smoky smell is not the end of the world. However, you will of course want to reduce and prevent it, and our team can help.
The Undeniable Impact of Weather on Your Down Draft
First, let’s get to the root of the issue. Once you notice the smell, reflect on the weather that week. Has it been rainy or humid? What about high levels of wind? If so, the downdraft of air within your chimney is likely the culprit.
Humidity: A downdraft happens on humid days because water particles in the air outside make it denser than the air inside your home. It may be hot or cold outside - the temperature is not the factor. Rather, it is about the air density. You may not have used your fireplace since March, but when a humid day in July arrives, you’ll begin to smell smoke for this reason.
Wind: When it is a windy day outside, it also can push the air down through the chimney. This is particularly likely to happen if you lack a gasket to fully seal off airflow to the outdoors.
Our Concern: Aromatic Hydrocarbon
If you’d like to understand the science behind it, essentially air goes through your chimney and picks up aromatic hydrocarbon in the process. As oxygen flows, it is interacting with the creosote, the byproduct of having burned wood within your fireplace. Air is then leaking through the iron damper near the opening of your fireplace. This is what is causing the smell.
Keep in mind that you will want to avoid extensive exposure to this, particularly while cleaning your appliance. This is why our team utilizes professional safety equipment during regular inspections, cleanings, and repairs.
The Upsides of a Top Mount Damper
Your solution to this lingering and unexpected smell of smokiness is a top mount damper. Unlike cast-iron options, a top mount damper has a gasket that seals. In turn, it doesn’t leak, and air won’t be able to find its way through. Essentially, a top mount damper stops air at the top of your chimney at the source rather than letting it fill up. This prevents air from getting smelly in the first place.
Next time your nose tingles at the sense of smoke in the same room as your fireplace, recognize that perhaps you should consider investing in a new damper.
Here’s an example of a top mount damper, for your reference:
Note: Besides the huge perk of a sealing gasket, we don’t recommend cast- iron dampers because they aren’t energy efficient. They allow hot air to move upwards and leave your house. They’re also a bit rickety and should be replaced in general.
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Starting a fire: How to Stack and Properly Burn Firewood
Tips for a Safe & Effective Fire
Regardless of the stacking method you decide to go with, there are four key tips to have an optimal fire.
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Full disclosure, there are actually many ways to properly stack your firewood. You are probably most familiar with the following two options:
There are a number of other shapes such as a Lean-To Fire, a Hunter’s Fire, etc. The commonality is that they allow airflow between the logs. This is one core piece of the combustion triangle, also known as the fire triangle.
The Combustion Triangle
This combustion triangle essentially details the chemical reaction needed to create a fire. You must have equal parts oxygen, energy, and fuel. Remember this, and you will always be set.
Tips for a Safe & Effective Fire
Regardless of the stacking method you decide to go with, there are four key tips to have an optimal fire:
Putting Out Your Fire
Whether you plan to start a fire indoors or outdoors, the process is the same and the tips apply. When you are done with your fire, you should remove at least one of the three elements of the combustion triangle. For example, if it runs out of fuel (i.e. wood), it will smolder. You can cool it off with water, or you can remove the oxygen with a professional fire blanket.
If you have additional questions, we recommend reading about the Environmental Protection Agency’s Burn Wise program. It offers great advice on stacking and cutting your wood, as well as burning it cleanly.
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The Importance of Dry Firewood
The most frustrating aspect of starting a fire, whether at home or in the great outdoors, is when you can’t get it to light. You have your logs placed perfectly to allow for air flow, you have your fire starter, and you have an effective lighter… yet, the logs just won’t seem to catch.
]]>The most frustrating aspect of starting a fire, whether at home or in the great outdoors, is when you can’t get it to light. You have your logs placed perfectly to allow for air flow, you have your fire starter, and you have an effective lighter… yet, the logs just won’t seem to catch.
The Downfall of Moisture
This most likely comes down to the moisture content of the wood you’re using. Most people don’t know this, but it needs to be split and covered off of the ground for 12 months prior to use.
Moisture content can be your worst enemy! It is the water weight of the wood compared to the dry weight. To put this into perspective, a freshly cut tree can have a moisture content of over 200%, while completely dried wood can have 0%. Typically, when you purchase wood, you need to reduce that moisture ratio from around 35% at the time of the sale to 25% or less. Otherwise, it will be challenging to burn.
The Drier the Wood, the Less Creosote
In addition to it being easier to catch fire, drier wood has a huge additional benefit: it reduces carbon particulate emissions. This means that it is producing less creosote, which is the harmful byproduct of your fire that remains behind in your chimney. It causes harm to the walls and lining of your chimney in the long-run, so the less creosote the better. It means fewer necessary repairs down the road. In turn, this is both better for the environment, as well as for you and your family.
Smoke: Less is Better
The smell of smoke is charming and enjoyable in the fall and winter seasons, we know, but in high concentrations, it is unnecessary and unhealthy. Wood smoke particles can get into your eyes and respiratory system. Especially if you suffer from asthma or another health condition, you’ll want to be aware of the impact of smoke on your body and your proximity to it.
The more efficient you are in burning your wood, the less smoke will be produced. Keep that in mind and plan ahead to burn wood with a low moisture content, when possible. A low-smoke fire should always be the goal!
If you’d like to read more about our clean burning practices and learnings on firewood emissions, check out our Firewood Project.
]]>Our Tip to Finding Cheap, Quality Kindling
This is a prized secret of the business, but here it is. Home-improvement stores such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot offer the most affordable kindling option out there. You just need to put in a bit of effort on your end, but it is well worth the time. Trust us.
]]>This is a prized secret of the business, but here it is. Home-improvement stores such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot offer the most affordable kindling option out there. You just need to put in a bit of effort on your end, but it is well worth the time. Trust us.
Tools Required
Keep in mind, you will need a couple of tools on hand: a circular saw and a hand hatchet. If you don’t have them, ask a friend or neighbor to borrow their equipment. They’re fairly common.
Here are the 4 Steps to Getting Your Bargain
Once you’re ready, drive over to your nearest home-improvement store.
That’s it! At the end of this process, you should have 120 pieces of kindling (sized 2x2x4 inches), all for approximately $0.65.
The Ideal Fire Starter
The reason we love to buy damaged or warped kindling is not just for the price, it is for the convenience. You will hear our team talk about the importance of moisture content – how you can’t start a fire with damp wood (above 25%). Well, the wood in these bins should contain between 0-5% moisture content. This is great news for you, as it will burn very well as soon as you bring it home!
Final Recommendation
We suggest using a handheld blowtorch to ignite your kindling and logs. We urge you not to use newspaper because it makes a lot of heat quickly, and then it burns out just as fast, creating lots of smoke in the process. And, with this kindling, you shouldn’t need to add any additional fire starter.
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