All you want to do is sit in front of a warm fire on a weekend afternoon, but you may not get a chance if you smell something yucky as you go to light one. The odors that can come from chimneys can be quite unpleasant and no one is going to be able to sit in front of a fire while smelling it.

Here are 5 causes of the smells in your chimney and how you can fix it once and for all:

  1. Negative Air Pressure

Negative air pressure can be an issue inside your home if you have made a large number of improvements that has made the seal on your home too tight. This can cause the smallest of chimney odor to go into your home instead of up and out of your chimney.

To solve this issue, we recommend that you keep your damper closed when you do not have a fire burning. You can also install a glass screen to keep the odors from seeping out into your home.

  1. A Buildup of Creosote and Soot

Creosote and soot basically smell like a barbeque or asphalt and while there is not much that you can do to prevent this smell completely, there are a couple of things that will keep it from getting too bad. The first thing that you can do to prevent this odor is burn seasoned hardwood all the time. That will help keep the creosote from building up too much inside your chimney. A professional cleaning at least once a year will also help, because the majority of the creosote will be removed.

  1. Excessive Moisture

Water can get inside your chimney if you do not have a chimney cap installed. That moisture will sit in your chimney, causing an odor. Your damper will begin to rust and the lining inside your chimney will become damaged.

To prevent water from entering your chimney, we recommend installing a chimney cap.

  1. Unwelcome Guests

Animals can maneuver into almost any chimney, especially if there is no chimney cap on top. These animals are looking for a warm place to stay, which would be fine, except they often get stuck. Once an animal gets stuck inside your chimney, it dies, and that odor will permeate throughout your entire home.

The only way to get rid of this smell is to have the animal removed and the rest of the chimney inspected for other blockages.

  1. Debris

Debris can also cause an odor inside your chimney. Most of the time, the debris is leaves or small twigs.

The only way to keep the debris out of your chimney is to install a chimney cap.

Professional Chimney Cleaning in Springfield

There should never be a really bad odor coming from your chimney, so if you do smell one, it is a sign that you need to call us at 610-626-2439 to check it out. These are the main causes of the terrible odors, but we can help you determine exactly what the true cause is. A cleaning and an inspection will oftentimes lead to the cause and then it can be fixed quickly, so that you can once again enjoy your fireplace.