Are you tired of complaining about that annoying smell that’s coming out of your chimney? Do you want to understand why there’s a bad smell in the first place and how you can get rid of it? Well you’ve come to the right page. Our team here at Environmental Chimney Services can tell you everything you need to know.

What causes a stinky chimney?

Most of the time, a buildup of creosote causes a smelly fireplace. Unfortunately, a buildup of creosote is more than just unpleasant, it also increases your risk for a chimney fire.

Most of the time, a buildup of creosote causes a smelly fireplace. Unfortunately, a buildup of creosote is more than just unpleasant, it also increases your risk for a chimney fire.

Basically, these unpleasant smells coming from your chimney can be attributed to creosote deposits which are a natural byproduct when you burn wood. Sometimes these smells can be caused by infiltration of leaves and animal wastes. But more often than not, chimney odor can be attributed to creosote buildup.

These odors can be much worse depending on the weather condition. It can intensify during the summer when there is high humidity, and it can also become worse on rainy days or when you are using your air conditioner.

Creosote formation is only one factor that would lead to a stinky chimney. The other contributing factor is the air pressure. If there are pressure problems in your home, it means that the airflow is irregular. Therefore, air would move down and in through your chimney instead of moving up and out. With the rush of air comes the foul chimney odor that is caused by the creosote buildup. Other causes of pressure change and chimney odor entry are:

  •      A change or alteration in the roofing ventilator
  •      An increase in a neighboring structure’s height
  •      Inefficient or damaged damper closures
  •      Home additions
  •      Dryer vent exhausts
  •      New windows, doors, furnace, boiler or water heater

How to remedy a stinky chimney

To stop or help reduce the airflow from coming down your chimney, you can make use of a tight sealing energy top mounted damper. This would help minimize the problem regarding the airflow. For the creosote buildup, you would need the expertise of a trained chimney professional. They would be the best person to call for the assessment of your chimney. Not only would they get rid of that creosote, but they could also check your chimney to see any other issues that you weren’t aware of.

Now that you know where the stink in your chimney is coming from, you can now find a solution and finally put an end to that stinky chimney problem.