Why Is Smoke Blowing Down My Chimney

You’ve been relaxing in the living room all morning, enjoying a warm and toasty fire burning in the fireplace. Suddenly, thick smoke is gushing out of your fireplace, covering your floor and beautiful furniture in soot and hot ashes. Startled and confused, you’re wondering, “why is smoke blowing down my chimney!”

Your chimney and flue are designed for smoke and exhaust to flow up and exit your Mobile, AL, home at the top of the stack. Sometimes, the draft reverses, resulting in blowback or back puffing. It may be a simple fix you can do yourself or a sign of a more severe issue requiring a Certified Chimney Professional®. Since blowback can harm people and pets, we’ll explore some common reasons why smoke is blowing down your chimney.

The Flue is Clogged

When your nose and lungs are clogged, breathing is difficult. The same goes for your flue. When the duct is blocked from creosote build-up, animal nests, leaves, and debris, it obstructs the airflow, making it difficult for the smoke to vent. Eventually, it gets so clogged that the draft reverses, and smoke blows down your chimney. Scheduling a chimney inspection and cleaning with your local Doodlebugger’s professional in Northwest Florida is the safest and most effective way to unclog your flue.

Your Flue May be Cold

Your chimney and flue can catch a cold that forces a smokey blowback when you go to light your fireplace. It is a common occurrence for exterior chimneys. The lower temperatures that have you snuggling under the covers because of the cold air inside your home, have the same effect on the flue. Since cold air is heavier than hot air, the high pressure stomps out the fire, blowing smoke and dust down your chimney and making it difficult to start or maintain a fire.

Fortunately, there is an easy cure. First, warm the flue by tightly rolling up some newspaper like a tube. Then, light one end of the newspaper and hold it under the flue with the damper fully open. Then, you can burn the logs in the fireplace when you feel the draft reverse and the smoke and flames go up.

Catching a Downdraft on a Windy Day

Living near the Gulf can cause gale-force winds across the Pensacola area at any time as frequent storms blow through. A sudden burst of wind that passes over a chimney without a cap can cause a dangerous backdraft that blows smoke, hot embers, and soot into your living space. Strong winds can also damage the chimney cap or blow it off the chimney entirely.

That’s why it’s critical to have a professional inspect and repair your chimney every year before you light the fireplace for the winter season.Doodlebuggers® recommends customers install a top-mount damper. It also functions as a durable chimney cap that helps reduce downdrafts. A top-mount damper also seals the flue completely, reducing heat loss after the fire burns out.

Professional Chimney Inspection and Cleaning

Blowback or back puffing can be a sign of a problematic issue. So, if smoke is blowing down your chimney, call Doodlebuggers at 850-477-1151 in Pensacola; 850-243-0154 in Destin; or 251-971-3828 in Mobile, AL to schedule an appointment with a chimney professional. Or contact us online today.