Household Repairs Smokes. Have fireplace and chimney cleaned and examined by a professional (cleaning by burning chemicals in the fire is nowhere nearly so effective as mechanical cleaning). Remove or prune back any large tree that overhangs chimney. If smoking continues, hold a board across the fireplace opening and gradually lower it until smoking stops. Have a metal shield or hood installed in chimney opening at this point.

Draft poor. Check whether fire is properly placed at back of firebox and whether room ventilation is adequate (in a tight room, if you open a window when you start fire, good draft should be created and should continue after window is closed). If these measures don't help, call in a professional. Height of chimney may have to be adjusted or you may have to have chimney capped.

Wind blows down chimney. Consult expert about need for capping chimney.

Rain comes down chimney. Have it capped.

Damper defective. If it simply works stiffly, opens only partially, scrape off encrusted soot and apply oil. Some dampers can be removed to facilitate work. If damper is broken, have a mason replace it.

Mortar joints in firebox and in hearth cracked. Chip out bad mortar. Blow out crumbs. Wet edges of bricks or stones. Pack in fire clay available from a building supply dealer or mortar made of 1 part cement, 1 part lime, and 6 parts sand.




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May 22, 2012