All you want to do after a long day of work is come home and enjoy a nice evening. The last thing you want is to smell a foul odor coming from your chimney. After all, your fireplace has a fairly distinct odor. It’s time for you to go ahead and call a professional for an assessment. There are many causes for a smelly fireplace, but our experts can easily diagnose it and offer the best solution for your fireplace.
Types of Odors and Their Cause
Smoke/Barbecue – So there’s not a barbecue grill in your living room, but why does your fireplace and chimney smell like it? If your chimney smells of smoke or barbecue while not being used, then it’s dirty. This occurs when your chimney hasn’t been swept after burning season, and all of the soot and creosote is left in your system. When humidity rises with temperatures, the result is then a smelly chimney. Schedule a chimney sweep with Brickliners, we’ll thoroughly remove all the soot, creosote, and ash from your chimney to ensure no more stink.
Mildew/Mold – This is a difficult smell to identify, especially for those who live in humid climates. When there is a smell of mildew or mold coming from your chimney, then you most likely have a chimney leak. It means your chimney has been leaking long enough to cause bacteria to grow and release odors. Chimney leaks can cause catastrophic damage to the chimney system if allowed to continue. However, you can call the professionals at Brickliners to inspect and repair it. We can repair and install flashing, caps, crowns, and even waterproof your masonry to ensure water never enter your system.
Decomposition – Anything organic in your chimney will decompose. They also release gases that stink. Leaves, wood, ash, fur, and feathers can all be found in your chimney. Don’t let them stay and stink up fireplace. You can schedule a chimney sweep and even animal removal if necessary.
Why Does it Happen?
Your chimney stinks because of negative air pressure in your home. It just happens that the chimney is the best way for air to get into your house, and bring odors with it. You can try and stop drafts from coming through your chimney by using your damper, installing custom glass doors, or a new top-sealing damper.
No matter what you decide to stop the draft, you need to call a professional about the smells. You need a chimney sweep or inspection to determine the cause and clean up the mess. Act now and avoid more damage and costly repairs later. Call Brickliners at 802-872-0123.
