Expert: James Ball - 12/15/2008

Question
I have a fireplace on the first floor that was inspected and considered fine.  Whenever I have a fire in it, my cellar fills with smoke.  There is an opening to the flue down there, but it's covered up, so I don't understand where the smoke is coming from.  There is no smoke on the 1st floor.

Answer
Hello Mary,
I would have a local Certified Chimney Sweep (www.csia.org, there you can look up by zip code to find one near you) take a first hand look at what you have.

What is happening is you are getting Negative Pressure in your home that is hot air raising in your home (and getting out through the attic vents, doors, lights) your house is a better chimney than your chimney and the make up air is coming down your down stairs fireplace and along with it smoke. maybe a top mount damper to stop that air/smoke from coming down.
James