Expert: James Ball - 1/21/2009

Question
hi,i have a problem with next doors log burner. When next doors log burner is burning logs the smell of smoke coming down my chimney which has back boiler and has been tested for spilage,They have just had the log burner fitted and had a flue linner fitted from log burner to cowl due to  cracks in chimney lining,hows is the smoke smell getting in from next doors log burner into my back bolier chimney and coming into my living room HELP!!!!

Answer
Hello Andrew, if the two flues are close together in the same chimney then yes you will get smoke down your chimney into your home, all fireplaces work fine it is the house that can be a problem to include negative pressure, natural (house stack effect, hot air rising and getting out through the roof, drop down attic doors or other areas) Mechanical (kitchen/bathroom exhaust fans, cloths dryers, boiler/furnace) all pull air out of the house. Do you feel cold air coming down your fireplace? If so try this if the chimney is clean open a door and window in this room with the fireplace in it and see if the fireplace draws you need to stop the air from going out of the house (mechanical and natural. You can install a top mount damper that will close the top of the chimney off and run a cable down your chimney to open and close it.
You could 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, they install these top dampers.
James