Expert: James Ball - 11/20/2009

Question
I have a wood fireplace that when used pushes smoke back into the house.  I recently removed the damper as it was bad.  Recently had a so called expert look at and they mentioned piece of paper lit up into the pipe for 10 seconds it it warms the pipe and smoke will go back up-didn't make sense to me.  Any suggestions.

Answer
Hello Tina, What is happening is you are getting Negative Pressure in your home (house stack effect) that is hot air rising in your home (and getting out through the attic vents, doors, lights) your house is a better chimney than your chimney. Also kitchen/bathroom exhaust fans, cloths dryers and the boiler/furnace all take house air out of the house (mechanical negative pressure) your house needs make up air if you open a window or door in the room with the fireplace it should work fine ( I am not a big fan or heating the flue with fire on paper as embers can blow back down and into the room), perhaps an open window in the basement? Or stop the air from getting out the attic and other area’s.
Trail and error until you get this fireplace to work for you, maybe close off the room from the rest of the house to use it (close doors)
Or it could be dirty? 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.
James