Expert: James Ball - 11/26/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello. We have a double sided fireplace (slump block) which we would
love to use! However, lots of smoke comes into the house, from both
sides (although more from one side). We've had the chimney cleaned. We
tried opening a door which made it worse. We tried closing the flu a little
which also made it worse. It seems our best solution is to have one of
those chimney fans installed at the top of the chimney. We've been told
this is the only way to really solve the problem and NO smoke will come
into the house. Do you agree? What type of fan would you recommend?
There are many styles and to spend that kind of money we want to be
sure it dies the trick! Thanks so much.

ANSWER: Hello Wendy, they are called "Exhausto Fans"  and they work (not a big fan of) but learning to burn your fireplace might be a cheaper and easier method, first start with small fires, open a door or window in that room, make sure you do not feel cold air coming down and light your fire (small)  then when the fire is going well, close the door or window, glass doors also help with double sided fireplaces to draw better. raise your fire grate up on several bricks to move it higher in the firebox.
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks James. Why exactly is it that you are not a fan of the exhuasto fans??

The problem with opening a door is that the fireplace idivides a living room and family room, in a large open space. So when a door is open (on either side of fireplace) it causes a draft and it just blows the smoke out the other side. We will try raising the grate to see what that does. Thanks so much.

Answer
Welcome back Wendy, when I say "open a door or window" it is only enough to ge the draft to go up in the chimney, how much wind do you have that is it blowing through your home?
You have one of 2 problems, 1, the chimney flue is to small and/or not built correctly or 2 you have a negative pressure issue in your home (house stack effect) that is hot air rising in your home (and getting out through the attic vents, doors, lights, another fireplace (is it closed?) your house is a better chimney than your chimney. Also kitchen/bathroom exhaust fans, clothes dryers, Radon systems and the boiler/furnace all take house air out of the house (mechanical negative pressure) your house needs make up air, 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, install doors)
There are literally dozens of reasons a fireplace will smoke these are just a few. I am not a big fan of Exhausto fans because they are sucking the heat you paid for up and out the chimney. 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