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Question
I built a fire in the fireplace in my new house for a couple of cool nights and it burned fine. The third night we noticed the smoke drifting out into the room instead of going up the chimney. Whenever we opened the door, the smoke would resume going up the chimney instead of into the room. We also noticed a relationship with the central heat "kicking on." I asked the central heat & air maintenance tech. if it had anything to do with the system and he said "no" but had no advice. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks.
Hi Joe,
"Your" central heat and air tech is wrong.
If it smokes when the central air system turns on, you very possibly have a pressurization problem with your HVAC system. Registers might be turned off, dampers might be turned off, ductwork could be leaking...the list goes on and on.
Your house might be suffereing from many things that are contributing to this problem.
I recommend you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do some on-site diagnosis of your problem.
You can find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep at www.csia.org.
I would also contact a company that balances HVAC systems to have them look at your system and check the pressures in the house compared to outside.
Thanks for using AllExperts.Com and good luck with your project.
Sincerely,
A. Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney
Wichita, KS
Voice: 316-265-9828
Fax: 316-265-9890
www.homesafeks.com
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Difficult for me to rate as of yet since I haven't been able to get someone out to evaluate my chimney and heat pump. I do, however, appreciate his prompt feedback and information. It's a starting place. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Bart Ogden
Expertise
I can answer questions related to chimney and fireplace cleaning, construction and repair as well as questions related to the performance of chimneys and fireplaces. I can also answer questions related to clothes dryer vent cleaning and repair. Additionally, I can field questions related to masonry repair.
Experience
Experience in the area:
28 years experience in the chimney service/installation/repair field
President, Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc. Wichita, Kansas
Professional Organizations:
Member, National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG)
Member, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)
Member, Kansas Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps (KGPCS)
Member, Midwest Chimney Safety Council (MCSC)
Member, Kansas Association of Real Estate Inspectors (KAREI)
Past At-Large Director of the National Chimney Sweep Guild
Past At-Large Director of the Chimney Safety Institute of America
Past Secretary, National Chimney Sweep Guild
Past Secretary, Chimney Safety Institute of America
Member, National Chimney Sweep Guild Technical Advisory Council
Member, Chimney Safety Institute of America Certification Committee
Past Chairman, CSIA Chimney Safety Education Brochures Committee
Past Chairman, NCSG Nomination Committee
Publications:
SWEEPING Magazine, The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technoloty, A Publication of the National Chimney Sweep Guild
SNEWS, The Chimney Sweep News
THE KANSAS SWEEP, The Voice of the KS Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps
Education/Credentials:
BA, Wichita State University
C.S.I.A. Certified Chimney Sweep
C.S.I.A. Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician
N.F.I. Woodburning Specialist
N.F.I. Gas Specialist
Chimney Diagnosis & Documentation Seminar
Ahren's Masonry Restoration School Graduate
Advanced Gas Certification
Master Gas Certification
Licensed Mechanical Contractor
Pellet Appliance Specialist
Venting Design Specialist
Dale Carnegie Course Graduate
Awards and Honors:
Superior Dealer Award, Ventinox Chimney Lining Systems
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