An Uncomfortable Visit: Cold Draft from the Chimney
Special occasions are a great time to visit with family and friends, especially in the winter time as we don’t get the chance to get out often. This past holiday, you would have thought the home would have been hot. The ovens were going, people were everywhere talking, playing games and of course grazing the tables of food. But it was chilly, especially in the family room where most guests gathered. What happened was very uncomfortable. There was a cold draft from the chimney.
What Causes a Cold Draft from the Chimney?
Let’s begin by defining a cold draft. A cold draft from the chimney is caused by uncontrolled airflow that moves down the chimney flue or through gaps in the chimney system. As you can imagine, it occurs during cold or windy days. The top 5 ways a cold draft from the chimney occur is from the stack effect, damper issues, negative pressure that’s inside of the house, missing chimney cap, cracks or gaps in the chimney. There can be a few more, but let’s focus on these 5 issues.
Stack Effect: Early into the evening, the fireplace didn’t have a fire. Because the temperatures were so cold outside, the cold air began to sink down the chimney flue into the family room. This usually occurs when there’s a sudden drop in temperatures, which we had experienced in the Chicagoland area. This is because cold air is heavier than warm air and sinks down the chimney.
Damper Issues: Dampers can experience lots of problems, especially if it is warped or just not sealing properly. This allows the cold air from the outside to easily come into the home.
Negative Pressure Inside of the Houses: Our homes contain clothes dryers, bathroom fans stove range hoods that all pull the air out of the home. They are doing their job. However, the house needs to replace the air and most times that is the chimney. That’s why this is a perfect place for a cold downdraft to occur.
Missing Chimney Cap: A missing chimney cap can allow cold air, cold wind and the chilling moisture to enter the home directly through the chimney. When the chimney cap is missing, wind can be forced down the flue making that cold draft even worse!
Cracks or Gaps in the Chimney: If there is a cracked flue liner, or gaps around the fireplace, this allows for cold air to enter the home. These cracks or gaps can get worse over time causing heat to escape and moisture to build.
How Do You Know if this is Happening to You?
If you literally feel cold air near the fireplace, a whistling sound, a smell coming from the fireplace or your heating bill increase, it’s time to call Superior Chimney for a chimney inspection in order to identify the issues that need to be fixed.
Certified Chimney Sweep
All of our chimney technicians are CSIA certified, meaning they have received the industry ‘gold standard’ for training. Each of our technicians have completed formal training and passed an exam. They follow national inspection protocols and Superior Chimney ensures that they maintain continuing education to keep them abreast of new technologies, processes and procedures. Isn’t it good to know that someone cares for your home as much as we do? Contact us today to get started with a chimney and fireplace inspection.
This post first appeared on https://www.superiorchimney.net
