Jack Pixley's Homeowner's Guide

Smoke Problems

• Is your damper open? If it is and the smoking continues, open a nearby window a crack for a minute or two until the fire is going well. Then, you can close it again.

• If it just smokes when you light the fire, it may be because the flue is cold. Did you warm the flue with a rolled-up, burning newspaper held in the damper region? (If not, that usually works.)

If the chimney continues to smoke, call a CSIA-Certified chimney sweep. Your chimney may be clogged by animal nests or an accumulation of soot and creosote. It could also be a more serious problem, such as broken flue tiles.