Troubleshooting
There are many problems due to which the chimney and firebox do not work properly. Sometimes those problems are banal and can be solved easily, but in some cases they can be very dangerous and resolving them is a serious intervention by chimney sweepers. Hereinafter we will list the problems that may occur during keeping up fire as well as some tips that may help solving them.
- Dirty chimney
Accumulated soot in the chimney can negatively affect its functionality. Thick layers of soot physically limit flue gases so that the free space for ventilation of the firebox is reduced. Deposits just 1 cm thick can reduce chimney draft by 15% for masonry chimneys, and an incredible 30% for conventional prefabricated chimneys.
- Tip: Professional chimney cleaning and, if necessary, incineration.
- Tip: Maintain the chimney regularly, we recommend two professional cleanings per year.
- Clogged chimney
Clogging occurs due to non-maintenance of the chimney and it is clear that it loses its function thereby. Clogging may occur due to the accumulation of combustion deposits and other foreign bodies caused by the wind. Birds, bees, hornets and other small animals view the chimney as a hollow tree and a potential refuge especially when the chimney is not used for a long time. Chimney sweepers often find "inhabited chimneys" full of leaves, twigs and even cubs of our neighbors from the animal world.
- Tip: Do not try to unclog the chimney yourself as you may create an even bigger problem.
- Tip: Call a professional service for chimney unclogging and cleaning, especially if you haven't used the chimney for a long time.
- Wet firewood
The chimney works by raising warm (rare) air. If the firewood is wet, it will produce much more smoke than heat, so the chimney will not have a good draft.
- Tip: Buy dry wood or coal and store them in a place where they will be protected from rain and snow.
- Improper chimney height
In order to function normally, the chimney needs a certain height, which is conditioned by the height of the roof, and by the closer environment, e.g. other buildings, trees, etc. The chimney at a distance of less than 150 cm from the ridge should exceed it by at least 50 cm. If this distance is greater than 300 cm, the chimney can be lower than the highest point of the roof. The problem of low chimney height is even more pronounced when the wind blows. However, too much height can also be a problem since it reduces static stability. The efficiency of the chimney increases with the increase of its height until the friction forces become so strong that they cancel out that growth effect.
- Tip: If the immediate environment around your chimney has changed, call the chimney sweep service to inspect the chimney and, if necessary, repair it.
- Insufficient chimney diameter
Factors that affect the required diameter of the chimney are the purpose, height, type of firebox, type of fuel, etc. Insufficient opening makes the transport of flue gases and thus combustion difficult. The usual opening is 14x14 cm for home fireboxes such as wood stoves or stoves for heating, or 20x20 cm for fireplaces and central heating. When the opening is too large, a whirl and smoke return occurs.
- Tip: Since there is no practical way to increase the diameter of the existing chimney, the solution may be to correct the open part of the firebox.
- Cold chimney
The temperature difference between the outside air and the combustion gases is the basic "engine" of the chimney. If the chimney is located on the outer facade of the house, at very low external temperatures, the walls of the chimney are being cooled, and thus the air in it. This can also happen two to three days after external warming. With such chimneys, it is difficult to light a fire because the direction of air movement in the chimney is reversed.
- Tip: Insulate the chimneys located on the facade.
- Tip: If you cannot light a fire, light a roll of paper and keep it close to the damper to warm the inside of the chimney and allow normal flow inside.
- Lack of air in the room where the fireplace is located
The fireplace requires a large amount of combustion air. As the fire burns, an air column is constantly coming out of your chimney. That air coming out must be replaced with the new outside air. Commitment to energy efficiency has caused that many houses are being insulated and sealed in order to reduce the penetration of external influences and thus drafts. However, that causes an undesirable side effect because all the lost air coming out of the house cannot be compensated. This further causes the fire to burn slowly.
- Tip: A temporary solution is to open the window a little (preferably in the direction of the wind) to let new air in.
- Inappropriate purpose!
The chimney construction is conditioned by its purpose. If the chimney is not used in accordance with its purpose, e.g. if new connections are opened to the existing chimney for which the chimney is not designed, its effect is reduced.
- Tip: Entrust the chimney design and the firebox connection to a professional service.
- Tip: Before connecting the fireplace to the existing chimney, consult your chimney sweeper. The model of the fireplace, i.e. its power and the size of the light opening should correspond to the chimney. The opening of the firebox should not be more than seven times larger than the cross section of the chimney vertical.
- Unfavorable facility construction
The houses which release too much air outside, and especially multi-storey houses that release air into the upper floors, create their own draft or so-called “the chimney effect” strong enough to weaken the chimney effect to which the firebox is connected, especially if it is located on the lower floors.
- Tip: Reduce the extraction of air from the upper floors by closing the windows.
- If your chimney or firebox does not have any of the above-mentioned problems, then it is a matter of omissions in design, construction and installation.
- Tip: To solve these problems, it is best to contact the professional service of your chimney sweeper Eko-Dim. Call us!
