What is better than sitting in your warm cosy living room while enjoying your favourite TV show? The Winter season is thriving, and we all love to snuggle on a warm couch. But here is the truth, no matter how warm and comfy your living area is, a foul-smelling fireplace ruins all the fun. Good fireplaces are the key to spending happy winters and enjoying the warmth. So here are some reasons why do fireplaces smell bad:
Collected Leaves
It is common sense that leaves carried away by wind could get stuck in your chimney. Loads of leaves get collected in chimneys and start to rot. When you notice such a smell of rot and decomposition, you might be having a huge bunch of leaves up in your chimney. To get rid of this situation, the solution is simple; get your chimney swept. A good chimney sweep would remove all debris collected in it and so, no more smell now!
Dead Animals
The harsh winter days take their toll on small lovely animals such as raccoons and birds. They tend to move inside the source of warmth, that is, your chimney, and most of the time, they get stuck. Over time, their poor bodies start to disintegrate and produce an unbearable characteristic smell. To get rid of this, again have a good chimney sweep to clear out the chimney and als9 invest in a good chimney cap with mesh nettings. Chimney caps prevent the animals from getting into the chimney in the first place, and so they keep the source of smells at a good distance from your chimney.
Moisture
Moisture is the mother of all disgusting smells. If it manages to get into your chimney, then oh my, you are doomed (dramatic music playing). Well, not actually because you can surely eliminate it. Water seeps inside your chimney on rainy days. Combined with creosote, water can cause massive amounts of damage and rust to your damper and flue lining, which leads to costly repairs. Inside your chimney, it produces an unpleasant musty odor which can be embarrassing if guests show up. So here is how you can prevent it. Simply install a chimney cap so that water stays out of it during rainy days.
Creosote And Soot Buildup
It is one factor producing chimney odours that can not be 100% prevented. If your chimney smells like asphalt or burnt barbecue, then my dear, you have heaps of creosote and soot buildup up there. Creosote is a black and highly flammable tar produced from wood smoke. Soot, on the other hand, is mostly powdery and flaky amorphous carbon produced by incomplete burning of wood. Both of these result from burning the wood, so there is nothing that could be done about them. All you can do is have your chimney swept clean by a professional every year. Using low moisture wood for your fireplace can also greatly reduce the buildup.
In Conclusion
After having read the above article, you must be geared up to meet chimney odours out of your house! However, do keep in mind that a good fireplace can resist damage from all the above factors to a remarkable extent. Investing in a high-end and tough fireplace could make your winters warm, comfy, and enjoyable.
Wakeford’s Fireplaces and Stoves is a leading brand providing luxury options of fireplaces for your living room. We are a dedicated company and have been selling fireplaces and stoves all over Surrey and South East since 1984. We have a vast collection of cast iron, wooden, enclosed, open, and traditional fireplaces to adorn your home.