The point of having a chimney or a fireplace is for those toasty fires that will keep you warm during the winter isn’t it? However, what happens when those fireplaces do the exact opposite, and your house is left with a chilly draft cannot be good, right?
Well, there is a plausible reason why you may be feeling that chill coming down your chimney.
You see, for a chimney to work properly, it should draw in the same amount of air that it gives out. If there is an imbalance or disturbance in this exchange cycle, that is when you may feel a draft or cold coming from your chimney.
Source: Fireplace Friday’s
The cause of this imbalance could be due to a number of factors and hopefully, yours will not require a repair man. However, before you start thinking of repair costs, let us try out a few tricks ourselves, shall we?
How to stop cold air from coming down the chimney
While there might be more serious issues causing the cold coming from your chimney, let us start with the most common solutions;
1. Inspect your chimney: Naturally, this should be done by a professional. However, if you know your way around a chimney, then why not? Simply looking at it should tell you what is wrong. It could be cracks in the chimney crown, damaged flue liner or any other imaginable problem. Inspecting should let you know if it is something you can do yourself or something that requires a more learned hand.
2. Get a chimney balloon: Just as the name implies, this inflatable device is used to prevent cold drafts from entering the fireplace (when not in use). This balloon is plugged into the chimney and inflated to ensure the fit is just right. When using the chimney, the balloon is to be removed.
3. Check the chimney or fireplace damper: This is found just above the fireplace, and it should be closed firmly to ensure no cold air gets in (it should be closed when the fireplace is not in use). If your damper is closed firmly and you are still feeling a chilly draft, it could be that the damper is rusted, damaged or warped. Any of these faults can break the airtight seal of the damper. Replacing the damper should fix the issue.
4. Install good fireplace doors: This is self-explanatory. To keep the chill out, shut the door on it. Plus, you can use that opportunity to spruce up your fireplace. Make it look more decorative than functional.
These tips should help you get rid of the pesky cold coming down your chimney, and most of these tips can be done by yourself if you know your way around a fireplace. However, if you cannot handle it, you can always call a repairer. Better the cost of the repairs than the chill right?
Your chimney should be inspected once in a while by a professional. That is the only way pesky annoyances like these will not come up.
