If you have a traditional fireplace then you need to have it inspected regularly to ensure that there are no problems with it. There are many reasons why a fireplace can develop problems and often it’s not obvious why the problem is.
Below are 10 of the most common reasons that your fireplace doesn’t work?
1. The chimney needs cleaning
This is one of the most common reasons for a fireplace not working properly. A lot of soot passes through your chimney when it’s in regular use so having it cleaned at least once a year is a must. You should always hire a professional to clean your chimney since they’ll be able to tell you about any other problems there might be.
2. Your firewood is wet
If fuel you’re using to in your fireplace is wet then it’s not going to burn efficiently. Firewood will not burn well at all when wet so you should always check the moisture level of any firewood you buy.
3. Your firewood is mossy
If you collect your own firewood then you have to make sure that it’s not only dry but free of moss too. Moss contains moisture, which means your firewood won’t burn properly if it’s covered in it.
4. The damper isn’t open
It’s easy to forget to open the damper on your fireplace and when you do, it’s easy for soot to build up and prevent you from opening it properly. A professional clean will solve this problem.
5. Your chimney isn’t tall enough
For proper functioning, your chimney should be at least 10 feet tall and should protrude at least 3 feet from your roof.
6. Your chimney is blocked
It’s very easy for a chimney to become partially or completely blocked. This is a very dangerous problem since it can cause a build up of CO2 and other harmful chemicals in your living room. This is why regular inspections are vital.
7. The flue isn’t large enough
One of the most important things require to make your fireplace run efficiently is that the flue is large enough for the fireplace opening. As a rule of thumb, the opening should be no more than 10 times the area of the flue.
8. Your home is too well insulated
A lot of homes are now very well-insulated to keep them warm during the winter and cool in the summer. As a consequence of this, it means that the air in the room cannot be replaced and this can lead to a poorly burning fire that smokes. Opening a window is a temporary solution to deal with this problem
9. Your home is too draughty
A home that is too draughty is just as much of a problem so you should definitely seek out some form of insulation to deal with this problem.
10. There’s no flue liner
Flue liners are used to increase the lifespan of your fireplace and also make it perform better. You should seriously consider getting one if you don’t have one already.
