Smoky Fireplace and Draft Problems in New Jersey

A fireplace smokes when the chimney cannot pull smoke up as fast as the fire makes it. That can come from the chimney itself, such as a flue too small for a wide opening, a damper that does not fully open or a cap that is clogged. It can also come from the house: a tight newer home with strong kitchen and bath fans, or a furnace in the basement drawing air down the chimney.

Guessing is expensive. We start with a free diagnosis, often with a fire burning, and test the likely causes one at a time. You get a written price for the fix that addresses the real cause rather than a stack of parts that might help. Often the answer is a small change, such as a smoke guard or a cleared cap, and we will say so when it is.

Signs you need this

• Smoke spills out at the top of the opening
• A smoky smell in the room on rainy or windy days
• The fire smokes for the first few minutes, then settles
• Smoke appears when a kitchen fan or dryer runs
• Soot stains on the mantel or wall above the fireplace

How we do it

1. Test the draftWe check the flue size against the opening, the damper, the cap and the smoke chamber.
2. Check the houseWe test whether fans, the furnace or a tight house are pulling air down the chimney.
3. Try the simple fixWhere it makes sense, a temporary guard or open window shows whether a cheap fix will work.
4. Price the right fixA written price for the fix that addresses the cause, from a smoke guard to a taller flue.

Why does my old fireplace smoke when the chimney seems fine?

Older homes, like the many pre-1940 houses in Montclair and Maplewood, often have wide, shallow fireplace openings that were built for coal or very hot fires. The flue may be sound but too small for the opening, or the smoke chamber above the damper may be rough and stepped, which slows the smoke.

A metal smoke guard across the top of the opening, a few inches tall, makes the opening smaller relative to the flue and often solves it. Smoke guard, cap or damper fixes typically run $150 to $1,000. Smoothing the smoke chamber is a larger job and is covered on our firebox and smoke chamber page.

Why does it only smoke when it rains or the wind blows?

Wet, heavy air and gusts can push down a flue that has no cap or a cap that sits too low. Wind hitting a nearby taller roof, a tree line or the wall of a neighboring building can also make the top of a short chimney a low-pressure trap. That is common with row homes in Trenton and Camden, where chimneys often sit beside taller walls.

A smell of old smoke on damp days, even with no fire, usually means creosote soaking up moisture. A sweep and a well-fitted cap with a top-sealing damper often fixes it.

When does the chimney need to be taller?

When the top of the flue sits too close to the roof or a nearby structure, the wind can stop it drawing. Adding flue height with a stainless extension or a few extra courses of brick changes where the top sits in the wind.

Extending a flue typically runs $600 to $1,500. We only recommend it after the cheaper causes are ruled out, and if the work affects the structure we handle any permit your town's construction office requires.