When the smoke comes into the room instead of going up
A working fireplace pulls smoke up and out of the house. When that pull is weak, missing or reversed, smoke drifts out of the opening, stains the face of the fireplace and leaves the room smelling of it for days. Sometimes it happens only when you first light a fire. Sometimes it happens every time. Either way, something is interfering with the draft. Smoke in the room can also carry carbon monoxide, so take it seriously.
Common signs of a fireplace that isn't drafting
What homeowners usually notice
- Smoke curls out over the top of the fireplace opening, especially when the fire is first lit
- A smoky smell lingers in the room after the fire is out
- Black or gray staining appears on the brick, stone or mantel above the opening
- The fire is hard to start or keeps smoldering instead of burning cleanly
- Smoke pushes back into the room when a kitchen or bathroom exhaust fan is running
- If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.
- A cold draft or a sooty smell comes down the chimney when no fire is burning
Possible causes of a smoky fireplace
Several different problems produce the same smoky result. The list below covers the usual suspects, but only an inspection of the damper, flue, smoke chamber and chimney top can confirm which one applies to your fireplace.
What might be behind the smoke
01Damper closed, partly closed or stuck
- What you may notice
- Smoke rolls out right away, even with a small fire.
- How it’s confirmed
- The damper is checked for full opening, warping, rust and a working handle.
02Blocked flue
- What you may notice
- Smoke backs up quickly; you may hear animals or find debris, twigs or nesting material in the firebox.
- How it’s confirmed
- The flue is inspected from below and above, often with a chimney camera, for nests, debris, fallen masonry or heavy creosote.
03Cold flue or weak draft
- What you may notice
- Smoke spills mainly in the first few minutes after lighting, then improves as the chimney warms.
- How it’s confirmed
- Chimney height, flue size and how the fireplace opening relates to the flue are evaluated.
04House pulling air down the chimney
- What you may notice
- Smoke gets worse when exhaust fans, a range hood or a clothes dryer are running, or when windows and doors are shut tight.
- How it’s confirmed
- The fireplace is test-fired with fans on and off and with a window cracked to see how the draft changes.
05Rough or damaged smoke chamber
- What you may notice
- Smoke lingers at the top of the firebox and staining builds up above the opening.
- How it’s confirmed
- The smoke chamber above the damper is examined for rough corbelled brick, gaps and deteriorated mortar.
06Wind or downdraft at the chimney top
- What you may notice
- Smoking happens mostly on windy days or with wind from one direction.
- How it’s confirmed
- The chimney top, cap and surrounding rooflines are checked for conditions that push air back down.
Burning damp or unseasoned wood can make any of these worse, because it produces more smoke and a cooler fire. Dry, seasoned firewood helps, but it won't fix a mechanical or structural draft problem.
How urgent is it, and when should you stop using the fireplace?
Treat a fireplace smoking into the room as a reason to stop using it until it has been checked. Occasional puffs of smoke when you open the door may be minor, but steady smoke in the room is not something to keep living with, and a blocked or failing flue can let carbon monoxide build up.
Stop and get out if the alarm sounds
If a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, or anyone feels headachy, dizzy or nauseous while the fire is burning, leave the house and call 911 or your fire department from outside. Don't go back in until it has been cleared.
- Stop using the fireplace if smoke comes into the room on every fire, not just at lighting.
- Let the current fire burn down on its own with the damper fully open; don't add more wood.
- Open a window near the fireplace to help clear the smoke.
- Make sure working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are on every level of the home.
- Schedule an inspection before the next fire.
What normally fixes a smoking fireplace
The repair depends on what the inspection finds. A sticking damper can be repaired or replaced. A blocked flue is cleared, whether the blockage is a nest, debris or creosote buildup. A rough or deteriorated smoke chamber can be smoothed and sealed; you can read how smoke chamber repair works if that turns out to be the issue. Where the chimney top is the problem, a cap may help keep wind and animals out.
When the trouble is the draft itself (a chimney that's too short for the opening, a flue that's undersized, or a house that pulls air down the chimney), our fireplace draft repair service works through the options, which can include adjusting the opening, improving the flue or addressing the air supply in the room.
How the visit usually goes
Inspection
We check the damper, firebox, smoke chamber, flue and chimney top, using a camera inside the flue when needed.
Explanation
You get a plain explanation of what we found and what's likely causing the smoke.
Estimate
Estimates are free, and you get one for the repair before any work starts.
Repair and test
After the repair, the fireplace is checked again to confirm it's drawing properly.
What not to do
- Don't keep using a fireplace that smokes into the room and hope it clears up.
- Don't close the damper while a fire or embers are still burning; it pushes more smoke into the house. If the fireplace has gas logs, leave the damper as the installer set it — vented gas logs need it open.
- Don't disable or unplug a carbon monoxide alarm because it keeps going off.
- Don't try to reach into the flue or climb onto the roof to clear a blockage yourself.
- Don't burn trash, cardboard or wet wood to get a fire going faster.
Thinking about a different kind of fireplace?
Some homeowners dealing with a smoky wood-burning fireplace start wondering whether gas would be simpler. Gas fireplaces and inserts have their own venting needs, so it's worth reading our guide to gas vs wood fireplace conversion before deciding. Fixing the existing draft is often the first step either way.
