That weird smell you’ve noticed in your living room is coming from your fireplace. You may ask, why are there bad odors coming from my fireplace? That’s a good question, but none of the answers are good. The source of the smell is specifically your fireplace’s chimney, and the cause can range from the inconvenient to the dangerous. The first step in discovering the cause of the bad odor you smell is to have your chimney inspected.
Chimney InspectionsYou don’t want a chimney sweep to guess what is causing your chimney to smell; you need to know what it is exactly. A qualified chimney inspector will thoroughly inspect your chimney to determine the cause of the unpleasant odor invading your home. Our chimney sweeps are Chimney Sweep Institute of America (CSIA) and National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certified, so they have the training and experience to determine the source of the odor in your chimney. Let’s look at some possible causes of smells in your chimney.
If you smell an acrid odor that burns your nose when you breathe it in, then you have a creosote buildup. Creosote is a substance released when you burn logs in your fireplace. As time goes by and you burn more wood in your fireplace, creosote will accrue on the inside of your chimney and become a thick layer. Not only is the creosote causing an odor, but it’s also highly flammable and could cause a chimney fire that could spread to the rest of your home. If a creosote buildup is detected by a chimney sweep, it’s crucial to have it cleaned right away to prevent a possible fire.
If the smell coming from your fireplace is damp, dank, and musty, then the likely culprit is mold, mildew, or both. Mold and mildew in your chimney means that water is finding its way into your chimney. Mold and mildew could mean any number of things, such as your flue cap being damaged or missing or that your chimney’s masonry is breaking down and water is finding its way in through cracked or broken bricks. It is vital to have a moldy chimney cleaned right away because mold and mildew can wreak havoc on the lives of allergy and asthma sufferers.
WildlifeIt’s an unpleasant thought to think about wildlife getting trapped in your chimney, but it happens often enough it can be an issue. Chimneys that lack a chimney cap or flue cover make an irresistible refuge for wildlife. Unfortunately, it can prove easier for animals to get inside your chimney than get out. Once the animal perishes, it will decompose. You won’t miss the decomposition, it has an overpowering smell, and you will likely see blowflies as well. The dead animal will have to be removed by a chimney sweep with experience in their removal.
If you are experiencing strong odors coming from your fireplace, it could be caused by a serious issue. We can inspect your chimney and determine what is causing the odor, and promptly remove it. Don’t wait until a problem occurs; call us today. One of our chimney specialists will be happy to discuss eliminating unpleasant odors from your chimney. Get in touch now.
