Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 06:06am | #1

   *
   You have a leak, get it fixed before you use it again.

   Blue

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 08:03am | #2

   *Do You have fireplaces in the other "smokey rooms? You may be getting smoke going down the other flues as the fireplace draws air to feed the fire. Are you leaving windows open which may be allowing the infiltration of smoke?Do you have a metal chimney which may not have been connected properly?Like the master Boogerer said, check it out carefully before you relight the fireplace and your house.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 08:11am | #3

   *A good reason to consider a CO detector as well.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 08:12am | #4

   *Augusta, seems like Blue's leak thing is the sure bet. Hire a chimney sweep or mason to inspect the interior of the chimney. You want to know the condition of the masonary, if there is a flue liner, and the overall condition as to stability.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 08:13am | #5

   *Is your fireplace sealed?

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 10:13am | #6

   *All good possibilities - those listed above. Other possibilities include: 1) not having developed a sufficient draft before lighting the fire, and 2) a chimney that is too short.For 1): Light some crumpled newspapers and hold them up in the flue. That will prewarm the flue and fill it with warm air, preventing those first couple of puffs of smoke from entering the room (and maybe heading up towards the rooms above?)For 2): You'd like your chimney to be taller than the peak of the roof to avoid getting smoke entrained in the wake of the house. There is some allowance (1 foot lower than the peak for each 4 feet horizontally from the peak?) for chimneys offset from the peak - but check that ratio, I don't recall. But certainly many chimneys have been built that allow smoke to get entrained around the house by prevailing winds and then get sucked in through the walls.

3. 
   Guest_ | Apr 13, 1999 06:21pm | #8

   *In addition to the good advice already given, you may wish to visit the following two sites: ; .

2. 
   Augusta_ | Apr 13, 1999 06:21pm | #7

   *
   Whenever I have a fire in my fireplace,
   which is in the family room on the first floor of my home, my bedroom directly upstairs and a room in my basement directly below the room
   with the family room becomes smokey. The family room does not get smokey but the rooms directly below and above do get.

   This seems very strange. By the way the chimney is on an exterior wall, if this makes any difference.

   Please advise as to why this might be
   occurring.

   Thank you.

   Sue