Smoky Fire Help

dumbo

Hi, can anyone reccomend someone who can help me with a problem I have eith my chimney. Every time I light the fire the room fills with smoke until the fire is roaring, I have had the chimney swept but this made no difference. I need someone who knows what they are doing & reccomendations will be grately appreciated. This is the 1st year I have lit the fire in this house & the house is around 20 years old. I live in the Newry area so someone close by would be handy but if I have to go to Belfast thats fine also.
Thanks in advance.

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Have you tried lighting the fire & leaving the door or window open a bit? If that helps maybe you need a vent put into the door, assuming its an internal door. My Uncle had to do this but he was in a new-build. Can you ask the previous owners what they did? Maybe ask over on the "in my home" board?

arkonite_babe

My hub says a spinning cowl on the chimney pot will help draw the fire if there is a bit of breeze. Next option is to extend the chimney.

HTH

jjd

If you have trickle vents in the windows you could try opening them.

flogthedog

Try blowing hot air up the chimney using a hairdryer before you light the fire. This should help to get the cold air out of the chimney and let the smoke rise.

absoluteutopia

Are you sure your damper is open? that's what it sounds like

ballyblack

Try blowing hot air up the chimney using a hairdryer before you light the fire. This should help to get the cold air out of the chimney and let the smoke rise.

Another tip is to light individual sheets of newspaper and let them escape ablaze up the chimney one by one. heats up the flu

dumbo

Thanks for all your advice, but i have tried nearly everything here, i think the heating up of the chimney is a big part of the problem as its not nearly as smoky after a while, but the room smells really bad even after doing this, Im at my wits end here, do you think the rotating cowl would make that much of a difference, also I dont think a chimney extension would make any difference as the chimney is the highest point of the house. All neighbours are able to light fires without problems.

Also this might sound stupid, but what is a damper?
Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

ballyblack

Does ur fire heat the water, ie Has you a back water boiler?
If so it will have a damper to regulate the draft? This can be adjusted

dumbo

Hi Thanks, No there is no back boiler.

ballyblack

Ok. Is there any way to introduce more air flow to the base of the fire? ie raise the grate