Why does my fireplace smell worse in summer in Arlington Heights?

Warm, humid air and a cool flue reverse the airflow, so the chimney breathes into the house. Moisture in the masonry and old creosote then give off more odor. Arlington Heights summers are hot and humid, which makes this common.

Is a chimney smell dangerous?

The smell itself usually points to creosote or moisture, but a smell with headaches or nausea means carbon monoxide until proven otherwise. Get outside and call 911. Otherwise, stop using the fireplace until it has been inspected.

Do I need a permit for chimney work in Arlington Heights?

In Illinois, permits are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney above the roofline commonly is. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.

Does Illinois license chimney sweeps?

Chimney sweeping, inspection and masonry repair are not separately licensed trades at the state level. Many municipalities and counties have their own contractor requirements. Check with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the local building department, and ask the technician for the reasoning behind any recommendation in writing.

Can I book chimney work for Palatine or Mount Prospect through the same call?

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges work with independent sweeps and masons in all fifty states. Call (866) 576-7943 and tell us where the chimney is. The estimate is free.

Chimney Smell, booked with one call, in Arlington Heights, IL

Arlington Heights has a lot of homes built from the post-WWII boom through the 1970s, and many have a masonry or prefabricated fireplace that sits unused all summer. A smell from the fireplace that gets worse in warm weather almost always comes from the flue itself. Creosote left from winter fires gives off odor. Damp from a leaking cap, crown or flashing makes it stronger. The job usually starts with a sweep and a look at where moisture gets in. Sometimes it also means clearing debris or fixing the damper. Plan for an inspection first. Plan for any masonry repair to wait for warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing.

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Illinois has a long heating season, from about October into April. Your flue sees months of steady use, and the creosote builds up on the walls. Then summer arrives. Warm, humid air meets a cool flue and the airflow reverses, so the chimney breathes into the house. Moisture trapped in masonry and in a rarely used flue adds to the odor and can speed up liner corrosion. Winter freeze-thaw cycles open the way for water by cracking crowns and loosening mortar joints.

While you wait — please don't

Do not mask the smell. Closing the damper and using air freshener hides a flue that may be full of fuel.
Do not light a fire to burn it off. If the flue is coated with creosote, a fire puts flame where that fuel is waiting.
Do not use the fireplace if smoke enters the room. Smoke coming into the house means a blockage or draft problem, so stop using the fireplace until it has been inspected.
Do not ignore headaches or nausea. A smell with headaches or nausea means carbon monoxide until proven otherwise, so get everyone outside and call 911.

What the technician does

Inspection and free estimateThe technician looks at the chimney first and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it before anything begins.
SweepingThe smell is usually the creosote itself, so removing it is often the main fix.
Closing the moisture pathIf water is getting in, the technician looks at the cap, the crown and the flashing and seals the path that is letting it in.
Clearing nests and debrisNest material or animal debris in the flue can cause odor. It is removed during the visit.
Damper repair or a top-sealing damperA damper that does not seal lets house air and flue air trade places. It can be repaired, or a top-sealing damper can be fitted.
Looking at house pressureThe technician considers how air moves through the house, since that affects which way the flue breathes.

Why this happens in Arlington Heights, IL

Many Arlington Heights homes are brick and frame ranches, split-levels and two-story houses with attached garages. Many have masonry or prefabricated fireplaces and chimneys, and older homes sit closer to downtown. Across Illinois, factory-built metal fireplaces with Class A chimney chases are common in postwar and late-century suburban homes. Natural gas is the main heating fuel, so some homes still vent a furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney that needs a properly sized liner. If your smell comes with a gas appliance on the same flue, mention it when you call.

The Chicago-area clay soils and heavy seasonal temperature swings add wear to masonry, and Arlington Heights has frequent freeze-thaw cycles. Spalled brick, cracked crowns and worn mortar joints let in wind-driven rain and snow, and that damp comes back as odor when the weather turns humid. Demand for chimney work rises in late fall through winter during cold snaps, and again in spring and summer after storm damage. Booking in the warmer months gives you more room to schedule masonry work, since mortar needs to cure without freezing.

Questions people ask

Why does my fireplace smell worse in summer in Arlington Heights?: Warm, humid air and a cool flue reverse the airflow, so the chimney breathes into the house. Moisture in the masonry and old creosote then give off more odor. Arlington Heights summers are hot and humid, which makes this common.
Is a chimney smell dangerous?: The smell itself usually points to creosote or moisture, but a smell with headaches or nausea means carbon monoxide until proven otherwise. Get outside and call 911. Otherwise, stop using the fireplace until it has been inspected.
Do I need a permit for chimney work in Arlington Heights?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney above the roofline commonly is. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.
Does Illinois license chimney sweeps?: Chimney sweeping, inspection and masonry repair are not separately licensed trades at the state level. Many municipalities and counties have their own contractor requirements. Check with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the local building department, and ask the technician for the reasoning behind any recommendation in writing.
Can I book chimney work for Palatine or Mount Prospect through the same call?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges work with independent sweeps and masons in all fifty states. Call (866) 576-7943 and tell us where the chimney is. The estimate is free.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange an independent technician for your chimney smell in Arlington Heights. The estimate is free, and the technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

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One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.