Why does my Peoria fireplace smell worse in summer?

Warm, humid air and a cool flue can reverse the airflow, so the chimney breathes into the house. Peoria's humid summers also leave moisture in the masonry, and that adds to the smell.

Will sweeping get rid of the smell?

Often it will, because the smell is usually the creosote itself. If water is getting in at the cap, crown or flashing, that path also has to be closed, or the damp smell can return.

Does my older Peoria home change what might be wrong?

It can. Original chimneys in areas like the West Bluff and Moss-Bradley may be due for repair or relining. Freeze-thaw cycling can crack the crown and mortar joints, and that lets water in.

Do I need a permit for this?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection are generally not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney commonly is. Confirm with the local building department before any larger work begins.

Is One Call Chimney the contractor?

No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. The technician inspects, gives you the price, and you approve it before work starts.

Smells of smoke or damp in Peoria, IL

Peoria's West Bluff and Moss-Bradley areas are full of century-old homes, and many still have their original masonry chimneys. If a fireplace in one of them now smells of smoke or damp, the flue almost certainly holds creosote residue, is letting moisture in, or both. The smell is usually the creosote itself, left on the flue walls. Sometimes nest or animal debris adds to it.

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The smell is often worse in summer. Warm, humid air and a cool flue can reverse the airflow, so the chimney breathes into the house. Illinois also has a long heating season, from about October into April, so a flue sees months of use and builds up residue. Winter freeze-thaw then cracks crowns and mortar joints, and water gets in.

While you wait — please don't

Don't mask it with a closed damper and air freshener. That hides the smell, but the flue may still be full of fuel.
Don't light a fire to burn the smell off. If the flue is coated with creosote or blocked by debris, a fire can ignite the buildup or push smoke into the room.
Don't ignore headaches or nausea. A smell with headaches or nausea means carbon monoxide until proven otherwise, so get everyone outside and call 911.
Stop using the fireplace until it has been checked. If smoke has come into the room or you think something is blocking the flue, stay out of the firebox and leave it unlit.

What the technician does

Inspection and a free estimateThe technician inspects the chimney and tells you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you approve it.
SweepingSweeping comes first because the smell is usually the creosote itself. Removing it often removes the smell.
Closing the moisture pathIf damp is the cause, the technician looks at the cap, crown and flashing and closes whatever route the water is taking.
Clearing nests and debrisNest material or animal debris in the flue gets removed, since it holds odor and can block the draft.
Damper repair or a top-sealing damperA damper that no longer seals lets odors drift down. It can be repaired, or a top-sealing damper can be fitted.
Looking at house pressureIf the house is pulling air down the chimney, the technician takes that into account so the smell does not simply return.

Why this happens in Peoria, IL

Much of Peoria sits on steep bluffs above the Illinois River. Older homes there often have hillside lots and tall masonry chimneys that take the brunt of wind and freeze-thaw. Peoria also lies in a severe-weather corridor, where thunderstorms, straight-line winds and hail commonly damage chimney crowns. A damaged crown lets water into the masonry, and that water can show up as a damp smell once summer humidity arrives.

Many Illinois homes still vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney, and Peoria's century-old stock is likely to include some. Humid summers can trap moisture in masonry and in flues that sit unused, which can cause odors and speed up liner corrosion. Demand in Peoria rises in spring after storm and hail season, and again in early fall as people prepare chimneys before winter. A smell you notice now is a good prompt to get the flue looked at.

Questions people ask

Why does my Peoria fireplace smell worse in summer?: Warm, humid air and a cool flue can reverse the airflow, so the chimney breathes into the house. Peoria's humid summers also leave moisture in the masonry, and that adds to the smell.
Will sweeping get rid of the smell?: Often it will, because the smell is usually the creosote itself. If water is getting in at the cap, crown or flashing, that path also has to be closed, or the damp smell can return.
Does my older Peoria home change what might be wrong?: It can. Original chimneys in areas like the West Bluff and Moss-Bradley may be due for repair or relining. Freeze-thaw cycling can crack the crown and mortar joints, and that lets water in.
Do I need a permit for this?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection are generally not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney commonly is. Confirm with the local building department before any larger work begins.
Is One Call Chimney the contractor?: No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. The technician inspects, gives you the price, and you approve it before work starts.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange a technician for your Peoria chimney. The estimate is free, and you agree the price before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

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