Why does smoke only come in when I first light the fire?

A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. It can also mean the flue is blocked or the house is short of air. Stop using the fireplace until a technician has looked at it.

Can an older Aurora home have this problem more often?

Older homes near downtown and on the east and west sides commonly have masonry chimneys. Aurora's freeze-thaw cycles and deep frost are hard on masonry, so the crown, cap and mortar joints are worth checking along with the flue.

Could my newer Aurora subdivision home still have a draft problem?

Yes. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can beat the chimney for air. The technician tests the draft so the cause is identified rather than assumed.

Will the work need a permit in Aurora?

Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Relining or rebuilding a chimney may. In Illinois permits are issued locally, so ask the building department before work begins.

What does it cost to find the cause?

The estimate is free on every job. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and nothing goes ahead until you approve it.

Stop using the fireplace

Smoke in the room in Aurora, IL

In Downtown Aurora and on the Near East and Near West Sides, many homes date from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and older homes like these commonly have masonry chimneys and fireplaces. If smoke comes into the room when you light a fire, the flue is not carrying it up and out. Usually that means a blockage, a damper that is not fully open, or a flue that cannot draw.

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Aurora has cold, snowy winters, and Illinois has a long heating season that runs from about October into April. Flues get months of hard use. Freeze-thaw cycles and deep frost are also hard on masonry chimneys, so the chimney should be looked at, not guessed at. A cold flue also draws badly until it warms, and a tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can beat the chimney for air.

While you wait — please don't

Put the fire out and open a window. Smoke in the room means combustion gases are in the room, and carbon monoxide comes with them.
Get outside if you feel unwell. If anyone is headachy or dizzy, go outside and call 911.
Do not light the fireplace again. Until the flue has been inspected and the cause found, the same thing will happen again.
Do not run the extractor fan to test it. A powerful fan can pull air down the chimney and push more smoke into the house.

What the technician does

You call and we arrange the visitOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason. We are not the contractor and we do not do the work.
The flue is swept and camera-inspectedThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera through it to find the blockage. Ask to see the footage.
The damper is checkedA damper that will not open fully can push smoke into the room. It can be freed, repaired or replaced.
Draft is tested and the cause identifiedThe technician tests how the chimney draws and works out why it failed. Ask for the reasoning in writing.
Cap, crown and smoke chamber are checkedThe cap and crown are inspected. The smoke chamber is cleaned and parged where needed.
You get the price firstThe estimate is free. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first.

Why this happens in Aurora, IL

Aurora's older neighborhoods hold a dense stock of century-old brick and frame homes, and their chimneys and tuckpointing need regular attention. Across Illinois, many older homes vent a gas furnace or water heater through an old masonry chimney, which needs a properly sized liner. Freeze-thaw cycles, ice dams and road-salt spray are hard on masonry, and in Illinois they drive spalled brick, cracked crowns and worn mortar joints. Water getting in at the crown, flashing or cap can add to the trouble.

Aurora also has large subdivisions built from the 1970s through the 2000s. Illinois suburban homes of that era often have factory-built metal fireplaces with Class A chimney chases, and tighter houses can struggle to supply air to a fire. Demand picks up in spring after severe-storm and hail season, from April through June, and again in late fall before the first hard freeze. If you can book an inspection before you light the first fire of the season, do so.

Questions people ask

Why does smoke only come in when I first light the fire?: A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. It can also mean the flue is blocked or the house is short of air. Stop using the fireplace until a technician has looked at it.
Can an older Aurora home have this problem more often?: Older homes near downtown and on the east and west sides commonly have masonry chimneys. Aurora's freeze-thaw cycles and deep frost are hard on masonry, so the crown, cap and mortar joints are worth checking along with the flue.
Could my newer Aurora subdivision home still have a draft problem?: Yes. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can beat the chimney for air. The technician tests the draft so the cause is identified rather than assumed.
Will the work need a permit in Aurora?: Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Relining or rebuilding a chimney may. In Illinois permits are issued locally, so ask the building department before work begins.
What does it cost to find the cause?: The estimate is free on every job. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and nothing goes ahead until you approve it.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange an independent technician for your Aurora chimney. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you 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.