Why does my fireplace only smoke when I first light it?

A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. If the smoke keeps coming into the room after the flue has warmed, there is likely a blockage or a damper or draft problem. Stop using it and have it inspected.

Could my Chicago house be working against the chimney?

Yes. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can pull air down the chimney instead of up it. The draft test is meant to show whether that is the cause.

Will my older brick chimney need a liner?

It might. Many older masonry flues in Chicago were built for coal or earlier appliances, and some need a properly sized liner. The camera inspection shows the condition, and the technician explains the findings before you approve any work.

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, who inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. We are not the contractor and we do not perform the work.

Stop using the fireplace

Smoke in the room, booked with one call, in Chicago, IL

Much of Chicago's housing stock predates 1945 and is built of masonry, and the chimneys in those brick bungalows, two-flats and greystones are old. If smoke is coming back into your room when you light a fire, the flue is almost certainly blocked, closed or not drawing. This job usually means a sweep and camera inspection to find the cause, then a repair to the damper, cap, crown or smoke chamber. Plan to leave the fireplace unused until that is done.

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It happens here for a few plain reasons. Many older Chicago flues were built for coal or earlier appliances, and they can be oddly sized or worn inside. Winters in Illinois are long, and months of heavy use plus freeze-thaw cycles can leave debris, loose mortar and damaged masonry in the flue path. A tight modern house or a strong extractor fan can also pull air the wrong way down the chimney.

While you wait — please don't

Put the fire out and open a window. Smoke in the room means combustion gases in the room, and carbon monoxide comes with them.
Get outside and call 911 if you feel unwell. Headache or dizziness can be signs of carbon monoxide, and anyone who has them should leave the house straight away.
Do not light another fire to test it. If the flue is blocked, each new fire pushes more smoke and gas into the house.
Do not poke at the flue or climb up to clear it yourself. You may knock debris into the smoke chamber or damage the liner, and you cannot see what is blocking it.

What the technician does

Sweep and camera inspectionThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera through it to find the blockage. You can ask to see the footage.
Damper checkA stuck damper is freed. If it is damaged, it is repaired or replaced.
Draft testThe draft is tested so the cause is identified, not guessed. That includes whether the house itself is competing with the chimney for air.
Cap and crown checkThe cap and crown are looked over for gaps and damage that let water in or disturb the draft.
Smoke chamber cleaning and pargingThe smoke chamber is cleaned and parged where needed, so gases are guided up the flue.
Estimate first, then your approvalThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you approve it.

Why this happens in Chicago, IL

Chicago's weather is hard on chimneys. Winters are long and cold, with lake-effect snow and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Illinois heating seasons run from about October into April, so flues see months of continuous use. Freeze-thaw can crack crowns, spall brick and loosen mortar joints, and wind-driven rain and snow can get in at the crown, flashing and cap. Humid summers can trap moisture in masonry and in flues that sit unused. In late fall and again during the spring thaw, homeowners often look at their chimneys. Rebuilding and crown repairs tend to happen in the warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing.

Many chimneys on Chicago's older brick homes now serve furnaces and water heaters instead of an open fireplace, and old masonry flues often need liner attention. If you are in Lakeview, Logan Square, Bridgeport, Beverly or anywhere else in the city, the camera inspection shows what is inside. For permits, the City of Chicago has its own building code and the Department of Buildings handles permits. Relining a chimney commonly needs one, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Illinois does not license chimney sweeping as a separate state trade, so ask the Department of Buildings what applies to your job.

Questions people ask

Why does my fireplace only smoke when I first light it?: A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. If the smoke keeps coming into the room after the flue has warmed, there is likely a blockage or a damper or draft problem. Stop using it and have it inspected.
Could my Chicago house be working against the chimney?: Yes. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can pull air down the chimney instead of up it. The draft test is meant to show whether that is the cause.
Will my older brick chimney need a liner?: It might. Many older masonry flues in Chicago were built for coal or earlier appliances, and some need a properly sized liner. The camera inspection shows the condition, and the technician explains the findings before you approve any work.
Do I need a permit in Chicago for this repair?: It depends on the work. Relining or rebuilding a chimney commonly needs a permit, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Confirm with the City of Chicago Department of Buildings before work begins.
Who does the work?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, who inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. We are not the contractor and we do not perform the work.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange your smoke-in-the-room job in Chicago with an independent technician. 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.