Why does smoke come into the room when I light a fire in Decatur?

The usual causes are a blocked flue, a damper that is stuck or closed, or a weak draft. In a cold Decatur winter, a cold flue draws badly until it warms. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can also pull air down the chimney.

Could a spring storm have caused this?

It can. Central Illinois gets severe thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds, mostly in spring and early summer, and those can damage chimney caps. The technician checks the cap and crown as part of the visit.

Do I need a permit for the repair?

Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work in Illinois. Relining a chimney or installing a new venting system commonly needs a permit. Permits are issued locally, so confirm with the building department where you live.

Is it safe to use the fireplace in the meantime?

No. Smoke in the room means combustion gases and carbon monoxide are in the room. Leave the fireplace unused until the cause is found and fixed. If anyone feels headachy or dizzy, get outside and call 911.

Who does the work, and what does it cost?

Independent sweeps and masons do the work. We arrange it, and we are not the contractor. The estimate is free, and the technician gives you the price after inspecting the chimney and before any work starts.

Stop using the fireplace

Who to call for smoke in the room in Decatur, IL

Decatur sits on the flat central Illinois prairie beside Lake Decatur, and many of its older homes have masonry chimneys that have seen a lot of wind, hail and hard freezes. If smoke is coming into your room when you light a fire, the chimney is not carrying the smoke up and out. Something is blocking the flue, the damper is not opening, or the draft is too weak. Put the fire out first. Then you need an independent sweep who will find the cause and show you the proof.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

Phones answered around the clock · free estimate

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with independent sweeps and masons, and we are not the contractor. When you choose who comes to your Decatur home, look for someone who will camera-inspect the flue, show you the footage, and explain the cause in writing. Ask what the city or county requires for the work. Illinois handles this locally, so the building department is the place to confirm.

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 and call 911 if you feel unwell. Anyone who feels headachy or dizzy should leave the house right away and call 911 instead of waiting to see if it passes.
Do not light the fireplace again. Until the cause is found, another fire will push the same gases back into your home.
Do not keep trying with a bigger fire. A hotter fire will not fix a blockage or a failed damper and can make the problem worse.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitCall (866) 576-7943 and we set up an independent local technician for this exact problem. The estimate is free.
The flue is swept and camera-inspectedThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera up it to find the blockage. Ask to see the footage.
The damper is checkedA stuck damper is freed. If it cannot be saved, it is repaired or replaced.
Draft is tested and the cause identifiedThe technician tests the draft and names the cause, whether it is a blockage, a cold flue, or the house pulling air the wrong way.
Cap, crown and smoke chamber are looked atThe cap and crown are checked, and the smoke chamber is cleaned and parged if it needs it.
You see the price and approve itThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you say yes.

Why this happens in Decatur, IL

Decatur has cold winters with regular hard freezes and freeze-thaw cycles from late fall through early spring. Illinois has a long heating season, from about October into April, so a flue can see months of steady use. Freeze-thaw is hard on exposed masonry. It can crack crowns, spall brick and loosen mortar joints, and the debris can end up in the flue. Spring storms with hail and straight-line winds can also damage chimney caps, which is worth checking when smoke starts backing up.

Much of Decatur's housing is older brick and wood-frame homes, bungalows and mid-century ranches, and many have masonry chimneys. Across Illinois, a lot of older homes also vent a gas furnace or water heater through a masonry chimney that needs a properly sized liner. A cold flue draws badly until it warms, and a tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can beat the chimney for air. The camera inspection is how a technician tells these causes apart. Repair demand here tends to rise after spring storms and again with the first hard freezes of late fall.

Questions people ask

Why does smoke come into the room when I light a fire in Decatur?: The usual causes are a blocked flue, a damper that is stuck or closed, or a weak draft. In a cold Decatur winter, a cold flue draws badly until it warms. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can also pull air down the chimney.
Could a spring storm have caused this?: It can. Central Illinois gets severe thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds, mostly in spring and early summer, and those can damage chimney caps. The technician checks the cap and crown as part of the visit.
Do I need a permit for the repair?: Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work in Illinois. Relining a chimney or installing a new venting system commonly needs a permit. Permits are issued locally, so confirm with the building department where you live.
Is it safe to use the fireplace in the meantime?: No. Smoke in the room means combustion gases and carbon monoxide are in the room. Leave the fireplace unused until the cause is found and fixed. If anyone feels headachy or dizzy, get outside and call 911.
Who does the work, and what does it cost?: Independent sweeps and masons do the work. We arrange it, and we are not the contractor. The estimate is free, and the technician gives you the price after inspecting the chimney and before any work starts.

One call

One call to (866) 576-7943 gets an independent technician arranged for your Decatur chimney. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943