Why does smoke come into the room only when the fire is first lit?

A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. If the smoke clears once the fire gets going, a technician can still check the damper and the draft, because the cause may be partly a blockage.

Does Schaumburg require a permit for chimney work?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally, by the building department where the work is done. They are commonly needed for relining a chimney or installing a stove or insert, but routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Check 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. Requirements are handled locally, so ask the technician what registration your city or county requires, and confirm with the local building department.

Could my house be pulling smoke back down the chimney?

Yes. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can pull air down the flue and push smoke into the room. Mention any fans or recent sealing work when you call so the technician can test for it.

What does One Call Chimney do?

We are a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with independent sweeps and masons, and we are not the contractor. Every job starts with a free estimate.

Stop using the fireplace

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

Schaumburg grew fast around the Woodfield Mall area, and many of its homes and condos are now 30 to 50 years old. Smoke coming back into the room usually means the chimney is not drawing the way it should. Something is in the way, such as a blocked flue, a damper that is not fully open, or a flue that is still cold. Or the house is pulling air down the chimney instead of letting smoke go up it. The work is done by independent chimney sweeps and masons. Look for one who will inspect the flue with a camera, show you the footage, and give you the cause and the price in writing. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange that work with independent sweeps and masons. We are not the contractor.

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It happens here for a few plain reasons. Illinois has a long heating season, typically October into April, so flues in Schaumburg run for months without a break. Winter freeze-thaw and heavy road salt are hard on masonry chimneys, and a crown or cap in poor shape lets water and debris into the flue. Many single-family homes here have masonry or prefab fireplaces, and a flue that is partly blocked or poorly drawing shows up as smoke in the room.

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 anyone feels unwell. Headache or dizziness can be a sign of carbon monoxide, and anyone with those symptoms should leave the house at once.
Do not light another fire to test it. Until the flue has been inspected, the fireplace or stove should not be used.
Do not poke at the blockage yourself. You cannot see what is in the flue from the firebox, and the cause needs to be found before the next fire.

What the technician does

Sweep and camera inspectionThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera up it to find the blockage. Ask to see the footage.
Damper checkedA stuck or damaged damper is freed, repaired or replaced so the flue can open fully.
Draft testedThe draft is tested and the cause of the smoke is identified, not guessed at.
Cap and crown checkedThe cap and crown are looked at for damage that lets water or debris into the flue.
Smoke chamber cleaned and pargedThe smoke chamber is cleaned and parged so smoke has a smooth path up the chimney.
Estimate first, then your approvalThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.

Why this happens in Schaumburg, IL

Many Schaumburg homes date from the 1960s through the 1990s. Single-family houses often have masonry or prefab fireplaces, and townhomes and condos are part of the mix too. Across Illinois, many homes also vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney that needs a properly sized liner. If you have a fireplace that has not been looked at in a long time, a camera inspection tells you what is actually going on inside.

Seasons matter here. Demand rises in late fall and winter, when people start using their fireplaces again, and again in spring and summer after severe storms. Masonry repairs such as crown work and tuckpointing are mostly done in warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. 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. Both are things a technician can test for.

Questions people ask

Why does smoke come into the room only when the fire is first lit?: A cold flue draws badly until it warms up. If the smoke clears once the fire gets going, a technician can still check the damper and the draft, because the cause may be partly a blockage.
Does Schaumburg require a permit for chimney work?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally, by the building department where the work is done. They are commonly needed for relining a chimney or installing a stove or insert, but routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Check 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. Requirements are handled locally, so ask the technician what registration your city or county requires, and confirm with the local building department.
Could my house be pulling smoke back down the chimney?: Yes. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can pull air down the flue and push smoke into the room. Mention any fans or recent sealing work when you call so the technician can test for it.
What does One Call Chimney do?: We are a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with independent sweeps and masons, and we are not the contractor. Every job starts with a free estimate.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and we will arrange an independent technician to find out why your Schaumburg chimney is sending smoke into the room. 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.