Got A Stinky Fireplace? Here’s What You Need to Know about Fireplace Odors

If this is your first time living in a house with a fireplace, the utterly terrible stank in the summertime might have caught you by surprise!

And we won’t blame you. The smell of ash, perhaps wood burning is permissible. But who would think that your fireplace and chimney would smell like a bad barbecue in the middle of summer?

For whatever unfortunate journey your olfactory senses may be going through, we recommend doing your research on the different smells that your fireplace and chimney might emanate. You never know what you might find!

–          Judging by the Smell…

When You Smell Bad BBQ or Asphalt

That signifies a substantial buildup of soot or creosote, especially if you have a wood-burning chimney. Creosote is flammable and produces a bad odor when it’s exposed to moisture. Same as with soot, exposure to heat or humidity causes it to release smells.

–          When You Smell Rot

If you smell something decomposing, there are two scenarios. Either your chimney has become clogged because of leaves, or an animal died in there. It’s quite common for chimneys to get blocked this way if you don’t have a chimney mesh keeping the mouth of it safe.

–          When You Smell Something Musty

Musty smells equal water. If it’s rained in the past few days, or your area has been experiencing high humidity, you will sense that musty smell, along with the wet creosote smell sooner or later. But don’t dismiss it as just that. Musty smells indicate that your chimney could get damaged further, especially your flue lining or damper.

–          When You Smell Ash

That simply means that your firebox needs to be cleared out. Use a stiff brush to wipe the interiors of your firebox and dump them in a trash bag. Then vacuum the excess and hard-to-reach spots. And you’re done!

 What Should You Do About The Smells?

Now that you know what the problem is, get on the phone and contact us.

Chimney cleaning and sweeping is not a job for the average layperson. Only a professional in chimney repair and cleaning will be able to help you get rid of that smell once and for all. So, call us at (860) 225-9178.

Creative Masonry & Chimney offers services in various regions of Connecticut. Along with various chimney and fireplace services, we also top-quality masonry construction services in CT!