It is finally time to fire up the chimney for a nice romantic night at home with your significant other. The setting is perfect, except as soon as the fire starts to burn, an awful odor enters the room through the fireplace. In just a few moments, the entire home is engulfed in this awful smell. Just what is the cause of your smelly chimney?
There are several things that can cause a chimney to smell bad and most of them can be quickly handled by a chimney sweep. Here are the top reasons your chimney could smell:
- Creosote – this is a natural buildup inside the chimney flue. Not only will this stink, it is also extremely flammable and dangerous. The most common sign of the smell being from creosote buildup is a burnt BBQ smell. It can cause headaches and nausea. If this is the cause, a cleaning will need to be done.
- Mold or Water – if the chimney structure is not sound, mold can build up in the cracks of the chimney. If there is no chimney cap, water may have entered the flue and could be sitting stagnant inside the structure. In addition to a cleaning, the chimney may have to be repaired if this is the source of the odor.
- Animals – some animals are naturally attracted to a chimney and others simply see it is refuge during bad weather. Most of the time, these animals are trapped inside the chimney as they are unable to fly or climb their way out of the flue. The smell could be from either a dead animal carcass or excrement. Either way, the chimney needs to be cleaned. It may also require animal control to come and remove the animal.
It is also important to note that if you are experiencing a smelly chimney, the chimney itself is not functioning properly. To be safe, schedule a full inspection so the chimney sweep can locate the source of the smell and make recommendations on repairs needed to ensure the chimney is once again 100 percent operable.