Chimney Care Company's Blog
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Do you smell smoke inside your house? Not a good sign! Your fireplace or chimney might need a check-up. Do it now or else the quality of your indoor air will be compromised.
How can my chimney improve air quality?
One of the things fire needs is air, or to be more specific, oxygen. That’s one of the three elements needed for combustion (fancy way to say “fire”). The other two elements needed are fuel and heat. Add them all up and boom! You’ve got a fire. The problem is, without the perfect combination of these three elements, you’re going to end up with some pollution. Some of it will stick to the inside of your chimney (that’s called creosote), and some of it will be fumes that float into your home (called spillage, or wood smoke pollution) and can cause all kinds of problems. But don’t worry—there are a few simple measures you can take to stay safe while operating your fireplace.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
It’s a great song, but smoke doesn’t just get in your eyes. Wood smoke pollution releases pollutants and toxic fumes into the air that are harmful to your health in a number of ways:
- Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that can cause cancer
- Fine particle pollution (ash) that damages lung tissue and creates respiratory problems
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides
What Goes Up…
Ideally, smoke goes up the chimney, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are a few things that can complicate the situation.
- Incomplete combustion of fuels
- Drafts
- Improper exhaust
Fight Smoke with Fire
Three things you can do to reduce smoke:
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually
- Burn dry, seasoned wood
- Make sure your house is well ventilated before starting a fire
Having your chimney maintained is your first line of defense. We can point out any problems with exhaust, and we get rid of creosote, which can build up and cause blockage. Wood that is green or has moisture can’t get hot enough, which means that fire has to work just to stay alive, which creates incomplete combustion. Making sure your home is well ventilated gives your fire the air supply it needs, so it doesn’t have to suck air down through the chimney.
Moldy Situations
We can’t end without saying something about mold. Both air ducts and chimneys can be habitats for mold to grow and reproduce. Mold is often an unseen enemy of air quality in the home.
Health risks associated with mold:
- sinus and respiratory problems
- coughing
- headaches
- eye and throat irritation
The best ways to combat mold are by having your chimney waterproofed and getting your air ducts cleaned. We’ve got a lot of happy customers that we’ve helped with all kinds of chimney issues, including improving the air quality of their homes so they can rest assured that their families are safe while that fireplace is running. Give us a call today, to see if we can help improve the air quality in your home.