Eradicate Smoke Problems With Professional Smoke Chamber Repair

Does it seem that smoke comes pouring back into your home every time you light a fire in your fireplace, even when you’ve primed the flue with a newspaper? The problem could lie with the smoke chamber.

This inverted funnel area of the chimney system sits just above your fireplace and provides a pathway for smoke, gases, ash, and other byproducts of combustion to flow up into the flue of the chimney. Unfortunately, because of its location, the smoke chamber can crack and spall, leaving the surface rough and full of holes and gaps.

The problem with a damaged smoke chamber is that rough surfaces, holes, and cracks cause resistance and slow down the passage of smoke and gases. As a result, they linger in this area longer, which can lead to a few different issues:

  • Smoke and soot settling along the smoke chamber walls in the form of flammable and corrosive creosote
  • Smoke, hot ash, and gases seeping into the cracks and holes and accessing other areas of the chimney system and home (possibly sparking a house fire)
  • Smoke and gases flowing back into your home and air supply

Smoke chambers are typically built in a step-like pattern, which can also cause resistance for exiting smoke and byproducts. But what can be done to restore damaged and corbeled smoke chambers?

Smoke Chamber Diagram streamlines smoke, keeps fire in its place,  increases draft & efficiency

We Can Parge Your Smoke Chamber Smooth

Building codes now require corbeled and damaged smoke chambers to be parged smooth using an insulating, high-temperature mortar. Here at Ceaser Chimney Service, we restore and repair damaged and corbeled smoke chambers using professional products from ChimneySaver.

Sweep sticking his head out of a chimney upside down
  • Cerfractory Foam Smoke Chamber Sealant — This product is a spray-on sealant that expands to fill gaps and cracks, and provides a smooth, insulated surface. The advantage of using this sprayable sealant is that it allows us to insulate and repair smoke chambers that would otherwise be very difficult to access or that would require damaging the damper or firebox to access. This smoke chamber sealant is environmentally friendly, made from recycled and naturally occurring materials, and can withstand temperatures upwards of 2,900 degrees F. When professionally applied, the product carries a 20-year limited warranty.
  • Chamber Coat — This product is a refractory mortar that’s typically applied with a trowel, and is used to repair smoke chambers and provide a smooth, insulated surface that’s free of gaps, cracks, or holes. Chamber Coat resists temperatures up to 2,550 degrees F and is an excellent option for smoke chambers that need to be resized and reshaped.

Give Us a Call

If you think your smoke chamber may be damaged, corbeled, or otherwise dangerous and ineffective, give us a call at 603-518-5773. Our CSIA-certified chimney and venting specialists will inspect your smoke chamber, identify weaknesses and damage, and recommend the best repair and restoration solution for you. Call or fill out our online appointment request form today!

 

Does your chimney damper need replacement? Discuss this important chimney and fireplace repair with our experienced technicians today.