Atlanta Fireplace Company Craft Stove and Fireplace Center Explains How to Avoid Smoky Smells

March 9, 2011 - PRLog -- ATLANTA – Atlanta fireplace company Craft Stove and Fireplace Center is supplying homeowners with the preventative measures to take in order to avoid a smoky fireplace smell in living areas. As winter comes to a close, the smell of a frequently used fireplace may remain. Taking action quickly can help homeowners prevent the experience of a smoky smell in the coming months.

The fireplace is a major point of airflow into a home. As a fire burns, an updraft is created that pushes the smoke and fire out through the chimney. When no fire is burning, however, there is no updraft or airflow pushing up. This can cause the airflow to actually reverse, allowing air and smoky smells from a fireplace to enter living spaces.

The phenomenon that allows the smell to enter the home is called the stack effect. Thermal influences bring a smoky smell into a home, especially in taller, older homes or those with chimneys on outside walls exposed to outdoor temperatures. As warm, lighter air rises in a home, it is replaced by the cold, heavy air that is looking to escape from an unused Atlanta fireplace. The clash between the different density levels allows the smoky smell of wood creosote from the fireplace to infiltrate living areas. Rainy weather can also accelerate the stack effect.

“Homeowners often don’t think about maintaining their fireplace until there is a problem,” explains Scott Clawson, director of marketing with Craft Stove and Fireplace Center. “If your fireplace is bringing a smoky smell into your home, there are easy and practical steps to take to prevent it.”

One way to counteract the stack effect is to create resistance to the flow of air from a chimney. This can be accomplished by simply installing a damper and closing it when the Atlanta fireplace is not in use. Mounting a top-sealing damper at the top of a chimney will help, as will adding a tight-fitting glass fire screen in front of the fireplace.

Providing a source of outside airflow to other combustion appliances, such as furnaces, woodstoves or water heaters, is another way to combat the stack effect, as this will reduce the demand for replacement air in a home. A simple deodorizer will temporarily mask smell until the problem is remedied.

A chimney that is caked with creosote will produce a stronger smell than a clean chimney. In addition to restricting the airflow from the chimney, hiring a chimney sweep to clean your chimney and fireplace will help to reduce the smoky smell, as well improve the safety of your fireplace.

Craft Stove and Fireplace Center carries the top brands of Atlanta fireplaces, Atlanta wood stoves, inserts and gas logs. In addition, Craft Stove and Fireplace Center can help outfit any purchase with the right accessories to prevent smoky smells or odors. Visit http://www.craftstoveandfireplace.com for more tips on maintaining your Atlanta fireplace.

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About Craft Stove & Fireplace Center:

Craft Stove & Fireplace Center has provided the Atlanta area with the finest fireplace and stove services and equipment on the market since 1979. They specialize in quality home heating and cooking products via their fireplaces and stoves. Craft Stove & Fireplace Center showroom in Atlanta features fireplaces, barbeques, and a full line of fireplace products and stove accessories. They carry 13 different brands including Jotul, Vermont Casting, Lopi, Regency, and Buck Stove. Having such a wide selection of brand choices ensures that customers get the perfect fireplace and woodstoves for their home.

For more information visit http://www.craftstoveandfireplace.com.