New home with open fireplace fire alarms
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I am not saying a draft inducer will or will not work.
But that price could be ALOT of $$$$ here is one that costs around $2.3K and that is not with any installation costs and electrician costs. And maybe I posted the most expensive one I saw... https://www.woodlanddirect.com/Ener...KEsxyKYgRheOs0X-lHmDsnu2nLLh5F8BoCyOgQAvD_BwE
Even if it works, what you are left with is still a fireplace (with no glass doors) that sucks the heat out of the house and may cause pollution within the house. Rather then getting a wood/pellet insert, becomes a second heating source, should solve the draft issue and saves you money with heating costs.
black smoke signals
Feeling the Heat
Have a picture of the chimney coming out of the roof ? I would have the builder come look at this fireplace (like bholler said) then ask why you are having problems.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
So I tried the cut up paper hanging from the front of the fireplace. I opened the flue and it did float slightly towards the back of fire box, however, I then opened the window right next to the fireplace and it went back much further. I left the window open for about 10 minutes and then shut it. I've opened a few times, mainly when I add wood and it's done fine all night. No fire alarms. So is there a more permanent fix, so that I don't have to leave the window open when it is 5 degrees out?
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
OAK - outside air connection within the fire box itself.
I hate to be the guy to say this, because its such a pretty fireplace but using the open fireplace in the winter is going to make the house cooler because all the heat will be going up the chimney, even with an oak setup you will also be sending conditioned air up and out, replacing the inside air with colder air, this is why many people install masonry inserts.
I hate to be the guy to say this, because its such a pretty fireplace but using the open fireplace in the winter is going to make the house cooler because all the heat will be going up the chimney, even with an oak setup you will also be sending conditioned air up and out, replacing the inside air with colder air, this is why many people install masonry inserts.
Yes, we definitely know that about the heat, but we both love the look and it's more about asthetics for us. Would adding doors help at all?
Some people don't care. Having an open fireplace to them is 98% ambiance and 2% heat in the immediate area of fireplace. My parents are that way. Gas pipe starter in the ZC that's on the entire burn cycle. My mother just PLOWS through wood. It's never been about heating and never about saving money. It's always been about the ambiance and experience.
I feel too many here are quick to fualt open fireplaces. Are they really inefficient? Yup! More dangerous? Yup!
So we started smelling more smoke I. The house and almost immediately as I opened the window by the fireplace the smell went away within a few minutes. We definitely can't do this all winter long!
You have air problems that can only be fixed by major reconstructive work, draft inducer with an outside air vent replacing the heated combusted air that's going up the chimney. Contact your builder or a fireplace company. It's not an easy fix.
So, is this due to poor construction then? We are not educated on wood burning fireplaces.
Not necessarily. I asked earlier, is there an HRV or fresh air recovery and exhaust system in the house? If so it may need balancing.
In a modern, well sealed home the fireplace should have its own fresh air supply. Ask your builder about this.
Ok guys there is some mis information being thrown around here. A properly built good working open fireplace is not more dangerous than a woodstove. It also does not put more pollution in the house. Yes they are horribly inefficient but i get the appeal.
You said this is new construction. Did you have it built? If so you paid to have a nice fireplace built so you could use it. You need to make the builder fix it if they dont know how they need to pay for someone who does know how to fix it.
Yes, brand new custom home with a very reputable local builder. There is a fireplace store close by, we are going to stop by today an talk to them, see if they can come out an assess and if they find issues, we know exactly what to go to the builder with.
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The builder has stated that he believes the issue will be resolved if we put doors on the fireplace. Is this true? Would the doors help with the draw issue?
That would not be a satisfactory solution to me on a new build. You it should work as built. What have the outside temps been when you tried burning?
temps are in the low 30's. the issue appears to be because the house is too tight. I just scheduled an appt with a local chimney/fireplace company to come out and take a look at it to see what they recommend. I mean I'm glad that our house is well insulated and closed up, but I want to be able to use my fireplace!
They should be able to put a fresh air intake into the fire box without major work. In the late 70's our neighbors went all out in sealing up their house to be air tight, and their fireplace started doing this same thing unless a window was open. They had someone bore a hole through the back of the fireplace into the firebox with a grate and closable vent. Had to close it from the outside of the house. My son's fireplace also has one like that built into his, and you have to close it form the outside also, but it lest fresh air right into the back of the firebox. It does allow the fireplace to put off more heat since there is less air flow from the room into and up the fireplace. Also helps with humidity in the house since the cold dry air getting sucked in goes right up the chimney.
black smoke signals
Feeling the Heat
The smoke shelf does nothing at all. And fireplaces work better without them
My son's seems to be the size of the flue, maybe a little smaller, but it was part of the construction. I have no clue about the one they did after in the 70's. Just remember it was a lot of noise, and thinking it was funny they sealed their house so well to keep it warm they could not build a fire anymore to keep it warm.
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