Fireplace Smells Musty or Like Old Smoke? Start Here

The first cold week of fall is when a lot of people notice it. The family room smells damp and smoky at the same time, and nobody has lit a fire since last winter. It gets worse after rain, and on some days it's strong enough to smell from the kitchen.

A fireplace is a big hole in your house that goes straight to the roof. When it smells, it's usually because water is getting into it, or because air is moving down the chimney into the room instead of up.

**Rain getting in.** A chimney without a cap lets rain fall straight down. That rain mixes with the old soot and ash and makes a damp, sour smell. If the smell is worse after rain, this is the first thing to suspect.

**Air pulling down.** Houses pull air in when exhaust fans, the dryer, or the furnace are running. If the damper is open or doesn't seal, some of that air comes down the chimney and brings the smell with it.

**Old ash.** Ash left in the firebox all summer soaks up damp and smells.

**Something in the chimney.** Leaves, nests, or animals can end up in an uncapped chimney.

1. **Clean out the old ash** once it's fully cold. Put it in a metal container with a lid, and keep that container outside, away from the house and anything that burns. 2. **Close the damper** when the fireplace isn't in use. Many smell problems are just an open damper. Look up into the flue with a flashlight to make sure it's actually closed. 3. **Check for water.** Look at the firebox floor and the back wall for damp spots, rust, or water stains after a rain. 4. **Look at the chimney from outside,** from the ground. Is there a cap on top? Do you see missing mortar, cracked bricks, or a crooked cap? Use binoculars or zoom on your phone. Don't climb on the roof. 5. **Test the down-draft.** Turn on the kitchen and bathroom fans and the dryer, wait a few minutes, then stand near the fireplace. If the smell gets stronger, air is coming down. Opening a window a crack can ease it. 6. **Glass doors** that close over the opening can cut the smell a lot when the fireplace isn't in use.

Don't spray scents into the firebox or burn something to cover the smell. That doesn't fix water getting in, and it can make the room smell worse.

Have the chimney looked at by a certified chimney sweep, especially if you haven't in a year or you just moved in. They can check the flue, clean out buildup, and tell you if the cap, crown, or flashing is letting water in. That's a job for someone with the right tools and a ladder, not a weekend project.

If you have a gas fireplace and smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company from outside.

Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work before you light a fire.

A wet chimney can leak into the wall or ceiling next to it. Look for stains on the ceiling near the chimney, peeling paint on the chimney wall, or a damp smell in the room above. Those are a call to a chimney pro or a roofer.

This is a house check, not a diagnosis. Symptoms go to a doctor, and chimney repairs go to a licensed or certified pro.

When Your House Doesn't Feel Right is a picture book that walks through the fall checks, from the fan on Auto to the attic hatch, one photo at a time. It's $2.99 at https://clearnestair.com/book.