Ensure wood has a season to dry using the crosshatch method.
What is green wood?
Green wood is wood that has been recently cut and has not had a season to dry. This type of wood emits less heat because it needs to evaporate all the trapped moisture. Lower temperature fires result in more creosote buildups that lead to dangerous chimney fires. We always recommend you burn wood that has a season to dry because it burns hot and leaves less creosote. Always put your fire out before you go to bed. Squirt it with a water bottle or take a small shovel and smash out the embers. Green wood or driftwood with salty deposits are bad to burn and may leave an unpleasant smell.
My fireplace is smokey. I have smoke intrusion.
If your fireplace smokes you might need repairs or a clean.
You could be overdue for a clean or need repairs. Make sure your damper is open and unobstructed before you light any fires. Check to see if your damper closes tightly and fully. See if there are any bricks or mortar missing. Make sure the wood grate is pushed as far back in the firebox as possible. If your smoke is coming from a neighbor we can extend your chimney stack or install a chimney top damper. Sealed glass doors are recommended for chimneys with strong drafts.
You can also preheat or prime the flue by having a small paper fire before your main fire. Cold air pushes down on your warm smoke that is trying to rise. We prime, especially during cold months, to warm up the flue so the smoke can travel freely out. Burn a little bit of paper above the damper near the throat or smoke shelf. Sometimes opening up a door or a window a few inches can also help the updraft. Once the flue is warmed up and the fire gets going remember to close the door or window. It sounds crazy but it actually works.