As seemingly simple object like a home chimney is more complicated than you might imagine, and there are specific building codes to ensure your safety. Chimneys provide a structure to vent smoke out of your house from your fireplace. Among the tricky parts of a chimney is the chimney smoke chamber, which is a funnel-like chamber that sits above your fireplace and helps smoke exit without causing a backdraft. This is one of the several other reason, listed below, of why it’s important to contact a chimney contractor.
Chimney smoke chambers are sloped to prevent backdraft, with specific requirements regarding the angle of the slope.
Additionally, the chimney smoke chamber must be parged, meaning that the masonry in the chamber receives a smooth coat of mortar. The combination of the correct slope and smooth mortar reduces turbulence in your chimney, allowing the smoke to rise and escape as quickly as possible. A chimney that efficiently vents its smoke is safer, as less creosote builds up on the chimney walls when the smoke rises quickly.
Chimney smoke chambers must also be structurally sound since they support the weight of the chimney flues. The set-up flues running inside a chimney can weigh more than a ton, so the correct design is also needed to perform that task. Chimney smoke chambers are underappreciated in fire safety. Homeowners should consider hiring chimney contractors to inspect their chimneys to ensure their safety.
