We have a wood burning fireplace that we start when it gets cold in the winter and we run it pretty much the entire time that it's cold unfortunately a couple of years ago I begin complaining that it smelled smoky in our house. Some areas of the house worse than others This year. It really bothers me because I have COPD and I can't stand to be in the lower level of the house when the fireplace is being used. My husband put in a new group of seals around the glass on the doors and those seem to be okay except when we started it up again. I swear the smoke smell was worse, to be something wrong up inside the chimney. Whether it's leak in the masonry or something is wrong. In the dampers, it's a little more unusual than most of the pictures of fireplaces that I see and I will attempt to post some pictures. But it has the glass door fireplace insert, underneath the hearth, there is a vent that I believe blows cold air out a lot of the time and then above the mantle. There's another big ven that we have a screen in and there are 3 metal handles in the masonry above the fireplace that are supposed to open the damper and close the damper and one that nobody seems to know what it does at all. And my husband says he doesn't even think it works anymore. He cleans the inside of the chimney several times a year. So I don't think there's any build up in there. But he's also a very I have to do this myself. Person and he's very capable. It's just I think this is more than we know. What to do with this problem and any help would be so appreciated. The chimney and the fireplace are about 20 to 25 years old. Any questions you need answered. We will certainly do our best. And I will try to post some photos.
