Does removing the ceiling adversely affect the draw for an open fire?

Question

We are renovating our living room and have opened up the original inglenook fireplace. We've fitted a large canopy and register plate and the chimney itself is huge. However, smoke is entering the room.
At the same time as restoring the fireplace, we removed the ceiling and plan to expose the beams. However, we thought we could leave this job until the spring. But when we lit the fire for the 1st time last week, the room slowly filled with smoke. It might sound like a stupid question, but will replacing the ceiling improve the situation? Or are we going to have to forfeit the open fire and get a log burner? Hope someone can help? Cheers, Steve

Answer 1

Probably would have been a good idea to get an oftec or corgi registered person to check the flue, if you altered the fireplace opening it should have been tested before use, you will now need to get it commissioned and certified.

Answer 2

Obviously, the first thing to look at is whether the chimney is open, or not.

We have this problem at the start of every winter. It is all to do with the chimney being cold. The problem goes away once it is warmed.

Consider the chimney as a column of air. If it is cold, it will bear down on the hot smoke, trying to rise. In narrow chimneys it will result in large amounts of smoke "blowing back". With wide chimneys the rising smoke will, if you do not do something about it, cause eddies in the cold column, which obstructs the upward flow, causing gouts of smoke to blow back.

THERE IS A REMEDY!

First, use wood, or smokeless fuel.

Second, get a sheet of aluminium, large enough to cover the width of the fireplace and about 2/3 of its height.

Slap this across the fireplace, once you have lit up. The relatively narrow aperture at the base of the fire will ensure a good updraught, through the fire, encouraging it to roar, swiftly removing the cold air column from the chimney. After a few minutes the chimney will get warm enough to assist the updraught and, therefore, the combustion in the fire.

If this does not work, then you may have a problem with the brickwork, which will need a chimney liner installation.

Answer 3

It sounds like there is a crack in the brickwork which is allowing the smoke to enter the room. I cant see how removing the ceiling would cause this to happen, I presume you checked the chimney and swept it before lighting a fire below?

Also if the chimney is short, one story high, it will not have a good draw on it, try opening the room door when you first light the fire, it will help to draw the air better.

Hope this works out, nothing like a real open fire!

Answer 4

Prepared becoming a symbol drawing grasp?  Exceptional!  All you want to complete is at once over to Christopher's internet site here https://tr.im/NzVGe and buy the class Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery and obtain it instantly to your computer.  It's that simple!
With Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery you will obtain 100 high res research pictures that is a massive help for you personally because is served as training when you will undoubtedly be comfortable enough to utilize real people.
With Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery guide you will even obtain 12 weeks Pencil Portrait Mastery Exercises. This bonus contains some essential components that will help you develop the skills needed in the primary course.
Weekly of the 12 week training plan covers an individual topic and these matters correspond with the individual programs of Practical Pad Picture Mastery. For example, following covering months 1 to 6, you're focused to go on to the key courses. Then after performing these programs, you revert to the 12 week session program once again to complete days 7 to 12. These ultimate exercises offer to improve the building blocks talent pieces you've now acquired.

Answer 5

if a flue has not been used for a long time ..they get damp inside and will not draw ..the old fire places in Victorian houses all ways worked very well..has it been swept ...the best way to test a flue is to light a sheet of news paper ..and hold it in the hearth ..it should if you let it go rise up and go straight up the flue ..if it does not then you could have a problem with the chimney pot ..you may have to change pot try lowering the canopy ..get a good fire going ..areal good fire and keep it high for few hours to dry out flue

Answer 6

Opening the ceiling should improve the draw if anything. I'll bet you've got a blockage that's making the smoke sink down rather than go to atmosphere.

Answer 7

have you checked the chimney.
it may have had a `plug` put in at roof level to stop birds/rain etc getting in when the fire place was sealed
hope this is all your problem is.