During freezing winter days, you expect your fireplace to add additional warmth to your home. However, some circumstances can cause your chimney to send in cold gusts of air, making your house hard to heat. A chimney inspection is often the best way to determine what exactly is causing this problem, and below are some of the more common ways professionals recommend solving your draft.

Install or Upgrade Fireplace Doors & Dampers

An open fireplace is similar to keeping your window ajar, resulting in heat loss in winter and cool air in summer. A fireplace door prevents this energy loss and keeps your home comfortable. However, many of the doors already installed tend to be merely for decoration and don’t stop this problem. If you feel cold air blowing in through your chimney during the winter, contact a chimney inspection company about installing a heavier grade ceramic door to block drafts and insulate your chimney to produce a warmer fire.

In addition to having your chimney inspection service look over your fireplace doors, have them check out your damper. This metal flap, located just above the firebox, is kept closed when your chimney is not in use to prevent heat from escaping. However, if it is warped or cracked and unable to close properly, it could end up costing you hundreds of dollars more each winter to keep your home warm.

Correct the Chimney Vacuum

Typically, the warm air in your fireplace moves up and out through the chimney because the pressure in the fireplace is greater than what’s outside. However, if no fire is burning or it’s too cool, this condition could flip. When this happens, air from outside moves down through your chimney and can leave your home cold and your family susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning. To correct this issue, open a window in the room to equalize the pressure.

When you want to ensure your fireplace is working for you and not against you this winter, contact Abbey Road Chimney Sweeps in Brookville, OH. They have provided chimney inspections and repairs to the Greater Dayton area since 1982. To schedule an appointment today, call them at (937) 833-0505. You can also visit their website to learn more about their services.