How To Stop Smoke Coming Into Room From Open Fire

[Cantthinkof12use]

Hi have just moved house and tried to light the fire but it keeps smoking into the room. We had an open fire in last house and used it with no problems. The one in our new house measures 26 inches wide by 14 inches deep and are temporarily using an 18 inch grate until we can hopefully find a basket to fit. We have tried raising the grate on bricks which seemed to help a little bit but still very smoky and couldn't possibly sit in room as too overwhelming. I can see most of the smoke going up chimney. It has been swept recently. Was going to try a chimney cowl next unless anyone has any ideas? Thanks in advance

[woofgang]

have you tried having a window slightly open to make a draught up the chimney?

[BRIGHT SPARK]

If its a constant problem then try woolfgangs method ....if its occasional then its a downdraught issue..are there any tall buildings close to the chimney outlet...you may need an anti downdraught cowl.
You may find that when the chimney gets hot the problem goes...is the chimney very damp?

[BRIGHT SPARK]

You do need a basket to allow the updraught to work.

[Cantthinkof12use]

Thanks for suggestions so far. The fire hasn't been used since last winter so is probably damp. Ill try opening a window and light it when no one is there incase it does smoke everyone out again. Would I have to do that every time or just initially.

[tamborine]

I dont use grates but burn wood on floor. Internal chimney never smokes but chimney on outside wall does; maybe coz bricks get damp. Video/music/floppy discs make quick hot firelighters for cool chimneys; incarcigents no worse than council tip burn-up & it warms ME!

[The Builder]

Is that the size of the opening?
26" wide by 14" high?

[jomifl]

As an addition to woofgang's suggestion, make sure that you open a window on the windward side of the house, if you open a downwind window it might well suck smoke down the chimney. Your flu will draw better when it is warmed up. Try to get a small hot fire going quickly to warm up the flu without overloading it with a large volume of damp smoke.

[sfby]

We used to have a problem with smoke in the room but thought that it was caused by the fire-box we had. Our chimney sweep then retired, and we asked around for recommendations - glad we did, as the new one took pictures up the chimney & found 2 bricks blocking about 70% of the flue. Once he'd removed these, no further smoke problems.

Might be worth getting another sweep to have a look!