It is possible that you can end up with smelly fireplaces. This is not what you want in your home especially if you have a baby in the house. Generally, babies are known to be sensitive to different things around them. So, we can say that a fireplace smell is not good for your baby or even you too. No one wants to have a house that smells also.
What Causes a Fireplace to Smell?
- Neglected leaves in the chimney
Leaves fall during the fall season. The problem is that people tend to forget about the leaves in their gutters, lawns, and chimneys too. The leaves in your chimney can lead to a smelly problem in the fireplace.
The next time you want to run your fireplace, the smoke coming from the burning wood can lead to the smell. You should know that the stink can be extremely unsafe and also back puffing.
You do not have to be using the fireplace to have a smelly chimney. At times the moisture builds up in the chimney having leaves leads to some rotting. That is how you end up with a smelly chimney too.
- Having negative air pressure
You can sometimes experience negative air pressure in your home. This would happen when the home is sealed too tightly. As such, the mild odors would mostly find their way down the chimney rather than the opposite.
You are advised to keep your wood-burning fireplace damper closed each time the fireplace is not in use. The dampers should also be sealing correctly for them to be effective.
- There is excess soot and creosote in the chimney
When your fireplace is in use, it can lead to creosote and soot. If these two are not removed during the annual inspections, then the build-up leads to an asphalt-like smell in the chimney and fireplace.
It can be tough to prevent creosote from forming in the chimney, but you can take measures to keep it to a minimum. A good example is making sure the wood is dry and can burn without too much smoke being released which would otherwise lead to soot.
- Moisture in the chimney
If there is moisture in your chimney, then you can expect to experience some unpleasant odor too. Water would get into your chimney if it lacks a cap. So, you should address this problem by installing a chimney cap.
Take note that moisture can damage the flue lining. This could lead to costly repairs to your chimney. So, it is best when you can prevent it from happening in the first place.
- There are animals in your chimney
A chimney cap is still vital for keeping the animals from the chimney. When the chimney cap or chimney netting is damaged, the animals will get into the chimney. The worst is when the animal dies in the chimney. The decomposing animal leads to the foul smell coming from your fireplace.
Some of the most common animals that might be in your chimney include raccoons, snakes, birds, and more. Also, make sure that you take care while trying to remove some of these animals. A bite can be lethal.
Is The Fireplace Smell Bad For You?
Yes. A foul smell always leads to discomfort in your home. No one would be willing to sit in the house with a smelly fireplace. The problem is that you might want to relax by the fireplace, but not having a clean fireplace can dampen the spirits. It is why you always have to take good care of your fireplace to keep it clean.
Conclusion: Is It Safe For Babies To Be Around A Fireplace?
You should definitely not keep your baby around a smelly fireplace. Well, a fireplace in general too. There is the need to ensure there is proper supervision of your baby when around a fireplace. Make sure that your chimney is also inspected and cleaned annually to prevent the fireplace from smelling.
