by blogediter | Feb 11, 2019 | Fireplaces
Q: Jason – I have a gas fireplace and I get a headache and get sick every time I run it for a long period of time. I started running vaporizers or humidifiers when I run the fireplace and now I’m not getting headaches or sick. – BE
A: BE, I don’t mean to be an alarmist here, but you have a very serious problem with your fireplace. It is obviously putting out a serious amount of Carbon Monoxide. This is a lethal problem!
I could try to troubleshoot this for you on the phone but I need you to promise 3 things to me first. You must do them all at the same time.
- Do NOT use your fireplace
- Buy a carbon monoxide tester today in case there is another contributing factor in your home.
- Call a local reputable fireplace dealer or chimney sweep to look at your fireplace.
OK, that said, I feel better now that you won’t die while I am typing this letter. There is any number of things that could be causing your fireplace issue. I am certain your humidifiers are not correcting the issue. You likely have an obstruction in your flue, or an insufficient draft, or some mechanical issue with your gas fixture. I could try to go over this with you but it would be time and money well spent to bring in a local pro to look it over in person. If you have any specific questions though please let me know. – Jason
by blogediter | Oct 12, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Chimney Balloon
Q: Jason – Somehow I knew I was making a mistake when I took the inflation tube off of the installed Chimney Balloon. I figured I would remember it was in there, no problem but I neglected to tell my wife about it and she fired up the gas log. So we know the safety release function works on the Chimney Balloon. What do I do now? This melted Chimney Balloon doesn’t look fixable. – TM
A: TM – Well the good news is the safety release function on the Chimney Balloon worked like a charm. The bad news is, your Chimney Balloon is irreparable. But we do have a $5 coupon on the website at http://www.chimneyballoon.us/chimneyballooncoupon.html. Send that coupon in with a check and the downloaded order form from the website and order fulfilment will honor the coupon. It is called the “I melted it coupon”. I’m sure you are aware of the safety function of the Chimney Balloon and why we created it to break away if a fire is lit under it, but in case you want to know more on the topic please see the blog entry on the Chimney Balloon and carbon monoxide and gas logs.
by blogediter | Sep 10, 2018 | Chimney Problems
My fireplace
Q: Jason, I have a problem when I use my fireplace-Initially, smoke was occasionally coming in and I would feel very sick from the fumes- headaches, dizzy, nauseous.
We had an expert come out and inspect it- he capped off an older part of the chimney that he thought could be causing smoke and fumes to be pulled into the house. (We have a fireplace indoors- that attaches to a grill on the outside of the house- he capped off the grills chimney top).
Now, we have started using the fireplace again- and I am still getting bad headaches. Not right away- but after an hour or two, I get a pretty bad headache. There is no visible smoke coming in- but I feel like something is still wrong.
We purchased a carbon monoxide detector, and it isn’t warning us of any trouble.
Now, the meat of the question: Our central heating intake is on the ceiling about 15 feet away in a direct path from the fireplace. I am wondering if when the heating comes on, the intake is pulling fumes into the house and making me sick.
I’m sorry for the long question- I just wanted to be as thorough as possible. We have consulted the only expert in town and he can find no problems. Many thanks for the informative website. – AP
A: Hi AP, The trick about fireplace use is it turns your home into a huge vacuum. The fireplace is sucking the air out of the home in great volume for combustion and to exhaust heat up the chimney. This makes the home intake air through routes that it might not otherwise intake through under normal situations.
It could be that your fireplace is causing such a suction it may be back-drafting your furnace flue, water heater flue, or even through an attached garage door. It is good that you have a carbon monoxide detector in the home.
Or you could have developed a sensitivity to the carcinogens in burning wood or the fireplace may be putting our NO2 or another aggravating or dangerous gas. This sensitivity is very common. Some people have bought Chimney Balloons just to seal off the chimney from their homes interior air. The passive exposure of their inside air to the creosote, soot and other contaminants in the chimney residue bother them even without the fire.
I do have one other questions for you though…what type of wood do you generally burn and how long have you tried it for? – Jason
