Fireplace Smoke Chamber Repair & Parging: For Chimney Services Near You, Trust Our Experts
Smoky fireplace? Chimney problems? Dealing with excess buildup? The fix may be as easy as repairing or restoring your smoke chamber. For smoke chamber repair and parging near you, trust the experts at Comfort Class for a job done right.
Where Is My Chimney’s Smoke Chamber?
The smoke chamber is a funnel-shaped area tucked up above your firebox and just below the flue – and it’s one of the biggest players in the safety and performance of the entire fireplace system.
What’s the role of the smoke chamber?
Its job is to move smoke and all the byproducts from your fires up into the flue, so it can all be properly expelled through the chimney. Its funnel-like design ensures this can be done as efficiently and as quickly as possible. Without it, your fireplace fumes would be hitting the walls of your fireplace, trying to find a clear pathway out – resulting in smoke backup and lots of buildup in your firebox and flue.
Unfortunately, smoke chambers can be damaged by the heat and moisture produced by the fire, which can lead to poor performance, smoke backup, creosote production, and, in some cases, house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. These are all issues we want to prevent for our clients in Tulsa, Skiatook, and the surrounding areas.
What Are Signs of Smoke Chamber Damage?
Because of its location, the smoke chamber can be difficult to thoroughly evaluate. Most homeowners have better things to do than to crane their necks up into the fireplace on a slower-than-usual day. But even if you did get bored enough to do it, it can be hard to really see what’s going on up there without the proper equipment. You’ll need a closer look…
Here at Comfort Class, we use video scanning technology to get a good look at the smoke chamber and the rest of the chimney system, and we’ll look for things like this:
- excessive creosote buildup
- corbeled masonry
- cracks, gaps, and rough patches
- poor construction
- inadequate clearance from combustibles
All of the above can hinder the safe performance of the smoke chamber and slow the passage of smoke on its way up into the flue.
How Do We Repair Damaged or Corbeled Smoke Chambers?
We use the industry’s most trusted and effective products to restore and repair your chimney’s smoke chamber. If creosote is the problem, our team can remove it using specialized tools and products. We can even remove third degree glazed creosote, the most dangerous creosote there is, using a product called Poultice Creosote Remover (PCR).
If the smoke chamber is damaged, needs to be reshaped, or needs to be insulated for safety reasons, we can reshape, insulate, repair, and parge the smoke chamber smooth using our specialized smoke chamber coating products.
- Our first smoke chamber coating product is a great product for smoke chambers that need to be insulated or brought up to local/national building codes. This product is so insulating, it actually prevents both heat and cold transfer, and the product is so durable, it can withstand temperatures up to 2550 degrees F. After the job is done, your old, dingy, unsafe smoke chamber will be insulated, resurfaced, and good as new in no time.
- Our second insulating chamber coating product is made of refractory mortar. It’s great for strengthening and reshaping the smoke chamber, and can increase both safety and draft. It also prevents heat transfer, so if clearance from combustibles is a concern, this product can put your mind at ease. And better yet, there’s no demo or invasive work required.
What Are The Benefits Of Having Your Smoke Chamber Parged Smooth?
Now, you’ll find that most smoke chambers for older fireplace systems have a corbeled or stair step design, which unfortunately, by today’s standards, isn’t ideal. This set up causes smoke to bounce off the walls and encourages creosote buildup in all the extra cracks and crevices. If this is the case for you, we recommend smoke chamber parging services.
Why is parging your smoke chamber the right choice?
- A smooth, insulated, damage-free smoke chamber means a safer system and a lowered risk of house fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Parging strengthens the chimney system and can bring most smoke chambers up to current local and national building codes.
- When the smoke chamber is smooth and free of damage, draft and fireplace performance are improved.
- Smoke chambers that are parged smooth are able to move smoke more efficiently, which means you can expect a decrease in creosote production and buildup.
Really, if you have any damage in your smoke chamber, you can only benefit from making repairs.
Call Today To Schedule a Chimney Inspection & Smoke Chamber Repair
Is it time you had your smoke chamber inspected and repaired? Call Comfort Class today or reach out to us on our website. Our courteous, thorough, and punctual Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified techs are at your service, six days a week. We’ll make sure your system is up to code and operating as it should, so you and your family can enjoy a safer, cozier home.
Reach out now to get started.
If you need chimney repair or relining services, ask us about Heatshield – it may be the perfect solution for restoring your flue.