Have your chimney swept regularly and we will check many things one of which is :-
VENTILATION
It is very important to supply your solid fuel appliance with air, to let it breathe, oxygen is one part of the combustion process, the others being fuel and heat. It is referred to as the fire triangle, take any one of those three elements away and the fire will go out. Lack of ventilation can be dangerous, causing poor burning and the creation of excessive carbon monoxide. The fire needs to remain bright and hot to keep the chimney warm, the warmer air within the chimney is surrounded by colder air on the outside this is what establishes the updraught in the chimney, this is what pushes the smoke and soot up and out of your chimney.
Open fires (without a boiler) should have an air opening to the outside of at least 50% of the throat opening area, usually the narrowest point above the appliance, before the chimney. This is generally is in the region of a hole 125mm in diameter, which connects directly to outside air, but may be larger according to the throat opening size..
Multi fuel stoves and wood burners in older properties only require an air vent if the appliance is larger than 5kw. The requirements are that any ‘closed’ appliance larger than 5kw will require additional ventilation of 550mm2 per extra kw over 5kw. However, in older properties that have been fitted with double glazing and additional draught proofing, these may require extra ventilation.
In newer houses built since 2008 where the energy efficiency (draught proofing etc) is very good, then the ventilation for a closed appliance is worked out at 550mm2 for every kw. Therefore a 5kw appliance would need 5 X 550 = 2750mm2 of ventilation.
Clean chimneys are safer chimneys, every year there are still thousands of chimney fires usually caused by infrequent chimney cleaning. But the burning of unseasoned wet wood, which produces tar in the chimney is another cause as is burning wood on a wood burner or open fire with insufficient oxygen supply to the fire.
When burning the following fuels the chimneys should be swept at the following intervals :-
Smokeless coal : the chimney should be swept at least once a year
Wood : should be swept at least every 3 months (when in use)
Coal : at least twice a year
Oil : at least once a year
Gas : at least once a year
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