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(972) 521-7225
Need downdraft repair in Allen, TX? When smoke pours back into the room, your chimney has a draft problem. Collin Chimney Sweep & Repair finds the cause on Allen homes, such as a blocked flue, a bad cap, a stuck damper or a flue that is too short, and fixes it so smoke goes up. Call (972) 521-7225.
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A chimney is supposed to pull air up. Downdraft is when air comes down the flue instead. You feel it as cold air at the fireplace. You smell it as smoke or soot in the house. You see it when a puff of smoke rolls out over the mantel. It can also push carbon monoxide from gas logs back into the room, so it is more than a comfort problem.
Downdraft has a few common causes, and we see all of them in Allen. Wind is the first. North Texas gets strong south winds in spring and hard north winds behind each winter cold front. When wind hits a roof that is taller than the chimney, it rolls over the ridge and pushes down the flue. The second cause is house pressure. Newer homes in Twin Creeks and Star Creek are sealed tight. When the kitchen vent hood, the dryer and the bath fans run, the house pulls air in through the chimney.
The third cause is the chimney itself. A flue packed with creosote, a bird nest on the smoke shelf, a damper that only opens halfway, or a rough smoke chamber will all choke the draft. That is why downdraft repair starts with a chimney inspection and a draft test. We fix the real cause, not just the symptom. Many times the answer is as simple as chimney flue cleaning or a new cap. The EPA’s Burn Wise tips also help you build a hotter, cleaner fire.
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, turn off the fireplace, open windows and leave the house. For smoke and smell problems, start with damper repair or a chimney cap check. We test the draft and tell you which fix fits.
It depends on the cause. Cleaning a blocked flue costs far less than adding chimney height or a fan. We test the draft, show you what is wrong, and give you a written quote before any work starts.
A downdraft is air moving down the chimney instead of up. It pushes smoke, soot smell and cold air into the house. Wind, a tight house, a short chimney or a blocked flue can all cause it.
Wind that rolls over a taller roof or nearby trees presses down on the top of the flue. A wind-rated cap or more chimney height usually fixes it. If not, a chimney fan will.
Often, yes. Wind-rated caps are shaped to turn gusts away from the flue opening. A cap will not fix a blocked flue or a house pressure problem, so we test first and only install a cap when it fits the cause.
It can be. Smoke in the room is unhealthy, and with gas logs a downdraft can push carbon monoxide into the house. Keep a working carbon monoxide alarm near the fireplace and get the draft checked before you use it again.
Cold outside air is heavy and sinks down an open flue, mostly when the house is pulling air in. A damper that does not seal lets it through. A top-sealing damper closes the flue at the top and stops the cold draft.
Sometimes. Cracking a window near the fireplace gives the house the air it needs, and the smoke stops. If that works, the cause is house pressure, and we can talk about a lasting fix.
The common rule is 3 feet above the roof where it passes through, and 2 feet higher than anything within 10 feet. Chimneys shorter than that often have draft trouble. We measure yours during the visit.
The test and inspection take about an hour. Simple fixes like a cleaning, a cap or a damper are often done the same day. Larger jobs like added height or a fan are scheduled after you approve the quote.
Yes. Collin Chimney Sweep & Repair repairs downdraft problems across Collin County, including Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Fairview and Lucas. We are based at Watters Creek. See all chimney and fireplace services or visit our Allen chimney company home page.
Mon–Sun: 7am–8pm
We respond within 2 hours during business hours.
