Western Springs is known for its gracious older homes, and many of them carry tall masonry chimneys that were built to look impressive. A tall flue can draft beautifully once it is warm, but it holds a heavy column of cold air that fights you every time you light a fire. Understanding that column is the key to a smoke-free evening.
Why height works against you at startup
A chimney drafts because warm flue gases are lighter than the outside air and rise. In a tall, cold flue, that warm air first has to push out a long plug of dense, cold air that has settled in overnight. Until it does, smoke rolls back into the room. The taller and the more exposed the chimney, the heavier that plug and the longer the fight.
Priming the flue the right way
Before you light the fire, open the damper fully and warm the flue. A rolled newspaper lit and held up near the damper for a minute, or a small bundle of kindling burned first, gets the air moving upward. Once the draft reverses, the main fire will draw cleanly. Cracking a nearby window helps in tightly sealed homes that starve the fire of air.
When it is not the cold, it is the chimney
- Creosote narrowing the flue and choking the draw
- A nest or debris sitting on the smoke shelf
- A flue that is too large for a newer insert or stove
- A cap or crown that has partly collapsed inward
- A damper that will not open fully
What a sweep changes
A clean, correctly sized flue drafts with far less effort. On the tall chimneys we service in Western Springs, a thorough sweep and an inspection for sizing problems often turn a fireplace that smoked every time into one that lights and draws on the first try.
Homeowners in Western Springs can read more about our local work on our Western Springs chimney sweep page, or see the full chimney sweeping service.
Fireplace slow to draw?
Careful work, up-front pricing, seven days a week in La Grange and the western suburbs.
Call (708) 432-5330Frequently asked questions
Why does my fireplace smoke only when I first light it?
That is the cold-air plug in a tall flue. Warming the flue before lighting the main fire, and burning dry wood, usually solves it.
Do taller chimneys need sweeping more often?
Not necessarily more often, but they collect creosote along more surface area, so an annual sweep and inspection is especially worthwhile.
Could my chimney be the wrong size?
Yes, particularly if a stove or insert was added to a large old flue. A properly sized stainless liner fixes the draft and the creosote problem together.
Is it safe to burn while the fireplace smokes?
No. Smoke entering the room means combustion gases are too. Stop, let it cool, and have the chimney checked before the next fire.
Written by Adam Evans, owner of Chimney Sweep Brothers and a chimney technician with 12 years of experience serving La Grange, IL and the western suburbs.
Published: September 11, 2026