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With the damp, warmer weather, you may have experienced some unpleasant, foul odors in your home. If you have been unable to detect where they have been coming from, there is a good chance that your chimney is the culprit. It is very embarrassing when your home doesn't smell pleasant, so you want to try to get these odors out of your home and address the source of the odor. While you may think that a chimney deodorizer will do the truck, it usually won't. Instead, you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Here are three common culprits:

1. Moisture

More often than not, odor from your chimney is an indication that there is moisture entering the chimney due to a leak in the wall or water coming in from the chimney opening. The odor occurs when the moisture mixes with the creosote and the soot that is inside the chimney. Alternatively, the smell could occur from the moisture causing the formation of mold or mildew inside the chimney. The best way to eliminate moisture-related odors is to ensure your chimney has a good chimney cap to keep water from enter the chimney flue. It is also a good idea to have a chimney inspection to ensure there are no leaks.

2. Animal Intrusions

Another possibility of your odor source is an animal. As a general rule, animals come to your chimney for shelter, although they may enter by accident. Regardless, once they're there, a range of smells can occur. They can become trapped and die, which can result in a rotting smell. They could try to build a nest with organic material, which could decay and result in a composting smell. In any case, animals need to be removed by a professional. Then, your chimney needs to be professionally cleaned. Finally, a damper needs to be installed to help keep animals from entering your chimney again.

3. Improper Drafting

Regardless of the source of the odor, there is one thing for certain: there is a problem with the chimney draft. If odors are filling your home from the chimney, then the air inside the chimney is coming down and into your home rather than going up and out. This is known as improper drafting. You will need to hire a professional chimney sweep to take a look at your chimney and locate the problem and repair it. In the meantime, you may want to consider sealed fireplace doors to help keep the foul odors out of the interior of your home. Do you need chimney repair? Contact a business such as G.H. Erickson & Son.