OMFG, or, how I learned to love the bomb... eh, smoke.
I was starting a fire in our fireplace, since it's our second source of heat during winter and we're trying to save on electricity. So I stack the wood, place the kindling and fire away!
Then I start wondering why the chimney doesn't seem to draw air. Smoke starts spewing into the room.
I run around opening ventilation, opening the front door (a gimmick previous owners gave) and lo, still the smoke is coming! It's black and yucky and starting to smell. I try to shut the fire down and close the shutter. Wait..... and it's still burning but with MORE black smoke.
I start opening the windows to get rid of it when it hits me. Did I ever open the shutter to the chimney? I check. Nope, of course not.
So now I have a good fire goin' on, but the whole house smells and it's getting chilly with all the windows wide open. And I have to leave to get Junior from daycare in ten minutes.
Absentminded, who me?
Then I start wondering why the chimney doesn't seem to draw air. Smoke starts spewing into the room.
I run around opening ventilation, opening the front door (a gimmick previous owners gave) and lo, still the smoke is coming! It's black and yucky and starting to smell. I try to shut the fire down and close the shutter. Wait..... and it's still burning but with MORE black smoke.
I start opening the windows to get rid of it when it hits me. Did I ever open the shutter to the chimney? I check. Nope, of course not.
So now I have a good fire goin' on, but the whole house smells and it's getting chilly with all the windows wide open. And I have to leave to get Junior from daycare in ten minutes.
Absentminded, who me?