At Windy Chimney Services in Chicagoland, we understand how frustrating fireplace cold drafts can be, especially during our winter months. Cold drafts can be caused by a variety of reasons, creating negative air pressure in your home. Our technicians can diagnose and fix the air pressure in your home.
What Causes Cold Drafts?
Air is constantly entering and leaving your home. Anytime your furnace, dryer, water heater, bathrooms fans, range hood, and any other mechanical appliance that vents air from your home, replacement air will need to come in.
The Most Common Area Of Concern
The chimney is almost always the main path for this entry. It is typically not insulated, and it’s like a giant straw in your home with little resistance. Most homes are fitted with cheap throat dampers, which are metal on metal enclosures with absolutely no sealing gasket, allowing air to pass more freely.
Cold Air Flow From Your Chimney
Now we come to another main point that most people know: warm air rises because it is much less dense than cold air. So as the warm air in your room rises and leaves through the roof or other points of exit in your home, make-up or replacement cold air will flow down the chimney.
Is Too Much Heat Escaping Your Home
Cold air drafts in winter are not the only sign that your home is losing heat. Damaged or worn-out chimney dampers could cause warmth to escape through your chimney instead of helping to warm your home.
Not Just A Winter Problem
During summer months, a chimney that allows air to escape can also make it harder to cool your home and keep it cool. This can lead to overuse of your air conditioning system because the air in your home is being replaced with outside air.
Lower Your Utility Bills
Properly installed fireplace dampers create a more energy-efficient home, saving you money on utility bills. Blocking outside air creates more consistency when heating and cooling your home.
Repairing A Cold Draft
Our experts can inspect your chimney and recommend the best course of action, from repairing your existing damper or replacing it with a new one. Once repairs are complete, you will have a properly functioning damper to help you control energy use all year long.
Get Fast, Reliable Cold Draft Repair In Chicago
Contact Windy Chimney Services if you are experiencing fireplace cold air drafts, or if your home is not heating like it did during our long Chicago Winter months. Our staff will quickly diagnose and perform repairs so you can have a comfortable temperature all year.