I just bought a home that has a wood burning fireplace in the family room. The family room is a single storey addition to the 1.5 storey original home, attached at ground level. The addition is approximately 20' x 30' and has a flat roof. I am experiencing a backdraft of smoke/fumes on some occasions when the fire dies down to a low burn. The existing 7" insulated chimney pipe extends 6' above the top of the flat roof. Do you have any suggestions of what might be causing this backdraft?
Answer:
In order for a chimney to function efficiently, the top of the chimney has to be 30 inches higher than anthing within ten feet of it and its much better if it goes that much higher than the peek of the main roof.
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