The most important factor for burning a fire in a fireplace is draft (pressure). This depends on the outside temperatures and therefore also on the seasons. As a rule, draft in the chimney is worse when winter changes to spring and when summer changes to autumn, because that is when the temperatures outside are higher. In this case, lighting the fireplace may be difficult and you may also notice stronger smoke coming in.
WHAT TO DO?
- Empty the ash drawer and put it back in its place
- Since the draft is weaker, start building the fire with a larger amount of wood to reach a higher temperature faster and create better draft.
- The combustion air damper must be opened to the maximum. This is necessary to ensure as much air as possible for combustion and to stabilize the draft. Do not leave the damper open longer than necessary, as the purpose of a fireplace is not to burn a lot of wood in a short time (the opposite is true for a stove).
- The ash drawer should be emptied regularly to prevent the accumulation of large embers on the ash grate, which can block the draft.