Stop the fireplace smell from invading your home – The Oakland Press

Q: How do I stop my wood-burning fireplace from smelling like smoke in humid weather? A faint smoke smell would be OK, but this is obnoxious. It seems worse when the air conditioner or even the washer and dryer are running. The smell wafts in from the chimney. We have a glass door installed, but it doesnt help.

A: Chimney smells stink up indoor air when the air pressure is lower indoors than out. Especially in a house built to be fairly airtight, this can happen when a dryer or other exhaust fan runs or if there are leaks in heating and air-conditioning ducts. To equalize the pressure, air moves down the chimney, into your house. Summer conditions add to the problem because the outdoor air is hot and humid, therefore heavier than drier, cooler indoor air.

In theory, closing the damper on your fireplace should stop the airflow where the air picks up the smell. But fireplace dampers often dont seal well. For a better seal, you could have a chimney sweep install a spring-loaded stainless-steel damper at the top of the flue. We called a company that estimated the job at $630.

Or, for $42.99 to $86.99, depending on the chimney width, you could install an inflatable device known as a Chimney Balloon, available at Amazon.com. It has mixed reviews, however, with some buyers reporting it punctures as easily as a water balloon. Filling a hefty plastic bag with insulation and stuffing that into the chimney opening at the base of the fireplace might work just as well and would cost less. Just be sure to remove it before you use the fireplace.

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If closing off the chimney doesnt stop the smell, call a heating and air-conditioning company to assess air balance in your home. It might help to pipe fresh air to combustion appliances, including the dryer if it is gas. Or you might benefit from a heat-recovery ventilator, which could introduce more fresh air in a way that its preheated or precooled so you dont waste energy. Sealing leaks in heating and air-conditioning ducts or balancing the system by adding more openings might also be part of the solution.

Q: Our KitchenAid Superba garbage disposal was installed in January 2011. For the past few months, it has failed to grind up and flush vegetable matter that it previously had no problem with. The blades rotate, chopping up the waste, but the waste does not exit the unit. I called the manufacturer for guidance. I was told to fill the disposal with ice to help with grinding. That helped some, but much of the waste remained in the disposal. Any ideas about why?

A: This is a three-fourths-horsepower model thats still sold. It has a five-year limited warranty that would cover a repair visit to your home if it were still in effect. But the warranty expired about 1 1/2 years ago, a sign that its probably time to replace the unit. The current cost is $279 at Lowes and perhaps even less from other retailers.

If youre reasonably handy, you could probably install a new unit yourself. KitchenAid provides installation instructions that appear straightforward. Lowes could install it for about $120, a spokesman said.

First, you might try repeating the ice trick a couple of times. Disposals sometimes work poorly because of a buildup of grease and other debris. Ice particles whip around in the mechanism and pick up the gunk, helping to clean it.

Also try another cleaning method that the manufacturer suggests in its care manual: With the unit off, place a stopper over the opening and fill the sink halfway with warm water. Mix one-fourth cup baking soda with water and dump it in. Turn on the disposal as you remove the stopper. If youre lucky, the force of the water, plus the bubbling action and grease-cutting properties of baking soda, will help restore the units performance, and eliminate any foul odors. After the sink drains, remove the sink baffle and clean it by hand or in the dishwasher. Replace it before you operate the disposal again.

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Stop the fireplace smell from invading your home - The Oakland Press