Smoked Turkey? Or is it a Chimney Smoke Problem.
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, we all begin to think the menu: what to make or what to bring. I am reminded of one special year when a family member decided to host the holiday for the first time. Us ‘experienced’ ones know what kind of task it is to host 20+ people, so each of […]
Stop the Stink: Humidity and the Chimney
As the Chicagoland area continues to reach hot temperatures, we’ve had some very uncomfortable humid days. Simply working in the garden or walking down the driveway to get the mail, you’ll experience drips of sweat due to the high humidity. Your chimney is going through similar experiences. Humidity can intensify unwanted smoke smells from the […]
Why Does My Fireplace Stink?
At the last rainfall, we had a ton of inquiries. The question everyone was asking, “why does my fireplace stink?” It is distracting when you’re sitting in your common area and you can’t enjoy what you are doing due to the smell. Sometimes it comes in whiffs and other times it is a constant bad […]
Your Fireplace Smells Like Fireworks!
Have you noticed that odor in the fireplace sometimes smells similar to the residue of fireworks? Every New Years Eve across the world, and Fourth of July in the US, fireworks explode into a concoction of bright, beautiful colors of various shapes and movements. After the celebrations, the smoke from the sky sinks into the […]
Help, My Fireplace Stinks!
Fireplace smell is no secret to a chimney professional. Though you may want to hide a smelly living room from friends or neighbors, we are used to it! We hear this complaint about smelly fireplaces all the time. Superior Chimney is called throughout Chicago and the Chicago area to help inspect, clean and repair chimneys, […]
Chasing Out the Fireplace Smell

Fireplace smell can be an easily fixable problem in the home. Recently, I was at a dinner party with some friends, and upon entering their beautiful home, came an unpleasant smell. It was musty and smelled like a campfire. I remember it being a humid evening in Illinois, (certainly not uncommon), and unfortunately my friends […]
Chimney Odors: An Unhealthy Campfire Like Smell

What are those campfire like smells? We all like a good campfire, but to smell it indoors? Not so much. Campfire like smells, damp, rotting, sulfuric smells, and so on, can be an indication something unusual is going on in your chimney. The smell of a wood burning fireplace can be a comfort to many, […]
Winter Humidity Causes Smelly Chimneys

Smelly chimneys can occur year round, even in winter. Lately, Illinois has been experiencing some high humidity levels. The quantity of water in the air determines the humidity. The air expands up to four or five times its normal size, which is why it’s sometimes hard to breathe in high humidity. Humid air traps in […]
Plenty of Rain, High Humidity, and You’re Wondering Why the Fireplace Smells
Some homeowners might shrug-off the fireplace smells as most households have air conditioning. If you have the air conditioning on, then the fireplace won’t smell…right? Not so fast. First, glass doors are frequently found in front of the fireplace. How does the fresh air get in there? It doesn’t. Also, let’s say you have a […]
The Best Of…
Did you even wonder which chimney articles were fan favorites? Okay, I was wondering what everyone thought. I reviewed articles from the past few years and here’s the most popular. Everyone loves a bit of humor. We had plenty of those. Take a look at the Top 7. The One that Got Away…with Encouragement Plenty […]