Open a window or door as

close to the fireplace as possible. If the smoking lessens or stops when the door or window is open, the problem is inadequate air supply.9372a832-df66-4709-96da-d8335ddc13e4 Homes today are designed to be as air tight as possible.The flow of air up the chimney cannot exceed the flow of air into the house. All air removed from the room during the burning process must be replaced by fresh outside air. This air would normally enter the house through small cracks in the doors and windows.Many fireplaces being installed in apartments now come with an “outside air source”.

A lever or handle will usually

be found in or near the fireplace. This can be opened to allow fresh air into the firebox to replace the room air being used. If your fireplace does not have an outside air source one can be installed in masonry fireplaces.Fireplace Opening is Too Large.This problem typically allows the fire to burn comfortably for a while, but the room will become smoky after a time. The fireplace opening should be sized based upon a relationship with the chimney flue. An ideal fireplace opening would be no more than ten times the cross sectional area of the chimney flue. For example if the inside dimensions of the flue are 10 x 10 equalling 100 square inches, then the fireplace opening should not exceed 10 times this or 1000 square inches.If a fireplace opening is too large it will allow more air into the fireplace than the flue can exhaust. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to fix. By installing a fireproof shield at the top of the fireplace opening, the effective opening can be reduced. Glass doors could also be used.