With the growing trend in restoring to use those fireplaces that have been bricked or boarded up, it is important that these restored fireplaces and chimneys are working efficiently. For wood or coal burning fires to burn well, a good supply of air is required along with a chimney to expel the hot exhaust gases and smoke. Also the fuel should be held in a grate clear of the hearth floor allowing full circulation of the air and waste ash to fall through, so as not to stifle the fire. If the chimney or flue is inadequate or the flow of air insufficient, the fire will not function effectively.

In his thesis on the principles of fireplace design published in1799, Count Rumford emphasized the importance of the size of the flue compared with the size of the fireplace opening. He recommended that the cross-sectional area of the flue should be about a tenth of the size of the opening. However, fireplaces tended to be smaller after the mid nineteenth century. Modern flue liner manufacturers favor a ratio of one to seven, and there are sizing charts published that give details of current standards.

If your fire smokes or won