What color should chimney smoke be?

+1 vote
asked Feb 8, 2019 in Other-Home/Garden by ermawz4 (370 points)
What color should chimney smoke be?

1 Answer

0 votes
answered Feb 8, 2019 by Grahlu (51,270 points)
Wood that is being properly burned in a wood stove or fireplace should be putting out white smoke from the chimney while reloading it or getting the fire started.

The white smoke is an indication that the wood is seasoned enough and dry enough to properly burn and after the fire gets going the chimney should put out very little if any smoke once it gets going.

If you see smoke continuously coming from your chimney then the wood is likely too wet yet or needs to season longer due to moisture content being too high in the wood.

If you see blue smoke coming from the chimney then it means the wood is not burning properly and is building up creosote which is dangerous.

As long as you see some white smoke on startup or reloading the fireplace or wood stove then that's normal and should go away after the wood gets burning.

108,713 questions

117,666 answers

1,358 comments

7,058,495 users

...