What Chimney Fan Installation in Flower Mound Includes
A chimney fan, also called a draft inducer, is an electric fan mounted on top of the chimney. It pulls smoke and exhaust up the flue by force instead of relying on hot air rising. Flower Mound Chimney Sweep Professionals installs chimney fans in Flower Mound for fireplaces that smoke no matter what else has been tried, and for fireplaces where the flue was built too small for the opening.
The installation goes in four steps:
- Test first. We sweep and camera-check the flue, measure the opening and flue, check the chimney height and run a smoke test with the house fans on. If a cap, damper repair or flue extension will fix the problem, we tell you that instead of selling a fan.
- Size the fan. The fan is sized to the fireplace opening, the flue size and the fuel. We send you the model and a firm written price before ordering.
- Power to the roof. A chimney fan needs its own electrical circuit and a control switch at the hearth. The wiring is done by a licensed electrician, and we coordinate the visit.
- Mount and test. The fan bolts to a plate on top of the flue, the control is wired inside, and we light a test fire so you see the smoke go up with the fan on low.
How a Chimney Fan Works
Natural draft depends on the column of hot air inside the chimney being lighter than the air outside. A short chimney, a cold flue, a big fireplace opening or a tight house all weaken that column. The fan removes the problem by moving a set volume of air up the flue regardless of temperature or pressure.
| Fireplace problem | Why natural draft fails | What the fan does |
|---|---|---|
| Oversized opening | Flue is less than one-tenth of the opening area, so smoke spills out the top of the opening | Pulls enough air through the opening to carry all the smoke |
| Short chimney | Not enough height for hot air to build draft | Makes draft mechanically, height no longer matters |
| Tight, newer house | Range hood, dryer and furnace pull the house negative | Overpowers the house pressure |
| Cold flue on an outside wall | Takes ten minutes to warm up, smokes until then | Full draft from the moment you light the fire |
| Restaurant oven or grill | Needs steady draft all day under heavy load | Variable speed holds the draft the oven needs |
The fan control has a speed dial. Most homeowners run it high while starting the fire and low once the chimney is hot.
When a Chimney Fan Is the Right Fix
Flower Mound has a lot of fireplaces that smoke by design, not by neglect. Many two-story homes built from the 1990s on in Bridlewood, Wellington and Lakeside DFW have a fireplace on a single-story wing with a short chimney, a tall open great room that pulls air up the stairs, and a tight building envelope. Add a kitchen range hood and the fireplace loses.
A fan is the right answer when all of the following are true:
- The flue is clean and the camera shows no blockage
- The damper opens all the way
- The chimney meets the 3-2-10 height rule, or extending it is not practical
- The house still goes negative with normal fans running, or the opening is oversized
- You want to use the fireplace without cracking a window every time
The Chimney Safety Institute of America notes that in a tight house, replacement air has to come from somewhere, or air is pulled down the chimney. A fan is the fix when makeup air is not practical.
Signs You Need a Chimney Fan
- The fireplace has smoked since the day the house was built
- A sweep, a new cap and a damper repair did not stop the smoke
- Smoke spills along the top edge of a wide or tall fireplace opening
- The fireplace is on a single-story section of a two-story home
- The fireplace smokes when the kitchen hood or dryer runs
- A gas fireplace or gas logs leave an exhaust smell in the room
- The fireplace is in a great room with a high ceiling and open stairs
Chimney Downdraft Repair
A fan is one of several fixes for a chimney that pushes smoke or cold air into the room. Our chimney downdraft repair page walks through all the causes, from house pressure and wind to flue size and chimney height, and how we test for each. We always start there, because a fan solves draft and nothing else.
Chimney Cap and Damper Checks
Before any fan goes on, the top of the chimney gets a cap and the damper gets a check. A chimney cap installation keeps rain and animals off the fan plate, and a chimney damper repair makes sure the damper opens fully so the fan is not fighting a half-closed plate. The yearly chimney sweep keeps the flue and the fan blades clean, and the fan lifts off its plate so the brush can go through.
Commercial Chimney Services
Restaurants in Flower Mound, Highland Village and Southlake with wood-fired pizza ovens and grills run the same fans in larger sizes. Our commercial chimney services page covers oven flues, fan cleaning schedules and the sweeps that keep grease and creosote from building up in a fan-driven flue. For a fireplace that has a cracked smoke chamber or firebox along with a draft problem, see fireplace repair.
Book Chimney Fan Installation in Flower Mound
Flower Mound Chimney Sweep Professionals is veteran-owned and based on Long Prairie Rd in Flower Mound 75028. We install chimney fans in Flower Mound, Lewisville, Southlake, Colleyville, Keller, Fort Worth and Collin County, 7 days a week from 7 AM to 8 PM. Call (817) 518-6131 or send the form on this page. The test visit tells you whether a fan is the right fix, and the written estimate is free. See what customers say on our reviews page.
