Why Does Smoke Rise Up A Chimney? Since they execute their job so effectively, a decent chimney is undoubtedly one of those things that we take for granted. We would only really need to recognize it if anything went wrong, after all.
To us, everything seems so everyday and normalised. When you stop to think about it, there’s nothing at all ordinary about it.
We build a fire, the bad stuff goes up and away, we settle in the living room and turn on the Disney Channel.
Why do hot air and smoke rise via the chimney rather than into the space? Nothing can stop them, so what exactly is going on here?
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A Matter Of Molecules: The Reason Why Hot Air Rises In Chimneys
Let’s first talk about the precise reason why heated air rises. It is good to begin this discussion by picturing water in a kettle.
The water is being heated when you turn on the kettle in the morning to be ready for that first delicious cup of coffee of the day.
The development and movement of bubbles inside the water indicate that it is being heated since you can see, hear, and see these phenomena.
It seems as if the water is becoming agitated and can’t control its energy, which is exactly what is occurring.
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The excitation of molecules, which is what heating anything is in terms of science, is what creates the bubbles.
The molecules no longer flow lazily as they did when the water was cold; instead, they begin to dance and leap about.
The molecules are bouncing further and farther apart from one another throughout this molecular party, lowering the density of the water.
When molecules are truly having a good time, they pull so far apart from one another that they become gaseous, rise as bubbles, and burst on the water’s surface.
The important thing to keep in mind in this situation is that anything (in our example, a bubble) that is less dense than its surroundings (water) will naturally shoot upwards.
Although being intangible, air undergoes precisely this process when heated in your fireplace, making it more difficult to imagine.
A hot air balloon comes to mind. Ever questioned how they operate? The idea is exactly the same. The burner is activated by the pilot, which warms the air molecules.
The air molecules accelerate upward before being captured by the balloon and filling it up, which causes it to rise into the air as a result of their combined force.
As you ignite a fire, the air molecules begin their invisible dance party, much like they do in a hot air balloon, and because the surrounding air is considerably colder, they begin their ascent up the chimney.
In layman’s terms, a vacuum is created when air molecules go higher and the area below them gets less pressure as a result.
In order to fill the vacuum the rising molecules have generated in the firebox, additional air is taken from the surrounding space.
The air underneath those molecules is then dragged upward, along with the molecules that follow, and this process continues forever. Pretty cool, huh?
As a result of the fireplace’s pull, which lowers the air pressure in the space, more air is sucked in from the outside, creating a river-like flow that only goes one place—up your chimney.
Riding The Draft | Why Does Smoke Move Up The Chimney?
You may conceive of a draught as a wave that the smoke and all other combustion gases surf up the chimney and out of the building as a result of the continual molecular increase and varying pressure that make up it.
There are no strong enough forces present in the space to draw smoke away from the draft’s “current,” which prevents smoke from rising from the fireplace and filling the space.
Nothing is strong enough to stop the smoke from moving farther in towards the aperture of your chimney on your roof, thus in this way draught is similar to the event horizon of a black hole.
That’s not really accurate, however. But you get the picture. If the wind was strong enough, some smoke would be drawn inside the space.
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When Does Smoke Stop Climbing A Chimney?
Smoke sometimes seems to be out of the mood for a session of draught surfing and instead decides to enter the room, which may be quite harmful. Why the sudden change of heart?
Dry Wood
Did you know that the majority of wood needs a year to dry out before it is ready to burn in a fireplace? I realise it sounds like a long time, but the wait will be worthwhile.
Wet wood produces 3–4 times as much smoke when burned as well seasoned wood does.
Since there is so much of this smoke, which is full of dangerous byproducts, it is simple for some plumes to escape the airflow and contaminate the air in your room.
Flue/Damper Closed OR Obscured
The primary part of your chimney where the smoke ascends is called the flue. While the chimney is not in use, the damper may be closed like a little drawbridge to stop chilly air from entering your home.
Smoke will billow into the room when the draught is interrupted, such as when the flue gets clogged or the damper is closed.
That is why it’s so crucial to either use a chimney cleaning brush or pay someone to clean your chimney.
Negatively Pressured Air
A house becomes negative pressure when it is too airtight.
No fresh air can be pulled in from the outside to feed the fire and maintain the circulating air system that transports the smoke up the chimney because the molecules lift and leave a vacuum in the chimney.
The external air doesn’t give up there, however; since the pressure outside is higher than the pressure within, it is forced to hunt for another entrance site, and the chimney provides just that.
The smoke will be forced into the room when the air from outside enters via the chimney, reversing the airflow.
How To Explain Why Smoke And Hot Air Climb A Chimney?
That’s all, folks: since hot air is less dense than cold air, it rises via the chimney. This produces a draught that picks up smoke and other combustion byproducts.
I hope this has answered your questions.