Cold Hearth Syndrome
But the biggest source of trouble is the location of the fireplace. Over the past 50 years of residential design, fireplaces have migrated from the center of the house to a position against the exterior walls, or even into chases that are completely outside the house. This causes the cold hearth syndrome, which is the source of most fireplace failures.
The most dramatic effect of a cold hearth is a predictable blast of cold air when the fireplace doors are opened to build a fire. Smoke fills the room when someone tries to light a kindling fire. This is a common, even chronic, characteristic of North American fireplaces.
The syndrome usually has its origin in the decision to place a fireplace outside an exterior wall in a frame or brick chase (Figure 2).
The cold outside air sucks warmth from the fireplace and chimney structure, causing the temperature of the air in the flue to drop. When the flue temperature is lower than the house temperature, air begins to flow down the chimney and onto the hearth. This is called a "cold backdraft" and contrary to common belief, it does not happen because cold air is heavy and falls down the chimney. The air is not falling — it is being sucked down by the house.
Figure 2. Chimneys built on an outside wall, whether exposed or boxed with a chase, are prone to backdrafting (top). One solution is to move the chase inside and to vent it to the interior so warm air can circulate (middle). The best solution is to locate the system properly in the first place. The ideal location is in the center of the house (bottom), because the surrounding air will keep the chimney warm and the chimney will penetrate the roof at its highest point.