When you light up your fireplace, you can sit back and enjoy the warmth knowing that all the gas and smoke being created that could otherwise be harmful to your home are drifting safely up and out through your chimney. If something is wrong with your chimney flue though, you may not get this experience the way you expect.
For many people, it may come as a surprise that your chimney isn’t just the brick chute you see from the outside. Instead, the brick and mortar act as a visually pleasing cover over the part that is really responsible for getting rid of all that smoke: your chimney flue.
Your flue is quite important to the operation of your fireplace so it is a good idea to brush up on your understanding of this structure so you can be prepared when the time comes for repairs.