Observe first. Diagnose on site.
Start with what you noticed, learn what to document and find the service scope that can investigate it. Every symptom here can have more than one cause.
Safety boundary
Stop use when smoke enters the home, a carbon-monoxide alarm activates, a chimney fire is suspected, the vent may be blocked, or material damage could affect safe operation. For an active emergency, leave the building and call emergency services.
Open official safety resources
Symptom guide
Smoke spills from the fireplace opening, stove door or another appliance connection instead of moving consistently outdoors.
Symptom guide
Tar-like, smoky, damp, musty or animal-related odors are noticeable at the fireplace or elsewhere in the home.
Symptom guide
Ceiling, wall, attic, firebox or cleanout staining appears near the chimney, often during or after wet weather.
Symptom guide
Brick faces flake, mortar joints open, stones move, or fragments appear on the roof or ground.
Symptom guide
Cracks, gaps, ponding or surface loss appear in the top slab around masonry flues.
Symptom guide
The flue is uncovered, the cap is loose or corroded, or storm debris suggests it has shifted.
Symptom guide
A fire is difficult to establish, changes unexpectedly, or seems sensitive to doors, fans and weather.
Symptom guide
Dark deposits accumulate quickly on glass, appliance surfaces or within the venting path.
Symptom guide
Scratching, chirping, fluttering, odors or nesting material comes from the chimney or appliance.
Symptom guide
Draft changes, debris falls, an appliance will not vent normally, or the flue has been unused and its condition is unknown.
Turn observations into a printable service request or find companies in your state.