Hi all, So, I am having trouble with my chimney. I suspect its a downdraft issue (I was able to resolve it by opening a window opposite the chimney). I also am wondering if this issue (which only seems to occur when temps started rising) is related to my (now constantly running) attic fan creating negative pressure in the house... Here is my thread on the [URL="http://www.doityourself.com/forum/fireplaces-wood-burning-heating-stoves-flues-chimneys/581391-ashtray-smell-near-fireplace.html#post2632581"]CHIMNEY ISSUE[/URL] I live in the 1960s era split level home. I have two attics, with an airgap between them and gable vents (one in each attic). I also have soffit vents, and had the guy doing the blown in insulation install baffles (I can only assume he did those correctly). I am just wondering why the house has this electric exhaust fan (I've never seen them before, but every house in my neighborhood has it)... Is it safe to turn is off and see if my chimney issue gets resolved? Any and all advice appreciated as always -K

My AC unit is in my attic. I noticed the air was blowing constantly and the house was warm. The unit in my attic is only 3 years old and the outside compressor is about 6. My ac guy wasn't responding to me, so I went into the attic to see if maybe my pipe was clogged again. I could feel cool air coming out one of the ducts. I pulled back the insulation and on of the ducts had about a 6 inch separation. It didn't look like they were ever sealed together as I saw no mastic or tape and it was right where a straight pipe joined the elbow coming from the unit. I bought a joint coupler and joined the separation, sealed it, and covered it in duct tape. There's no leak from that joint anymore. The house still wasn't cooling. so I went back into the attic. The duct right under that that goes durectly into the unit was not sealed either and leaking. No tape, no mastic, just the pipe into the unit. I sealed it and waited to see if the house would cool. No dice. Went back into the attic and started crawling around beams. Found another joint on a smaller piece of duct that was also separated, but had no mastic or tape on it like it had ever been sealed properly in the first place. Sealed it and am waiting for the house to cool. My big question is that these joined I keep finding that don't look like they were ever sealed, are they supposed to be this way and I'm doing harm by sealing them or did whomever installed my duct work just not do a very good job?