I am housesitting for my mom for the next 6 months while she is working out of town and having issues that I really don't want to have to worry her about. We have a wood stove on the first level and a fireplace upstairs. When I build a fire in either one the other level of the house gets a really sooty smell. No smoke but you can smell the smoky smell like you get when you burn paper. I am not sure if maybe I have a damper closed (and not sure how to open it if that is the case) or if the chimney needs cleaning or what. I don't want to call in the professionals and shell out the cash if I don't have to. Does anyone know if this is a symptom of a dirty chimney?