We have long felt that making our homes airtight was a good thing. After all, it would make our utility bills go down, and it would also be the environmentally friendly thing to do. However, as home construction technology has improved, home owners with chimneys are finding that completely airtight houses have unexpected complications.
These complications come from the need for a chimney to be vented. You see, without proper ventilation, a downdraft is brought in through the chimney. This will cause smoke to come out through the fireplace, the only place for it to go. The solution is definitely not to remove your energy efficient windows. You will just need to install a combustion air duct. This will give the fire in your fireplace the ventilation it needs.
Be sure to hire a licensed chimney specialist to install the duct. They possess the skills to correctly fix the ventilation problem, and will be able stand by their work should any issues arise.