How do you build a chimney to vent smoke from your campfire?

Building a chimney in Valheim is essential for venting smoke from your campfire, ensuring your shelter remains safe and functional. Smoke buildup can cause damage to your character and make your home uninhabitable, so proper ventilation is critical. This guide will walk you through the mechanics, materials, and step-by-step instructions to create an effective chimney.\n\nFirst, you need to understand the game mechanics of smoke. Smoke rises naturally in Valheim, and if it has no way to escape, it will fill your shelter, causing the ''Smoke'' debuff, which reduces your health over time. To prevent this, you must create a chimney that allows smoke to rise and disperse outside your structure. This requires careful planning of your roof and walls.\n\nTo build a chimney, start by placing your campfire in the desired location inside your shelter. Ensure the area above the fire is clear of obstructions. Next, construct walls around the fire, leaving an open space directly above it. Use wooden walls or stone walls, depending on your available resources. For early-game players, wooden walls are the easiest to craft using wood, which can be gathered from trees in the Meadows biome.\n\nOnce the walls are in place, you need to create an opening in the roof for the smoke to escape. Use thatch or wooden roof pieces to build a sloped roof above the chimney. Leave a gap at the top by not placing a roof piece directly above the fire. This gap will allow the smoke to vent naturally. If you want a more enclosed design, you can use angled roof pieces to create a funnel-like structure that directs smoke upward and out of your shelter.\n\nA common challenge players face is smoke leaking into the shelter if the chimney is not tall enough. To solve this, ensure your chimney extends at least two to three wall heights above the fire. This gives the smoke enough space to rise and disperse without spilling back into your home. Additionally, avoid placing any horizontal beams or other structures too close to the chimney opening, as these can trap smoke.\n\nFor a more advanced design, consider using stone walls and a stone hearth for your campfire. Stone is more durable and fire-resistant, making it ideal for long-term shelters. You can gather stone from the Black Forest biome or by mining rocks in the Meadows. Stone chimneys also look more aesthetically pleasing and fit well with larger, more permanent structures.\n\nFinally, test your chimney by lighting the campfire and observing the smoke. If smoke escapes properly and your shelter remains clear, your chimney is working as intended. If not, adjust the height or design of the chimney until the smoke vents correctly. Remember to keep flammable materials like wood walls and thatch roofs at a safe distance from the fire to prevent accidental fires.\n\nPractical tips for building a chimney include using the hammer''s snap-to-grid feature to align walls and roofs precisely. This ensures a clean, functional design. Additionally, consider adding a small overhang to the chimney opening to prevent rain from extinguishing your fire. With these steps, you can create a safe, smoke-free shelter in Valheim, whether you''re a new player or an experienced Viking.