Chimney Caps?

[NativeSon]

On the subject of chimney caps, I guess my opinion is "why not?". If you have trouble with your cap clogging, isn't that a good indicator of a problem? I have only ever had the expanded metal type with no clogging ever, but I don't heat my house with wood.

I do have a funny story about an uncapped chimney. I lost my cap in a windstorm at my last house many years ago when I was single. One night, I had a lady friend over and things were going quite well when all of a sudden there was a huge banging and flailing inside the fireplace. I made the mistake of opening the damper and out flew a bird. It flailed around the room for awhile, spreading soot and scaring the be-jesus out of my girlfriend. Finally, I got a patio door open and the bird outside. Of course, any "mood" was completely ruined. I guess my chimney damper was a love damper that night.

Sorry Jim----

Charlie

 

[HillStreet]

Sorry Jim----

Charlie

A bird in the hand..............

 

[dave1949]

A bird in the hand..............

Very naughty. :laughing: Poor Jim, he probably never got to make that comparison.

 

[dmccarty]

A bird in the hand..............

Tis not uncommon for one bird to scare away another....

Seems like this is what happened. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[randy41]

On the subject of chimney caps, I guess my opinion is "why not?". If you have trouble with your cap clogging, isn't that a good indicator of a problem? I have only ever had the expanded metal type with no clogging ever, but I don't heat my house with wood.

I do have a funny story about an uncapped chimney. I lost my cap in a windstorm at my last house many years ago when I was single. One night, I had a lady friend over and things were going quite well when all of a sudden there was a huge banging and flailing inside the fireplace. I made the mistake of opening the damper and out flew a bird. It flailed around the room for awhile, spreading soot and scaring the be-jesus out of my girlfriend. Finally, I got a patio door open and the bird outside. Of course, any "mood" was completely ruined. I guess my chimney damper was a love damper that night.

great story.

 

[CalG]

The neighbor put a slate "topper" on his single flue chimney some years ago. It was blocked up about 5 inches off the flue pipe. The intent was to keep out rain etc.
With a wood stove in the basement, the condensation that took place on that little bit of flat slate was something to behold.

So if you do put on some sort of cap, be ready to deal with dark water.