| No two fireplaces are alike when it comes to | | | | look at. Copper ages to a beautiful verdigris green |
| smoking chimneys. There are many factors as to | | | | after it is exposed to the outdoor elements and |
| why a chimney doesn't draft properly and your | | | | will give your home great Curb Appeal. If you |
| home gets filled with smoke. Chimney height. | | | | have a metal zero clearance fireplace you will |
| Every chimney should abide by the 10ft - 2ft rule. | | | | have to get the manufacturers name and the |
| Under normal conditions your chimney should | | | | model number off a plate inside the firebox to |
| work fine if this rule is met but there are always | | | | determine which size and brand pipe you will need |
| exceptions. Measure out 10ft horizontally from | | | | to purchase to raise the chimney another 1 - 3ft. |
| your chimney to the nearest object (roof line, | | | | Some cities require that the pipe be enclosed in a |
| peak, room addition etc), once you have the 10ft | | | | chase and you might have to rebuild the chase up |
| mark go vertically 2ft up and that should be the | | | | to the new height. While raising the height of your |
| height of your chimney. See diagram.Your | | | | chimney will solve most of the problems some |
| chimney should be at the proper height with the | | | | chimneys may need more help.Other great |
| stack high enough to catch the wind. Your | | | | products on the market for solving drafting |
| chimney doesn't have to rise above the peak | | | | problems are the Vacu-Stack and the Windbeater |
| unless the peak is within the 10ft clearance. As | | | | chimney caps.These chimney caps are designed |
| the wind blows across your homes roof line it | | | | to create an updraft as the wind blows. The cap |
| should create an updraft bringing the smoke with | | | | itself stays stationary and this causes the wind to |
| it. Sometimes a negative pressure situation might | | | | circulate creating the updraft. This solution works |
| occur where the wind causes a downdraft and | | | | well with masonry, metal chimneys and even the |
| you may have to look at raising the height of | | | | solid pack chimney pipe for wood burning stoves. |
| your chimney. Recently some new products have | | | | They come in several sizes and adaptors are |
| arrived on the market to help ease the cost of | | | | available for masonry chimneys. The picture at |
| raising a chimney. Flue extenders are a chimney | | | | the right shows a Vacu-Stack with the adaptor |
| cap that is raised up to 3ft with long sheet metal | | | | installed on a masonry chimney. With a metal |
| sides.They come in stainless steel or copper and | | | | chimney no adaptor is needed. If you have a air |
| have proven to solve many drafting | | | | cooled chimney pipe one where there are 2 or 3 |
| problems.They a relatively inexpensive compared | | | | pipes inside each other just measure the inner |
| to having a brick mason come out and raise the | | | | one for the cap. The Vacu-Stack for the air |
| flue tiles.Another great product are chimney pots. | | | | cooled, double or triple wall pipe comes with a |
| These have been used in Europe for centuries | | | | collar to cover the outer pipes. The Vacu-Stack |
| and were usually made of clay. A new line of | | | | and the Windbeater caps also come in smaller |
| chimney pots are made out of copper. The | | | | sizes to fit furnace and hot water tanks to solve |
| copper chimney pots are expensive but the | | | | their drafting problems. |
| unique design and the beauty are very pleasing to | | | | |