Chimney Caps?

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 10:15 am

Hey everyone, I just bought the house last summer, I have 3 block chimneys lined with tile measuring 6/3/4 x 6/3/4 none of them have caps, I would like to put them on all, one is for my oil furnace which never gets used, the one in the middle of my house is for my coal furnace, and I have one in my attached two car garage for my woodstove, (hopefully putting small coal stove in this summer) they draft really good being interior, and it is always windy here, so a cap would help in slowing down the draft, and keep water etc out in off season, a problem I have is my two interior chimneys, the flue tile does not stick out past the block, its down in it, so I'm thinking of taking the concrete cap off the top around the flue and re doing it because its cracked, and while doing that I will add a small piece of flue

Berlin · Post by **Berlin** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 10:37 am

I'm not a huge fan of caps on flues, but, if that's what you like, that's what you like. You shouldn't use a cap to slow down draft however. If you have too much draft to your appliances (north of plattsburgh I'm assuming) use a proper barometric damper to do so.

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 10:40 am

I've got a baro and mod, but not on my woodstove, and I don't want want water etc getting in in summer

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 10:54 am

Mod not mod

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 12:20 pm

Stupid phone, mpd

olpanrider · Post by **olpanrider** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 1:00 pm

When I first bought my home it didn't have anything on the top of the dual flue chimney . more than once I had issues with the propane furnace from bats going down the chimney and getting into the inducer fan. and I was also getting corrosion and leaks on the galvanized venting pipe from rain coming down the chimney. two new caps with screens problems went away.

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 2:03 pm

That's what I'm thinking, I'll prob just buy the clip in ones once I extend the tile out of the block

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 2:19 pm

I had chimney caps until the roaring winds blew them off. If you do put some on, make sure they are SECURE. A chimney cap won't do you much good when it is laying in a huge dent on your car.

Post by **Lightning** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 2:45 pm

This is true Rob.. I just noticed about two weeks ago that the top on mine came unattached from the screen and is laying in the yard.. The jury is still out if I'm seeing an improvement in draft... So far, it seems the manometer is averaging about -.005 stronger but not sure if other factors could be influencing it..

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 2:51 pm

That's more less the reasoning for the post, kinda wondering what kind are best, if there are any, cuz like rob said, I get very strong winds on a daily basis so I gotta make sure once I put it there it'll stay there, some people have said those spin ones work good, idk

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 2:52 pm

Rob I see in your profile pic u have your stack pipe taped? What did you use? I want to do the same due to loose fitting connections

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 3:00 pm

I just used some 3M foil tape.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 3:03 pm

HB, ya got at least 3 lil screws in each joint?

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 3:14 pm

I tried the 3M tape, just melted off, but maybe there's a higher temp tape, this was the stuff used to tape my plenum duct pipe, and yes I have 3 per joint, can never be safe enough

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Mar. 15, 2014 3:17 pm

I am not sure what the temperature rating is of the tape I have. I bought it from some surplus place so it might be some fancy industrial stuff for all I know.

The other possibility is that your flue pipe gets hotter. When it is running hard the surface of the pipe on my EFM is about 180 degrees...the price tags are still on it.