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