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