Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 30, 2002 12:50am | #1

   smoke shelf catches some

   Updraft deals with some

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

2. 
   ahneedhelp | Oct 30, 2002 01:41am | #2

   I've wondered about this for years.

   When we bought our house in '96, one of the first thing I did was to install three caps on the three flues in the chimney.

   Many houses in our area (SW Virginia) do not have caps.

   I'd say the ratio is about 50/50.

   The house next door we just bought does not have caps.

   The flue liner does not protrude far up enough for me to secure a cap, so I need to figure out what to do.

   If anyone has any suggestions...

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 30, 2002 01:51am | #3

   The caps I see are masonry.

   About four bricks high at each corner with a slab or large bluestone on top the size of the chimney..

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Oct 30, 2002 05:59am | #5

   re - The caps I see are masonry.

   ------

   Piffin -

   I hadn't thought about that approach.

   Sortof like something on a Wright house, if any of his houses have such a detail.

   I'm so stuck on metal ones that are attached as an afterthought.

   Come to think of it, not sure if there are any masonry slab capped ones in our area.

   Thanks for the idea.

   Alan

2. 
   TKanzler | Oct 30, 2002 04:23am | #4

   I just installed a cap from HD which was labelled "universal", or something like that.  It has spring tabs with points which slide into the inside of the flue tile, and can fit many sizes of flue, including round and rectangular.  It actually worked quite well, at least for me, and without the ring around the bottom, I think it looks better, since the expanded metal starts right at the flue.  It was a couple of bucks more than the standard ones, though.  I got that style because it looked cleaner, and the chimney is rather prominent (hip roof, so it freestands tall on the side of the house).Be seeing you...

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Oct 30, 2002 06:03am | #6

   Thanks, TDKPE -

   Attching on the inside surface would solve my problem of not having enough of a raised lip to attach the typical metal cap.

   Will check it out at HD.

   Alan

3. 
   grantlogan | Oct 30, 2002 02:41pm | #7

   I fabricate a lot of whole chimney caps (from copper). My usual design lips over the outside of the chimney and I then tapcon thru this lip to secure the cap. They also make a flue cap that has friction legs that stick down inside the flue and create outward pressure. These seem to blow off occasionaly.

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Oct 30, 2002 02:54pm | #8

   Ah...the custom caps.

   I see the occasional ones around town but none in copper, which would be very nice.

   Inside friction fitted one is what I need because there is no way to mount it the other way.

   Or, as Piffin mentioned, one large cap sitting on four corners would fit the bill.

   Alan

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 30, 2002 09:01pm | #9

   I guess after living in tornado alley of west Texas, mountains of Colorado, and coastal Maine, I've seen enough wind to think of the metal caps as a temporary solution..

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Oct 30, 2002 09:17pm | #10

   Cross my fingers ours (three of them) don't go flying off.

   It's been six years with not even any signs of rust and it is on the windy side of the house.

   With a strong enough storm to knock off the caps, the giant pine will slice through the living room after missing the chimney...

   Just called Home Dump but they don't have the inside mounting type caps mentioned. They told me items such as this differs from store to store.

   Alan

3. 
   rickchem | Oct 30, 2002 09:26pm | #11

   I think the porosity of the flue liner and the general depth of the flue, combined with the updraft and damper, eliminate most of the rain from reaching the bottom.  Since most rain does not fall at a perfect 90 degree angle to the chimney top, most will hit the sides of the chimney, and be absorbed. . .

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 30, 2002 09:37pm | #12

   That is certainly true. I have lived in two homes with fireplaces that had no smoke shelf. A heavy rain would usually yield only a small wet spit on the hearth bricks, maybe four or five ounces worth..

   Excellence is its own reward!