blackened chim cap/rainguard (both SS)

[bostock]

didn't see this the first couple weeks of burning, but noticed this morning. Too tall for me to get up there (and roof is nearly a 1/1 pitch). we have maybe 4 startups/stops per week..Could this just be accumulations from the cooler periods during startups/stops? Nothing has changed in the burning, oak (mostly) with 2+ years seasoning, fantastic draw at all times. Temps outside are high 20's and stack is about 35' above stove (and 40+' above ground).
Is this normal accumulation? any guesses from the pro's?

 

[pen]

Mine is certainly not bright and shiny any longer. But since I don't have any buildup on the spark screen I really don't worry about it. It is a chimney after all.

A picture would certainly help to assess this.

pen

 

[burleymike]

It took 3 months but mine is now black as well, looks like somebody spray painted it with flat black. As long as it does not have sticky oily black tar dripping from the cap I am not upset about it.

 

[rdust]

Mine gets black during the winter, gets washed off over the summer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, usually a black cap is nothing to be concerned with. If it has a screen though, beware that it can plug up. A lot of folks cut the screen out.

Like Pen stated, a picture will help.

 

[SKIN052]

um, chimney cap, yes. But the rain cap, or storm collar, should not be near the cap?

 

[Milton Findley]

um, chimney cap, yes. But the rain cap, or storm collar, should not be near the cap?

Sounds, like, um, maybe you think a rain cap and a storm collar are, like, the same thing perhaps maybe. Not at my house, two different things, seven feet apart.

Did I get it right?

 

[bostock]

um, chimney cap, yes. But the rain cap, or storm collar, should not be near the cap?

i may be using the wrong terms i guess? the vertical run above top plate: approx 8" of solid, then approx 6" of diamond-pattern grid (spark arrestor?), then the "umbrella"? man that looks pretty stupid in writing! but that's the best i can do - too high to get an effective pic that would show anything..just flat black

the "screen" is definitely not blocked (i never use paper and i understand that is a typical culprit of blockage). All is flat black, like simple soot and not "deposits"..no shine, no goop or dripping or clogs in the mesh...

Glad to hear that others's turn black too

 

[shawneyboy]

I do believe, the OP combined the 2 terms.

 

[bostock]

sorry folks - i'll take the lumps for it - didn't mean to cause any confusion.

 

[shawneyboy]

BTW after a good hard rain, go take a look, alot of that black, should be gone.

 

[RedGuy]

Mine was nice and shiney for a few weeks, then we had a real cold snap down in the single digits for lows and the cap pretty much instantly turned black. Plus I wasn't burning the best wood. I ran a Chimney Sweep log through my stove and it combined with burning better wood seemed to get rid of alot of the junk on the cap and screen, but it's still black. Once we get a thaw and I can get on the roof to sweep the chimney I might get ambitous and scrub the screen and cap, probably not though LOL, least not till the burning season is over.

 

[Treacherous]

I need to take the screen out of mine. Installer put in a fairly fine screen that I know is going to plug up easily if anyone every uses paper in stove.

Yes, usually a black cap is nothing to be concerned with. If it has a screen though, beware that it can plug up. A lot of folks cut the screen out.

Like Pen stated, a picture will help.

 

[sbk12rs]

If the screen gets plugged , how can you tell ?

 

[Treacherous]

You should be able to see daylight through screen at different angles. Binoculars may help as well.

If the screen gets plugged , how can you tell ?

 

[SKIN052]

Good call on the binoculars. Great idea.

As for the chimney cap and storm collar, here is a simplified diagram. The storm collar aka rain cap should be clean. But the cap and top section of pipe will certainly look a little messy. Just be confident you are burning nice hot fires and check your chimney often in the first year of burning to get a good understanding of how your system is preforming. You are well ahead of most already by just being on this forum and asking questions.

 

[pen]

I use nothing but paper on every cold start and have ZERO sign of any buildup from it on my cap's screen.

pen

 

[bostock]

SKIN052 thanks for the diagram. I erroneously referred to the "canopy" of the chim cap as rain guard. I have no storm collar - just flat plate across brick chim top, and chim cap (etc) coming up from there.
TREACHEROUS - i just checked with binoculars, no clogs, no buildup, and i see daylight from all angles.
wonder if the temps (teens at night) and recent winds caused it. I'll keep an eye on it though, but sounds like no major concern at this point.

 

[oldspark]

I use nothing but paper on every cold start and have ZERO sign of any buildup from it on my cap's screen.

pen

+1 paper is not the problem