I have just about had it with my chimney cap!! I think next year I am going to remove it for the burning season. I have a 6in SS Flex Liner from Forever Flex. The cap is always getting plugged up. I am afraid of just going up there to take it off and clean it because any creasote gets broken up may fall down and catch fire sometime. I thought about leaving it on for the summer to keep crap out and then take it off when i start burning. I burn 24/7 and i figured what will it hurt. I also thought about modifying it. Is anyone familiar with the Forever Flex liner system? It like most of the caps you buy but around the the whole cap has a 3in band all the way around it and i think that it blocks it some how and most of the build up is there. I have the icecicles but that don't bother me. It just don't draft as well. I thought about cutting the band off and just have the grills and the top piece. what do you guys think?
Chimney Cap?
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chrisman34
Member
Burn hotter maybe...or better wood.... that seems to be the answers to most problems. I had Ice cicles before burning hotter as well, now they are not forming. I have a screen on my cap and it stays pretty clean.
Well I burn my stove at about 450 to 550. and the wood if dry. I have a screen on mine but there is a that 3 inch wide band that covers most of it. I thought about cutting part of it off. that is were most of the build up is. i have attached a picture of what it looks like. i just think that kills my draft a little
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Is this an exterior chimney? Is the liner insulated? If the wood is really dry then is sounds like the flue gases are too cool by the time they reach the cap.
DriftWood
Minister of Fire
That cap looks like a heat sink. The wind band and the height could make a load up easy especially with wet or green wood or a uninsulated install on a exterior chimney.
This is the one that I have a 6" Round HomeSaver Pro 316-SS Stainless Guardian Cap and a full insulated liner.
http://www.northlineexpress.com/images/products/5CO-13838-XLG.jpg
This is the one that I have a 6" Round HomeSaver Pro 316-SS Stainless Guardian Cap and a full insulated liner.
http://www.northlineexpress.com/images/products/5CO-13838-XLG.jpg
Quick solution, just go to a different style cap... we offer two different caps with our liner installation, one is a deluxe raincap which is similiar to that one, the other one is a mushroom style cap that consists of a round band that fits around the flashing and three legs that hold the lid up, many of our distritors in certain areas prefer one over the other based on years of experience. Try going to a cap like that and you might have better results.
FuzzyOne
Burning Hunk
I tried to find a picture of my cap without success. I gave up on the mesh sides and have nothing but the top piece. The mesh is a magnet for debris collection.
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
We had our interior chimney replaced about 20 years ago and the mason was adamantly against any type of chimney cap. We've never had any problems.
FuzzyOne
Burning Hunk
I like the cap with not mesh. My father in law has the same one, he still gets the icicles black but it don't build up and still drafts good. I think that 3 inch wide band that goes around mine blocks most of the draft. I think i will cut it off. Or unless i find another cap that will fit my style of liner.
That is your standard mushroom cap, many people prefer it over a deluxe rain cap that has a bird cage on it...
another quick question. i have cleaned my chimney a few time now and have been using a metal brush, some say to use a poly. what are your thoughts really on what brush to use. I just don't see where a metal brush would damage a stainless liner, i know here at work if we weld stainless frames together and then take a wire wheel to them to clean the burs off they will rust where the wire wheel was. I was just wondering if that would be why not to use a metal brush. the metal paricles will still rust on stainless
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