Chimney Drafting Problems

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Roadkill

New Member
Feb 25, 2007
10
www.davidmg.com
No two fireplaces are alike when it comes to smoking chimneys. There are many factors as to why a chimney doesn't draft properly and your home gets filled with smoke. This article on chimney drafting problems offers suggestions as to the possible solutions. Any one of these suggestions could work or it might take a couple of them to find the solution.


Chimney height. Every chimney should abide by the 10ft - 2ft rule. Under normal conditions yourchimney should work fine if this rule is met but there are always exceptions. Measure out 10fthorizontally from your chimney to the nearest object (roof line, peak, room addition etc), once you have the 10ft mark go vertically 2ft up and that should be the height of your chimney. See diagram. Your chimney should be at the proper height with the stack high enough to catch the wind. Your chimney doesn't have to rise above the peak unless the peak is within the 10ft clearance. As the wind blows across your homes roof line it should create an updraft bringing the smoke with it. Sometimes a negative pressure situation might occur where the wind causes a downdraft and you may have to look at raising the height of your chimney. Recently some new products have arrived on the market to help ease the cost of raising a chimney.
Flue extenders are a chimney cap that is raised up to 3ft with long sheet metal sides. They come in stainless steel or copper and have proven to solve many drafting problems.
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