Height above chase cap

[S Roche]

I installed a new liner in a 26' masonry chimney. Is there a good height that the rain cap should be installed on the liner above the chase cap?

 

[S Roche]

I must have asked a stupid question, my apology.

 

[begreen]

There are no dumb questions here. Sorry no one got back to you, we are starting to get busy here. It just needs to be high enough so that rain can't splash back in it. Usually 4-6 inches is enough which is about the collar height on the top cap.

Here is a decent step by step guide with pictures that may be helpful.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Chimney-Liner-Installation-Step-By-Step-Guide/

 

[BrotherBart]

Pretty much all liner caps are tall enough to provide good draft just attached to the collar of the top plate.

 

[S Roche]

Thank you, I will go with 6 - 8". I didn't mean to sound PO'd. Just don't want to make a mistake on the tail end of the install.

 

[begreen]

Are you working with rigid liner?

 

[S Roche]

The liner is SS flex 6" wrapped with 1/2" insulation.

 

[fossil]

No such thing as a stupid question here...just sometimes takes a while to get a response. You gotta be on the lookout for stupid answers, though. Rick

 

[begreen]

Take a look at the provided installation link. I think you want to cut it off at the top of the top cap collar.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah, ya cut the liner off even with the collar on the top plate after clamping it to the liner. Then just install the cap. My non-standard caps have just eight inches between the top of the liner collars and the top of the caps and they work like a champ.

 

[S Roche]

Thanks all. I will finish it today.

 

[Pinetar]

Can the top of the liner be too close to the chimney cap? Asking as my 6 inch flexible liner "looks" to be about 2-3 inches from the cap and I am trying to figure a poor drafting insert.

 

[begreen]

How tall is the liner and on what insert?

 

[Pinetar]

How tall is the liner and on what insert?

Ranch house, center chimney and I estimate the liner to be ~19ft tall. Jotul 550 Rockland insert.

 

[begreen]

As long as there aren't serious air leaks, like at the flue collar, this should draft fairly well. What makes you think this is a draft issue? Is the insert in a basement location?

 

[Pinetar]

As long as there aren't serious air leaks, like at the flue collar, this should draft fairly well. What makes you think this is a draft issue? Is the insert in a basement location?

It's on the first floor. My issue is oxygen (I believe) -- even with the slider all the way open, I always have to burn with the door slightly cracked open; by that I mean being able to slide 2-4 playing cards in between the door seal for reference -- door is lightly latched, not locked. This is also at all hours of the burn. If I lock the door tight, it's lights out, no flame. I've never been able to close the door or shut the primary air down at all. The issues I'm seeing is 1. the door as just described and 2. Some smoke from the door issue and also when I am loading up -- all this leads me to think that its a poor draft -- what do you think?

 

[begreen]

It may not be draft. The most typical issue is with wood that isn't well seasoned. This is common, especially if the wood is oak or hickory. These species need at least 2 yrs to season after being split and stacked. You could check this by either moisture testing the wood on a freshly exposed face after re-splitting or by getting some store bought bundles and try ing them out for comparison.

 

[Pinetar]

Thanks. All my fresh splits are reading 20% or less on the moisture meter -- it is mixed (oak, mostly maples) but it's only a year old. What's the right moisture content?

 

[pigc]

What's the right moisture content?

Less than 20%.