How do you block your stove chimney for summer?

[williaty]

It's 80 degrees today and I'm ready to put the stove into hibernation for the summer. What do you guys do to plug/block/seal the chimney during the summer? I'm partly concerned about air sealing the chimney to reduce my air conditioning cost and also to prevent the hot, wet outside air from getting into the chimney and condensing inside the stove pipe (which will be cold due to the interior air conditioning. I've got 17' of stove pipe inside the house and only 5' of Class-A through the roof and above). I'm just as concerned about animals or insects trying to make a home inside the chimney or cap.

What do you guys do about this?

 

[bholler]

What do you guys do about this?

not a thing as far as condensation goes letting it open is the best option by far you want some air movement. For the critters do you have a cap with a screen? I know some people put window screen over the top for the summer. Just make sure you pull it off in the fall it wont work long like that.

 

[jetsam]

I put a piece of hardware cloth around the cap to keep birds out, and turn the air down low on the stove. I figure a little air is good for it in case there's moisture from the outside.

It was 80 here the other day too, but it's 38 tonight. Not ready to pack it in yet!

 

[RSNovi]

I stuff a rag up in the clean out tee and put a note in the stove. Birds will get in the stove otherwise.


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[Gibraltar IV]

I twist off my chimney cap, and place a round disc of flashing over the pipe, and then twist the cap back on. The disc sandwiches in between, blocks the pipe, and is rust proof. The disc is about 1/2" less than the pile o.d. and 1/2" greater than the I.d.

 

[Highbeam]

Absolutely nothing, no screens either. Might clean the chimney in spring or wait for fall. We are still burning and will be for another 6 weeks or more and then back at it in September. If I were you I would wait and see if the wildlife in your area is dumb enough to fall into a chimney.

 

[begreen]

Nothing here either. The less I go up on the roof the better.

 

[Destructor]

I have to leave mine open to let the bats out.

 

[firefighterjake]

Haven't had to block my chimney since installing it in 2008. In the dead of summer if I smell any creosote smell from a reverse draft I might light a candle inside the firebox or place a box of baking soda inside . . . but it's hit or miss if I have to do that.

 

[jetsam]

I have to leave mine open the let the bats out.

Just out of curiosity... how do the bats get into the stove?

(If you have a stove that makes bats, I want to buy it, because I have a creek that makes mosquitoes.)

 

[electrathon]

I twist off my chimney cap, and place a round disc of flashing over the pipe, and then twist the cap back on. The disc sandwiches in between, blocks the pipe, and is rust proof. The disc is about 1/2" less than the pile o.d. and 1/2" greater than the I.d.

This is a great idea. I would do it if my chimney wasn't way high up in the air. I usually only have an issue when my whole house fan turns on and the windows are not open.

 

[Woody Stover]

I put a plastic lid from a container on the top of the liner, to prevent the condensation you mentioned. It's a problem here (as you probably know, in OH) because it can be over 90* with the humidity still above 50% and that can create quite a bit of condensation in the liner and stove.

 

[maple1]

Nothing done here either. We don't have a ton of high heat & humidity days here, but we do have some and I've never seen any signs of condensation. Does that really happen? Seems the cooler heavier inside air would stay at the bottom and hotter lighter air would stay at the top?

 

[Simonkenton]

OK, you have a 20 foot long pipe that is full of cool air, maybe 70 degrees. Outside, it is 90 degrees and humid.
Since warm air rises, that air will not be trying to enter the pipe. The cool air inside the pipe is heavier and it will just set there.
On windy days I suppose some warm air would enter the pipe.

I don't seal the pipe for summer and I have not had a problem. Very humid air here in the NC mountains.

 

[Fuut Master]

I have to put a net around the top of mine. Had a bad problem with red wasps flying around in my wood stove.

 

[kennyp2339]

I don't do anything with my chimney either, but if I did have moisture concerns I would by one of those small bags of damp rid and hang it in the stove.