Odd chimney crown

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Stoutimore

New Member
Dec 8, 2024
11
Texas
We have a 100-year-old two-story house with a stone chimney. The chimney top is in the shape of a king's crown, due to which it cannot have a typical wash to shed rain. Instead a steel cap covers the entire chimney. I can't see down the chimney without removing the cap, but before doing so I wonder if the cap should be raised a couple inches to allow for better draft. Any ideas?
 

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Many variables...
Is your draft suffering?
If your draft sucks (poor word choice) I would think that the cap has a very small influence on overall performance, especially as I don't see anything to get plugged up.

Depending on prevailing wind direction, different heights of cap could be ideal.
 
What stove, what observations make you think about this, and how tall from stove top to chimney cap?
 
A man who grew up in the house said the chimney smokes, but that was a long time ago given that the chimney cap looks much younger than he does. When we got the house, the chimney was capped off at the bottom, ending in a 6 inch vertical pipe maybe 20" from the floor. The fireplace is very small -- we plan to install a 6 inch liner and Jotul 602 or similar. As best I can see, the original chimney liner is 8 x 16 tile. Possibly there was a 2nd fireplace or heating applicance on the 2nd floor.