Hard to say. The cap is probably going to need to be removed so that it and upper pipe can be examined.
Pipe in Thimble Sloping Downward - Can I fix this myself?
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Caveat being that paper embers could just make it worse by clogging the screen more. Time to call in a sweep.
Good question, I can get one going in the bottom of the outside stack. Once it gets going I try lighting a piece of paper in the pipe from the stack to the interior wall and it just backs up into room. I wouldnt say the pipe stack fire is burning great though. Thats when I started looking at how level the pipe is. I've tried this a couple times trying to figure out the problem. Also the reason I got a face full of newspaper ash when I took the bottom cap off!
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
IF......you can safely get on the roof, it looks like its close enough to check. I tried copying the cap photo and manipulating the contrast but I don't have a tool that will do that effectively. I didn't see any big clumps when I enlarged/zoomed it up so that at least is a good sign. a lot of caps have a screen around them to keep the sparks and embers from flying out....you should be able to look through the screen or see through the screen if its not clogged. get the binos out yet?
Who installed the pipes? Maybe they'd come out and take a look at the thimble and hopefully for no charge. I would if it were me he who put it in and there were issues.
Thanks for looking - I've been using the zoom on my camera in place of the binos I cant find...yeah I'll see what I can do about getting the screen looked at. Too high for me to reach its about 35 feet up to the top so I'll call a chimney guy. Im going to try to check all the connections first... hope thats it so I dont have to pay another chimney bill.
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
well, if it was recent, the chimney sweep should have checked the cap. if he did it from the bottom up and didn't check the cap, he didn't do it properly and you shouldn't have to pay much for the return. he should have included cleaning the cap. it can be done from below but it is pretty hard to do in my opinion.
Yes he did do it from the bottom. I just called and they said they check the cap for build up.
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
how....with what....with a camera.....hey, maybe that's why you cant find your binos.....
my money is on the cap being clogged....
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
ok, I found a program I could zoom and adjust the contrast a bit. if you look at your photo, on the right circled in yellow I can see what I think is the screen. this sometimes gets clogged. the area in red is really in too much shadow to get a good feel for it but there doesn't appear to be a bunch of chunk creosote on the cap so that's a good sign. would be good if you can get out away from the house and see if you can see the screen and through it. you might be able to use the zoom on your camera.
Have you been starting the fires with newspaper or burned cardboard or giftwrapping recently in the stove?
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
KindredSpiritzz
Minister of Fire
is it just me or does that pipe look like its not high enough past the peak of the roof? Granted you have to guesstimate where the peak actually is, but looks a bit short to me.
Well it was the chimney cap! Had another chimney company out to look at it since it wasnt looking like an easy fix. He wanted to add another couple feet to the chimney not cheap ($200 for pipe plus labor) I showed him the picture tcassavaugh enlarged and told him to go check the cap. It was completely gunked up. Have the first nice fire lit up in 2 months. Thanks to everyone that contributed
Yea! Sounds like the new sweep wants to make the chimney proper and legal. If you have him come back to do the work ask if they can replace the cap screen with a coarser mesh one. A 3/4" mesh would be good.
Ah, that's nice.
Was it just the cap that was plugged? Did they do a full sweep or did they say how much creosote had accumulated in the upper section of chimney?
Was it just the cap that was plugged? Did they do a full sweep or did they say how much creosote had accumulated in the upper section of chimney?
He said the chimney was clean it was the cap and screen up top. He didnt have to do a full cleaning. He didnt mention how much build up there was - just that it was really gunked up.
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
hey girl....glad to hear it. easy fix right. 
enjoy that puppy and don't be afraid to put that damper back in if you want to. it wasn't the culprit. I have one in both my stoves and it helps to slow it down.....especially during the night. with my little jotul, I normally get some good coals, load the stove and let it get burning good and turn the key damper to anywhere to 45 degrees but less than ninety (parallel the floor) and close the stove vents. normally burns all night. don't feel like you have to but just realize it wasn't the key damper.
glad you got it fixed. enjoy that puppy.
enjoy that puppy and don't be afraid to put that damper back in if you want to. it wasn't the culprit. I have one in both my stoves and it helps to slow it down.....especially during the night. with my little jotul, I normally get some good coals, load the stove and let it get burning good and turn the key damper to anywhere to 45 degrees but less than ninety (parallel the floor) and close the stove vents. normally burns all night. don't feel like you have to but just realize it wasn't the key damper.glad you got it fixed. enjoy that puppy.
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