The rain cap choice. Wind guard vs simple mesh design.

[Dmitry]

Looking at these caps and wondering if windguard will affect the draft. My chimney is on a short side. Is there really difference in performance? Thanks.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Personally unless you are regulated by local law id go with the one on the right and cut out the mesh. Easy to gunk up with that mesh although I burn reasonably clean and might be able to get away with it. I did it and haven't had an issue with critters.

 

[begreen]

That's a pretty coarse mesh. It would take some poor burning to gunk it up badly. It's more of a bird screen.

 

[sneefy]

I had three bluebirds come down my stove this spring. I just added a coarse expanded metal spark arrestor like that.

 

[kborndale]

I've had a cap with that mesh size for 15 years and it has never been close to being gunked up, if you gunk that mesh up you need to seriously rethink your burning habits.

 

[Dmitry]

What about wind guard, can it affect the draft in general?