What kind of flue rain cap

[woodhog73]

I'm just curious what kind of rain caps are folks using on 6 inch flex liner ?

Mine came with just a top cap that sits roughly 3 inches or so above the liner. Good for blocking rain. Not so good for keeping birds and squirrels out. I haven't had an issue with wildlife but it could happen.

I'm looking for a cap that offers some protection against wildlife but isn't so constricting that creosote builds up on it.

 

[jetsam]

Mine's sort of like that but larger and less restrictive. Mesh off when burning season starts, mesh on when it ends.

 

[dafattkidd]

I have this one.

 

[woodhog73]

So you remove the mesh ok I didnt know that. Mine is very similar to the ones pictured. I wonder if I could just get some mesh cut it to size and zip tie it around my existing cap when burn season ends ? I hate to get a new cap there's nothing wrong with mine but I like the mesh protection in Spring and Summer

 

[jetsam]

View attachment 174505 I have this one.

That's the one I have too! Couldn't find a picture of it.

 

[jetsam]

So you remove the mesh ok I didnt know that. Mine is very similar to the ones pictured. I wonder if I could just get some mesh cut it to size and zip tie it around my existing cap when burn season ends ? I hate to get a new cap there's nothing wrong with mine but I like the mesh protection in Spring and Summer

I would not use zip ties, use metal wire. You can get galvanized hardware cloth or chicken wire at home depot for a few bucks.

If you have dry wood, an insulated flue, and a modern stove, you should be able to leave the mesh on all year.

 

[woodhog73]

I would not use zip ties, use metal wire. You can get galvanized hardware cloth or chicken wire at home depot for a few bucks.

If you have dry wood, an insulated flue, and a modern stove, you should be able to leave the mesh on all year.

Thanks for the info. Yes the stoves modern the flex liner runs inside an exterior masonry chimney lined with clay tiles. It's technically exterior chimney but it's inside an attached garage that's only partially insulated the chimney not as warm as a true interior chimney. There is soot build up under the rain cap from the exhaust hitting the cold air but further down into the flex liner it's fairly clean. So I'm not sure how much build up I will get around the mesh.

But it's worth a try

 

[jetsam]

Thanks for the info. Yes the stoves modern the flex liner runs inside an exterior masonry chimney lined with clay tiles. It's technically exterior chimney but it's inside an attached garage that's only partially insulated the chimney not as warm as a true interior chimney. There is soot build up under the rain cap from the exhaust hitting the cold air but further down into the flex liner it's fairly clean. So I'm not sure how much build up I will get around the mesh.

But it's worth a try

Just check it often at first. Most people won't have a problem. Wet wood, cool exhaust temps, anything that causes creosote will help plug the cap. If you put mesh on and the stove starts drafting poorly, go up with a screwdriver and a wire brush, pop the cap off, clean it up, pop it back on again.

You could probably also put a 6" rigid duct cap on top of the liner for the summer. I wouldn't personally do that because I know I'd forget about it and smoke myself out of the house next time I lit the stove.

"Gee, it's cool tonight... a small fire would be nice... it's also dark in here and very smokey... maybe I will go live in the woods forever before I have to explain this to my wife..."

 

[Highbeam]

If you have dry wood, an insulated flue, and a modern stove, you should be able to leave the mesh on all year.

Not true. The screens are filters and will be a maintenance problem regardless of wood, stove, or flue system. Some folks can get a whole year in without cleaning the filter, some make it three weeks. Burning wet wood, cold, and smokey will make it happen faster of course but it happens to the best burners too.

Because of this, I am screenless on both of my chimney caps and not until this last summer did I have a few stupid birds fly down the stack in the barn stove. Might have been the same bird twice.

I would never recommend adding a screen unless or until you have a wildlife problem and then if it is during the non-burn season you could use screen door fabric or really any old fabric. Zip tied around the flue outlet.

If you insist on adding a screen for during the burn season then get a very coarse screen with large holes to extend the time between required cleanings.

 

[woodhog73]

This is all great tips. No wild life issue yet.

The guy that had my house before me let some big oak trees grow over the house. When I bought it there was an old crappy stove in the garage ( which I've since removed it was falling apart, and insurance doesn't cover stoves in my garage , and garage is poorly insulated so would have been waste of wood anyways).......and there was leftovers of a squirl and some bird bones in it.

However I've taken the trees down over the house and since then no wild life issue.

I think I'll keep it open during burn season. It's almost always going anyways. During off season sounds like anything will work. Heck I suppose someone could even put a large plastic sandwich bag over it and use an elastic to keep it around the flue. It's only 6 inches small bag and elastic should work to keep birds out.

 

[FTG-05]

This is what mine looks like. Don't recall the manufacturer and I didn't get a pic of the box it came but it was installed with my solid Duravent liner Nov. 2014. The pro installer recommended not having a screen since he said it tended to clog up. No problems with any wildlife that I know of.

 

[Highbeam]

That's a simpson cap. I have two. When you buy them you can pay extra for a screen or buy it without.

 

[woodhog73]

Mine looks like FTG05s cap except it doesn't have those 2 round bands in the center it's just wide open which you can imagine leaves it open for wildlife. I would think those center bands will keep most wild life out.

On mine one should put out a vacancy available rooms for birds sign on it.

I think I'll cover it when the burning season is over,