New Woodstove Chimney Cap
Our Kozi woodstove is the heart of our float cabin, especially now that the temperatures are below freezing. Without it, we couldn't live here year-round. Our stove works great except when storm winds blow, especially from the southeast. On those occasions, we've had problems with smoke blowing back down the chimney pipe and into the cabin. It sometimes gets so bad we have to stop using the wood stove and bring in our portable propane heater from the boat.
Our good friend John did some research and found a new stove pipe chimney cap that should do the trick. To me, it looks like a helmet. The fin sticking up vanes with the wind, moving the protective portion of the cap into the wind, thus protecting the pipe from its force. We haven't had a strong wind yet, but I'm sure it will work. I'll keep you posted.
If you need to more information about troubleshooting wood stove issues and problems, try some of these websites:
- www. Chimneys.com -- Woodstoves and Woodstove Problems
- BC Ministry of Environment -- Reducing Woodstove Smoke
- The Wood Heat Organization -- especially All About Chimneys
- Famco -- not our new cap, but similar
- Volko Supply Online -- describes downdrafts and wind loading
Labels:
Float Cabin Living,
Woodstove
Posts
I hope that helmet works for you! How warm does it get your cabin?
ReplyDeleteHi Margy, I don't have a solution. I, too, get smoke down the chimney. Also, to get ours started, I have to make a small, hot fire, so I use news paper. If I try and light it with kindle, the fire isn't hot enough to warm the flue...and out rolls the smoke! Bill cleans our flue and woodburner just about every 3 months.
ReplyDeleteHi Margy, Merry Christmas. We'll see you on the lake.
ReplyDeletewould you please let us know where to get the new chimney "helmet" you
ReplyDeletepurchased.....we have the same
problem with smoke coming into the
house on windy days!!!
Thanks!!! Kindest Regards,
Elaine
Thanks everyone for your comments. The update on the "helmet style" cap is that it works better than expected. We had a very windy storm this week and only experienced back draft of smoke into the cabin once. It was very brief and only a small amount. My guess it that the cap couldn't turn fast enough to keep up with the gusty, shifting wind at the time. I took video of it in action so watch for that this week.
ReplyDeleteFor Shellmo - our cabin stays warm even at temperatures outside below freezing. Our sleeping loft stays about 2-3 degrees higher so we have to be careful not to get the downstairs too warm. Without our stove we couldn't enjoy our cabin all year round.
For Denise - Our flue works well on starting, unless the chimney pipe needs cleaning. If smoke comes out the door on on lighting it is a sign we need to clean out the creosote soon. Wayne goes up on the roof to clean the exterior pipe about once a month in the heavy use winter months. We disassemble the inside pipe about every 2-3 months because less buildup occurs there.
For Elaine - We got our cap at Rona here in Powell River. There are several on the web of the same basic design that should do the same thing or check your local building supply for fireplace store.
And Justin - I'm sure we will. Give us a honk as you go by.
Margy
You have two elbows in your chimney reducing the draft. A chimney going straight up through the roof would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ben
These wind vane caps actually cause a low pressure area to be created on the lee side, improving chimney draft. When properly designed, they also prevent horizontal wind-driven rain from coming down the chimney.
ReplyDeleteIf I try and light it with kindle, the fire isn't hot enough to warm the flue...and out rolls the smoke! Bill cleans our flue and woodburner just about every 3 months.
ReplyDeleteYou have two elbows in your chimney reducing the draft, I hope that helmet works for you!
ReplyDelete