What is a chimney cowl and why do I need one?
Chimney cowls prevent downdraught and that’s extremely important because a severe case can pose a risk to the health of building occupants if it goes unchecked. Downdraught occurs when there’s not enough draw in the chimney stack or flue to pull the smoke and fumes up and out of the top.
How do you install a chimney cowl without removing the pot?
Pot hanging cowls are designed to be installed without removing the chimney pot. They simply sit on top, are connected to the flue liner and then secured in place with three straps which hang down from the main body of the cowl. Another type of easy-to-install chimney cowl are ‘weathering caps’.
Do you need a cowl for a wood burner?
There is no obligation to use a cowl, but it is clear that they can have a lot of positive impacts for the home, and for how your wood burner works. Of course, you’ll want to bring in a professional to fit these cowls on top of the chimney.
How do I stop birds from roosting in my Chimney?
You can purchase an anti-roosting spike for your cowl that will prevent birds from making your chimney their home or a chimney rain cowl that will prevent water and downdraughts from traveling down your chimney without prohibiting you from using the stove.
Why put a cowl on a chimney?
Generally fitted to the top of the chimney pot, it's the job of a chimney cowl to help increase the draft of the chimney, prevent downdraft, prevent the elements from entering the chimney and prevent birds or squirrels nesting in the chimney cavity.
Are chimney cowls a good idea?
The primary reason for installing a chimney cowl is for the prevention of downdraught. Downdraught is caused by negative air pressure, which can be a result of anything from overhanging trees to a too-short chimney. This causes air to be forced back down the chimney and into your room.
Does a chimney cowl improve draw?
Chimney cowls can increase draw . This can sometimes be solved by warming up the chimney (by burning some newspaper inside the chimney) as cold air can often act as a plug in the chimney preventing the hot air from rising.
What happens if you don't have a cap on your chimney?
Without a chimney cap in place, all manner of debris can build up in your chimney. With the risk of the flue becoming blocked, leading to smoke and carbon monoxide back drafting into the home. Or When you light your first fire of the season, that debris can go up in flames and wind up catching your house on fire.
What stops rain coming down a chimney?
Every chimney has some type of cover or crown that aims to prevent rain from dropping directly down the chimney. Most chimney crowns have angled surfaces designed to divert rain off their surfaces and away from the chimney.
How do I stop wind blowing down my chimney?
The simple answer is: stick a 'Sheep' in it! The thick layer of wool will muffle the sound. It will also cut off the flow of air that is being caused by the stack effect, diminishing the noise of roaring air as it flows up the chimney.
What chimney cowl is best?
What are our best selling anti-downdraught chimney cowls? The Colt Top Cowl. If you burn gas or oil then Colt Top Cowl for all fuels is for you but if you only burn wood or coal in an open fire or if it is a multi-fuel or woodburning stove then the slightly cheaper Colt Top cowl for solid Fuels .
How long does a chimney cowl last?
What is the life expectancy of a cowl? Colt cowls are manufactured to the highest quality and so can be expected to operate for many years. In fact over 4 million Colt Cowls have been successfully installed since 1931 and a huge number are still there decades later!
How do you stop Backdraft in a chimney?
How to Prevent Chimney DowndraftShut Off Exhaust Fans: When your fireplace is in use, turn off your exhaust fans, as they naturally increase negative pressure by pulling air out of the house.Adjust Your Damper: If your damper is warped, you might need to adjust it slightly to get the right airflow.More items...•
Does rain go into chimneys?
One of the most common reasons for rain to leak into a chimney is physical damage or wear and tear to the chimney. The portion of your chimney that extends outside of your home faces near constant exposure to the elements, including rain, snow, high wind, and sun exposure.
How does rain not go down a chimney?
The chimney cap prevents rain from entering chimneys or fireplaces, despite the angle it falls. There would have to be a lot of downward water pressure for a fireplace to get quenched when it's raining. However, if there are no leaks in the chimney, the moisture will be unable to penetrate.
Is it normal for rain to drip down chimney?
Rainwater trickling into your fireplace is not normal. In fact, it is a telltale sign that there is an issue within your chimney system. The chimney is a much more complicated structure than most people realize. For this reason, pinpointing the exact source of the leak can be challenging.
Are Spinning cowls any good?
Yes, the Windkat works very well with open fires and as it also works as a passive ventilation system, it can prevent cold air coming down the chimney even when there is no fire in the hearth.
Do blocked up chimneys need vents?
Yes, chimneys need to breathe, even if they won't be used anymore. The vast majority of problems with chimneys are related to moisture, and that's the issue as regards ventilation. If there is no air flow in the chimney, moisture gets trapped and deterioration of the chimney structure will be accelerated.
Will a chimney cap stop downdraft?
A chimney cap can stop downdrafts from entering the home. Downdrafts can cause your home to fill with smoke. Especially in windy areas, a chimney cap can be extremely beneficial in helping to make the home more energy efficient. Cold blasts of air are prevented from entering into homes equipped with a chimney cap.
How do you stop Backdraft in a chimney?
How to Prevent Chimney DowndraftShut Off Exhaust Fans: When your fireplace is in use, turn off your exhaust fans, as they naturally increase negative pressure by pulling air out of the house.Adjust Your Damper: If your damper is warped, you might need to adjust it slightly to get the right airflow.More items...•
What is a cowl on a chimney?
A cowl is usually made from red clay or metals such as aluminium and stainless steel. It is fitted to the chimney pot and can serve several different functions. They are designed to prevent downdraught (i.e. smoke travelling back down the chimney into your home), avoid birds and other animals from blocking the chimney by building a nest or dying inside, and to guard against rain and snow entering the chimney.
How does a chimney cowl work?
The primary reason for installing a chimney cowl is for the prevention of downdraught. Downdraught is caused by negative air pressure, which can be a result of anything from overhanging trees to a too-short chimney. This causes air to be forced back down the chimney and into your room.
How can I improve my chimney draught?
The ultimate way to ensure that a problem with chimney downdraught is solved is to install an appropriate anti-downdraught chimney cowl. This will ensure that smoke and gases flow up the chimney and keep the fire burning beautifully and safely.
How should I choose the right chimney cowl for an open fire?
So for wood burning fireplaces and stoves, we recommend a solid fuel stainless steel chim ney cowl for longer-lasting, efficient functionality.
Do you need a cowl for a wood-burning stove?
Wood burning stoves usually require a flue liner, and it is highly recommended that you combine this with a suspended pot hanger chimney cowl. In any case, a cowl is a good idea for eliminating blockages and downdraughts which can cause problems with your wood-burning stove.
What is the purpose of a chimney cowl?
Anti-downdraught. As discussed above, the main purpose of a chimney cowl is to prevent downdraught. Downdraught is not just a nuisance, it can actually be dangerous to you and your family. As well as creating unpleasant odours in your home, ...
Why do chimneys have anti downdraught cowls?
This causes air to be forced back down the chimney and into your room. An anti-downdraught chimney cowl works to prevent smoke travelling back down the chimney, but the type of cowl you need in order to effectively prevent downdraught depends on the reason the downdraught is happening.
What different types of chimney cowl are available?
There are several types of chimney co wl available, depending on the issue you are looking to resolve. You can see from the list below that there are chimney cowls to overcome almost every scenario.
What is a spark arrestor cowl?
Spark Arrestor cowls are a form of chimney cowl designed to reduce and eliminate the emission of sparks from the chimney, which could cause damage and ignite fires. Spark Arrestor chimney cowls are particularly beneficial on thatched roofs, where a small spark could ignite the whole roof causing serious damage.
What is a bird guard chimney?
Birdguards are one of the simplest forms of chimney cowl available . They are typically mesh shaped to prevent animals from entering the chimney space, whilst still allowing air to flow in and out of the chimney easily. There is a host of different birdguard chimney cowls available, depending on the type of chimney you have.
Why do you need a chimney cowl?
Why do I need a chimney cowl? Chimney cowls prevent downdraught and that’s extremely important because a severe case can pose a risk to the health of building occupants if it goes unchecked. Downdraught occurs when there’s not enough draw in the chimney stack or flue to pull the smoke and fumes up and out of the top.
What is a wind cat chimney cowl?
Windkat chimney cowls are often considered the market-leading product that combines a chimney pot and chimney cowl. An eye-catching yet functional design, the Windkat chimney cowls create the perfect solution that does not rely on the wind to draw air. Instead it creates a constant draw to provide an efficient and steady fire. Additionally, the Windkat chimney cowl stops downdraught, ensuring your home is safe and free from smoke and dangerous gases.
What is an H cowl?
H Cowls are another popular form of a chimney cowl. They have been designed to specifically combat the issue of downdraught, stabilising the draught and preventing smoke and potentially dangerous gases from being forced back into your home. In the shape of an H, it allows gases to escape by ensuring that downdraught cannot be forced straight down and into the chimney. It would instead have to pass around 90-degree bends.
What is an aspirotor?
The Aspirotor is a metal chimney cowl that has a contemporary and effective design . The stainless-steel chimney cowl is designed to act like a turbine, with the wind catching the cowl and rotating it. This rotation increases the draw of air up the flue, which improves the efficiency of the fire. At the same time, the Aspirotor prevents any unwanted birds or animals from entering the flue system and minimises the amount of water that can enter the chimney too.
What Do Chimney Cowls Do?
In layman’s terms, cowls primarily are designed to prevent downdrafts, as well as promoting a healthier environment at the same time. Cowls can end up being a vital part of your property if you want to light fires and ensure that you are going to have the best experience possible.
Do Chimney Cowls Reduce Draft?
One of the biggest reasons to get a chimney cowl installed is the fact that it can reduce drafts that plague the home. Often, if there is a strong wind outside, you can get a draft that blows down the chimney chute and floods out into your living room. This makes the room colder and less comfortable, not to mention the fact that it can be a nuisance when trying to get a fire set up. A high quality anti downdraught cowl will work wonders here.
What is a cowl on a wood stove?
Cowls are metal ventilators that sit on the top of chimney pots; they are an optional accessory that comes with wood burners. There is no obligation to use a cowl, but it is clear that they can have a lot of positive impacts for the home, and for how your wood burner works. Of course, you’ll want to bring in a professional to fit these cowls on top ...
How to keep smoke out of living room?
It is vital to ensure that your home smells nice as often as possible, and this is one of the reasons to keep smoke out of the living room. Fitting a cowl on top of the chimney is an excellent way of preventing the smoke from flowing back down the chimney and into the house.
Why do you need cowls?
Cowls can end up being a vital part of your property if you want to light fires and ensure that you are going to have the best experience possible.
Can a chimney cowl leak rain?
However, not having chimney co wls fitted can result in rain leaking through the chimney and into the home. Rain entering the chimney flue system can become a significant problem long-term and might lead to all kinds of problems, including causing the stove or wood burner to rust. If you can get a cowl fitted as a rain guard, ...
Can birds nest in chimneys?
A big problem that a lot of homeowners have is dealing with birds nesting in the roof, or, in some cases, in the chimney. This is actually more common than people think, and it can cause quite a few issues, not to mention threatening the safety of the bird! You don’t want the bird falling into the wood burner, and you don’t want a distressed creature flapping around in your home. Fitting the right kind of chimney bird guard prevents the chances of birds nesting in your chimney, and gives you a chimney chute that is free from problems.
What is a chimney cowl?
A chimney cowl is a chimney cowl right? Well, there’s a bit more to it than that. Let us explain…
Why should you use a chimney cowl with a stove?
Now that we’ve established exactly what a chimney cowl is, you might be wondering if you need one for your stove at home.
How much do chimney cowls cost?
If this article has convinced you of the benefits of chimney cowls, you may be wondering how much you’ll have to pay for one.
What is Dura flue weathering cap?
Designed to be held in place with a chimney flue liner, this Dura Flue Weathering Cap will prevent the elements from getting into your chimney cavity and causing expensive repair bills.
How to reduce downdraft on stove?
Of course, you can reduce or eliminate chimney downdraft entirely by installing an anti-downdraft chimney cowl atop your chimney. Doing this is one of the most effective ways of improving the performance of your stove.
What is a weathering cap on a chimney?
Another type of easy-to-install chimney cowl are ‘weathering caps’. These are caps which attach to the end of a flue system. As they are a wider diameter than the chimney pot or cavity, they simply sit atop the chimney. The weight of the attached flue system ensures that the weathering cap remains in place.
Why is my stove not burning?
Chimney downdraft is one of the most common causes of poorly burning stoves. As the name suggests, chimney downdraft is where air is blown intermittently back down the chimney cavity.
What is the purpose of a chimney cowl?
Another reasonably basic function of a chimney cowl is to stop birds and other animals getting down a chimney and into your house.
Why do chimneys have cowls?
Chimney cowls prevent downdraught. Downdraught is caused by negative air pressure at the top of a chimney. This can be due to many factors and is not a precise science. These factors can include nearby buildings, overhanging trees, swirling wind conditions, chimneys that stop short of the apex of the roof and many more.
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When was the chimney cowl invented?
We have more experience than anyone in solving chimney problems. The Colt Cowl, invented in 1931, was the first commercially successful anti downdraught chimney cowl. In the last 80+ years over 3 million have been successfully installed.
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What is a spinning chimney cowl?
Spinning chimney cowls are perfect for houses that are situated in hilly regions which make them the likeliest victims for downdrafts.
Why do you need a chimney cowl?
Although one of the very purposes of installing a chimney cowl is to prevent birds from making their nests in chimney pots , some designs actually attract birds to do just that. The round, balloon-shaped cowl chimney cowl is among the least expensive on the market, designed so that you only need to insert the cowl into the chimney.
How to stop birds from hanging around chimney?
To permanently solve your problem of birds meddling with your chimneys, install a cowl that effectively disco urages them from hanging around. Try the conical cowl, which has a geometric design makes it terribly difficult for birds to sit on top of it.
What is the purpose of articles being reviewed?
To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.
Can you use a chimney cowl once installed?
Chimney Cowls for Active Chimneys. You must be able to select the right chimney cowl for your chimney. Some chimneys can not be used once a cowl is installed. This is because the cowl covers the entire pot so there is nowhere for the smoke and gasses to pass through.
Can you use a spike on a chimney to prevent birds from roosting?
You can purchase an anti-roosting spike for your cowl that will prevent birds from making your chimney their home or a chimney rain cowl that will prevent water and downdraughts from traveling down your chimney without prohibiting you from using the stove.
How do rotary cowlings work?
Rotary cowlings are designed to spin in the wind that may be causing a down draught and in doing so cause an up draught. There are some downsides to these;#N#• They must be cleaned which means occasionally someone has the unenviable job of climbing on the roof to reach them.#N#• If the axel is even the tiniest bit bent then they will be very noisy and spin of axis.#N#• They only work in the presence of the wind#N#• Eventually they will stop spinning and require replacing#N#• They only work on wind induced down draughts and serve no benefit when the down draught is caused by positive pressure down draughts from being in a high pressure zone. Extending the termination beyond the high pressure zone is the recommended action for these.
What is a louvred pot?
Louvred pots are used to stop rain running done the flue, and can be identified as the gap in the louvre is quite large and they are often formed as part of the pot. They must not be confused with GC gas cowlings that look similar but are absolutely not suitable for solid fuel. GC Cowls have a number for identifying them GC3, GC4 etc the number usually relates to the size of the cowling and the air it can flow. Remember GC cowlings are NOT suitable for solid fuel, some decorative fuel effect gas fires require chimneys that are as large as those require for solid fuel. It is important that sweeps always insist gas appliances are serviced immediately after sweeping by a gas safe engineer to ensure the relevant rules are met and the customer is safe.
What is the best way to terminate a chimney?
A regular chimney pot is usually best. A standard terracotta cannon or roll top chimney pot that is correctly sized is usually the very best way to terminate a chimney. They are made of terracotta, have low wind resistance, are strong, last many years and most importantly do not impede the flow of Flue gases as there is no change of direction.
What should be raised if any of these disused chimney terminals are fitted to a live chimney you are working?
A warning notice should be raised if any of these disused chimney terminals are fitted to a live chimney you are working on.
How does smoke affect cowlings?
Some cowlings in some ways act as an additional 90 deg bend as the smoke is forced to change direction at a right angle before it can exit to the atmosphere. Smoke also quickly cools as it hits the cold metal mesh and the top of the cowl causing creosote deposition within. The cleanliness of cowlings must be checked with binoculars after sweeping.
How small can a stove cowl be?
One exception to the above is top hanging Cowls connected to a liner and attached to a stove. These can be as small as 5” 125mm internal diameter for some Defra exempted stoves however 6” 150mm is more typical.
What is the most secure cowling?
Strap fixing , this is by far the most secure and what sweeps typically recommend as it reinforces the pot and cannot easily be swept off. Bolt fixing : These types of cowling are not favoured by many, the bolts pull the pot from the inside often opening cracks. They are also very easy to sweep off.
What are flue cowls made of?
Our standard cowls are made from steel and can be secured with self-tapping screws or by cementing in place at the top of the chimney stack. We also offer a range of gas cowls and multi fuel cowls . These are offered in various designs and colour options, with most being secured via a metal strap. If downdrafts are of a concern, anti downdraft cowls could be the right choice. Options include flat cowls that sit very close to the top of the chimney, or rotary cowls which spin to help improve air movement. Another option offered by Flue Supplies is our collection of flue liner cowls . These cowls provide a one-piece solution for securing the chimney liner to the top of the stack and are especially useful where a clay pot is being used as there is no need to remove the pot itself.
What is the purpose of chimney flue?
One essential aim is to improve the function of chimney flue in drawing air up from the fire or. woodburner below so as to enable smoke to quickly escape. Other functions are to prevent. downdraughts, prevent debris entering the flue and of course to prevent birds nesting.
What is a chimney cowl?
Chimney cowls are devices fitted to the top of a chimney stack, usually made of metal, plastic, terracotta or mesh and has several functions from safety through to improving performance of the. chimney.
What are downdraughts in a flue?
downdraughts, prevent debris entering the flue and of course to prevent birds nesting.
Why is a chimney important for birds?
A chimney is a perfect nesting location for birds, and that causes many issues. First, it will prevent
What is a bird guard?
Bird guards as the name suggests, are designed specifically to prevent birds nesting in your chimney.
How are cowlings installed?
They are usually strapped, bolted of fitted using a sleeve . Most cowlings are installed using strapping which is very easy to do, and this allows them to be easily removed should they need to be replaced.
