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Chimney & Fireplace

What type of cowl is best?

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 2.58 PM

I have a straight, external chimney breast, with a chimney stack and a conventional chimney pot on a 20-year-old house. In very cold weather we find it very difficult to light a fire because it won't draw and the smoke falls back down the chimney. The only way we can get it going is to block 90% of the opening to create a draw and hold it for at least half an hour, sometimes more, to get the chimney breast warmed up. My questions are: * How effective could a cowl be in overcoming this problem? * What type of cowl is the most effective? * If it is a revolving type, do they need maintenance, can they be long-lasting and what materials should they be made of? * If there is a particular model that out-performs all the others I would be grateful for this information too.

Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?

2 Answers

Anonymous user

Hi You will probably find that during the cold weather when its hard to get your chimney to draw the wind is blowing in a certain direction. When it happens again find out the wind direction. Go to a good builders merchants and buy a clay bonnet insert then simply place the bonnet in the chimney pot with the open ends at 90 degrees to the troubling wind direction. Hope this helps TW Builders Poole

Answered21 March 2013

Anonymous user

The problem you have is that the stove is trying to heat a large internal area inside the chimney breast, because this is an external breast the stove is unable to produce enough heat to warm the chimney which is needed to produce a negative pressure or pull, thereby making it difficult to light the stove. I would recommend having a suitable liner fitted within the chimney along with vermiculite insulation and anti downdraught cowl. Simon. The Firehouse

Answered7 March 2017