Installation series: 2/4 Cowls

[@paulshaw4382]

Very informative as always nice to get a better understanding of how flues and cowls can affect the running of stoves 🔥

[@williammckenna7420]

Excellent video thanks. I have weak draw issues with my stove. Westfield Uniq 21, flue exits from the rear at an angle then vertical, all twin wall but it's on a bungalow so can't to any higher without looking daft and need bracing to roof. I ended up fitting a powered draftbooster fan to top of flue. I only have to switch it on when lighting or refuelling stove. This has resolved all issues I was having, not ideal but it now works great. Thanks, great content on the channel.

[@TheTortoise]

That’s useful to know, thanks!

[@LoggyMah]

Chat GPT brought me here after asking for unbiased stove reviews and I have to say I’m happy I listened to the robot lol I find the person asking questions seems to reed my mind as the information starts to go over my head they ask good equations and they are answered well. Thank you

[@TheTortoise]

That’s incredible. AI scares the life out of me, so I’m encouraged that it’s on side! 😅

[@Derek_Garnham]

this is the most in-depth info on cowl performance that I've come across - cheers.

[@TheTortoise]

Hope it’s helpful.

[@Derek_Garnham]

should do, but then again I reckon some counter-intuitive factors are at play.

[@LRDefender1968]

Fascinating series guys, so interesting to actually find out how my stove works and all the components 😂 Kind regards Tony

[@pete6975]

Great vid guys. I find that very few of my customers have any clue how chimneys work. Many think that the expensive spinning cowl will solve everything. As you say, burn it hotter and/or make it taller. Looking forward to part 3👍

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks 👍

[@leeb3644]

Superb content as usual, this installation series is very interesting. I don’t have any issues fortunately and still loving my Holborn. I can only image the nightmare some folk have and the expense trying to rectify draw problems.

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks 👍

[@cindyharrison4191]

Now I'm scared. My stove will be installed Wednesday morning and it's costing £2,095. I only know what I've learnt from you. But at least I think I will know what to check for. 😅🤞🤞🤞

[@TheTortoise]

You’ll be fine. Exciting day tomorrow!

[@wobdeehomestead]

Over here across the pond many people oversized their stoves then have to run them too cool which causes draft problems. Also lots of oversized chimneys that need a proper sized liner. Oh then there’s lot of basement installs that always seem to have negative pressure issues.

[@TheTortoise]

Yea I’m keen to look closer at the US/Canadian market if I get the opportunity.

[@naturesmoments1297]

Good video and quite timely, this year encountered a problem using multi stove fitted with a back boiler. It only happens when very cold and wind blows lightly from the East filling the room with smoke when door is opened. Spoke to my neighbour today across the valley, had same problem for years even with briquettes (mines on seasoned wood ) - chimney is at top of ridge on two story cottage situated on hillside, chimney has been cleaned and checked, all good - can use it next day and its fine, I'll try extending the pot this summer as that's fairly easy to do although tricky to test as have to wait for Easterly wind during winter, any pointers appreciated, cheers

[@TheTortoise]

This very much sounds like a geographical cause rather than: Dodgy fuel Not swept etc Therefore changing the height is a very good first try. The other thing that is worth experimenting with is pressurising the room. You would do this by opening a window on the east side, so that the wind will balance the pressure in the room, which should solve the current imbalance. If that were to work, then you could consider venting the room on that side permanently.

[@naturesmoments1297]

Thanks for the helpful reply, going to pull out the scaffold tomorrow and try a 50cm extension. I did ponder on the merits of rear exit v top exit flues, mines a rear exit but it does feel like a long travel over a narrow boiler plate then out the back, also noticed most videos seem to feature top outlets, thanks again.

[@TheTortoise]

Top outlets make the smokes job much easier. So the stove will tend to be easier to light and use. Let us know how you get on.

[@naturesmoments1297]

Thought I would give a brief update in case anyone has similar problems, yesterday evening and today have been exceptionally bad despite trying smokeless coal briquettes - my thinking being it may not be up to temp on wood so give it a go, not sure if it was the type of briquettes (which have changed composition recently) but stove really struggled t get hot even with both vents fully open al of the time, this morning wind direction changed but still very low speed, made no difference at all but it did show up one anomaly, with the direction from NE the smoke drifted down into a field below the front of cottage, so it now rests maybe 10 meters lower than where cottage is situated - you can imagine that happening inside a chimney it would end up in the front room, which it has lol. Something else I tried whilst waiting for the rain to stop, put together 28mm tube with a 90 elbow at each end, one end goes up the flue the other exits the top flue (which is blocked as rear exhaust), added a air bed mattress pump in true Heath Robinson style, not a sausage, didn't create vacuum at all. Ladders are already on roof ready for the extension, given what's happened so far I'll try for the maximums 1.2m and see what happens. Keep you posted.

[@TheTortoise]

If it’s helpful to say, the new coal/smokeless fuel sadly doesn’t get anywhere near as hot as wood. Having said that, this is definitely a geographical issue rather than fuel. Pressurising the room with vents and raising heights are definitely where I would start. Ideally if you can (next time it’s happening) experiment with a roll of cardboard to work out what height you need. All the best.

[@macraghnaill3553]

I have an "anti down draught" cowl on my chimney as it's often very windy, on really bad days the heat gets sucked out of the stove, had the same problem with my gas fire before it was replaced with the stove

[@TheTortoise]

A flue draught stabiliser or damper are the best solutions to over drawing chimneys.

[@0044512]

Got a bonnet cap, designed for functional chimney and wanted to know should the opening orientation of the bonnet be north to south if prevailing wind is westerly with no obstruction? Thanks, enjoy the vids.

[@TheTortoise]

To be honest, whilst this is a sensible question, I have always leant towards ensuring the top looked right on the building. I’m probably just being really superficial, but the look and it being symmetrical would push me more than the prevailing wind. The reason for this is obviously winds change, and if the top has an issue with a certain wind direction I probably want to look at an alternative, rather than just twisting it to minimise the issue.

[@0044512]

Thank you, yup followed that and great and works great so far. I enjoy the videos.

[@opc8120]

I live on the side of a mountain in south Wales so it's windy here most of the time, as a result I had anti down draught cowls on both chimney pots, the pots are side by side and the same height. The problem I have is if I only light one stove the other stove draws the smoke back down and into the house so I have to always light both which obviously doubles the amount of fuel I'm using. I wonder if using another type of cowl would stop this happening?

[@TheTortoise]

That is definitely a difficult one. There is a chance a Lobster cowl might work, but I would start by experimenting with which one cause the issue. This unlikely full stop, but if it’s both, then that’s incredibly rare. Hopefully you find that it only happens in 1 orientation and if so, then you could do some experimentation with wind direction. The key thing is take time to properly diagnose (as accurately as possible) the issue. Once you’ve nailed it down as accurately as possible, then let me know and we should be able to solve it!

[@opc8120]

@@TheTortoise Thank you for the reply.

[@Mr47Ces]

While you're discussing various elements to improve stove use, do you intend to review stove top fans?

[@TheTortoise]

We sell a stove fan, but to be honest the best fans made are the real McCoy sold by (Caframo). All fans are essentially the same, but Caframo will supply spares which is an advantage as these things will eventually wear out.

[@robertpeel3087]

Great video thanks. What do you recommend for redundant chimneys and fireplaces in bedrooms etc? Our chimneys don’t have pots, they terminate at the stacks. It’s a tall house so the draw is good and we don’t have cowls. But we leak heat!!!

[@TheTortoise]

The best answer is block the fireplaces with a board (with a small vent in it to allow some air exchange). And then fit a chimney pot and chimney cap on top ideally.

[@Mr47Ces]

Much appreciated

[@GBUK01]

I need to find a solution for smoke puffing back into the room with my open fire during high winds. I have no liner and that red bird cage on the pot. Any suggestions??

[@TheTortoise]

Puffing down in high winds is likely best solved by a taller pot or something like a H pot or Vidette cowl.

[@GBUK01]

@@TheTortoise Thank you. I'll look into that.

[@philking9101]

Hi Gabriel, after a years of trying my best to run my fires, now a Fireview 9kw, as low as possible, I have a blackened cowl. Common opinion is to brush it from the inside, using a pro-kit and not a Typhoon. Any thoughts?

[@TheTortoise]

People will always have their favourite, but anything that spins can cause damage in the wrong hands. Best advice is (whatever you use), don’t get too rough. Best to take twice as long, and not do damage, and perhaps run your stove a bit hotter too 😅

[@bobp6742]

I've been watching your channel for awhile for tips before i bought a multi fuel stove. I've got it installed now, just watching this video and totally off topic, I noticed you had your logs that seemed to be above the secondary burn nozzles, I could be wrong. In the instructions with my stove it stated not to put logs in front or above the secondary burners which are only 6 inches high in the stove. What's your thoughts on this. I admit i have put logs on front of the nozzles and end up with lots of holes blasted through the log, but doesn't seem to effect the burn time.

[@TheTortoise]

It can cause over firing, and faster burns. Ordinarily you wouldn’t put fuel above the tertiary holes, but you may when lighting the stove or if the log happens to be slightly awkward and ends up slightly above them. Generally you ideally intend to avoid it where possible.

[@bobp6742]

@@TheTortoise Thanks for your reply. My logs are a bit on the large size 🤣

[@alexcharles4069]

Hi Gabriel, regarding pot hanger cowls; do these trap moisture between the stack and the liner? As chimneys naturally soak and absorb some rain water, I imagine they would take much longer to dry out than if the stack had a free flow of air, particularly if the chimney isn’t regularly used. I have two pot hanging cowls and two standard cowls on my 4 flues, but I’m thinking pot hangers may not be such a great idea!

[@TheTortoise]

It depends how things have been installed. There is no reason why a pot hanger should be worse if installed correctly. When pot hangers aren’t used the chimney will get sealed in with cement or a top plate, so you rely on the stack being vented which is good practice with standard cowls and pot hangers, so there shouldn’t really be any difference.

[@stephenjose1472]

Correct , build chimneys properly in the first place , if you cannot then don't fit stove .

[@EddRandomCrap]

I’ve just got a “China mans hat”😬