Thank you QuickBpBp - or, Ed becomes Dick Van Dyke

[Dibbons]

We burned a lot of wood growing up, one ranch home was heated via fireplace. One evening we heard a load roar, Dad recognized it as a chimney fire. From outside we could see glowing embers shooting out from the top of the chimney. It burned itself out after a short time.

This is no joke: I read years ago that chimney sweeps had an abnormally high rate of scrotum cancer compared to the general male population, so I like to farm that cleaning task out to someone else

 

[Budnicks]

good thing to check & do if needed

 

[coloradodave]

my house was built in 1976 and have no idea what the code was back then but I just know my fireplace does not work very well with a North Wind and that sucks unless the fire is going really well.

This has been the code for many, many years: If the chimney flue (opening) is within 10 feet of the peak, the chimney has to extend 2 feet higher than the peak. If it's farther than 10 feet from the peak, it has to extend 2 feet higher than a point on the roof 10 feet away.
If you know your roof pitch it's easy to figure the correct height. For instance, if the chimney is more than 10 feet from the peak on a 6/12 pitch roof, a point on the roof 10 feet away would mean the chimney would have to extend 6 (pitch) X 10 (distance) + 24", or a total of 84" for good draft and safety from combustibles. A 12/12 pitch roof would need 12 X 10 + 24" or a total of 144" (12'). A flat roof? 2 feet total.
As far as wind caps, sometimes they work great, other times, not at all. First get the height right. If that doesn't do it, try making a 3" tinfoil lintel extension (tightly taping a piece of tinfoil against the top of the fireplace opening to effectively lower the opening height. Should definitely help increase draft. If that works, they are available online in a ready made adjustable width piece. If the problem persists, I had more success with a "dutchman's' cap than anything else. Anything that turns is a maintenance problem. Here's a picture of a 'fancy' dutchman's cap. Any good hardware store should have the cheap galvanized version. They're not hard to make. Set it so the flat side is blocking the North wind. Good luck and let us know if you get it solved.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hy-c+smo...K6T21&sprefix=Hy-C,aps,213&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_4

 

[Cranky]

I did place a piece of aluminum to the top of the opening and that did help but it also restricted access for placing logs inside. Since I'm by myself now, it just doesn't get burned much anymore and I like a cool house anyways. Woke up this morning to a hallway temp (where the thermostat is for the central heat) of 66 and with the setting at 66, the heat never came on. The central heat is electric and so far my highest light bill has been 114 and that's with running the machines and lights in the shop. January is usually colder but last year the bill wasn't much higher and since I'm not in the house all that much, the fireplace doesn't matter all that much to me anymore. There is an oil filled electric radiator in the formal living/dining room which was converted to a big office and prairie dog room and so long as that's in the low 70's, all is well....