A few years ago we put in a more efficient fireplace insert and a new chimney liner. When they did this they put a rain cap with wire mesh on top of the chimney. The problem I have is that the wire mesh builds up so fast with creo. What options are out there to prevent this? Just take the cap off and leave it off in the winter?
I don’t know about options for you but birds can often warm themselves on the rim of the exposed pipe, asphyxiate and fall into the area above the flue. Stink like crazy when a fire is going or lit.
I guess you could take it off, but like Tom said. Birds will fall in. Squirrels like to explore chimneys too, and birds will also build nests in there. Can you run your fireplace hotter to keep the buildup down?
What wood do you burn? If you use pine or other resinous woods you will get creosote. Burn hardwoods – oak, ash, elm. They leave far less creosote in the chimney and on the cap.
Burn only good hardwoods. Problem solved
Only wood I burn is oak and it is hot. No way to keep the wire mesh hot enough.
Can you use a bigger mesh with bigger holes?
All I can say I burned wood for 25 years never had anything fall into my chimney, take it off. my 2 cents.
I was thinking the same thing of trying bigger holes. Last year it plugged up and I had to pull it off and clean it towards the end of the season, thought I could make it through this year but it is looking pretty blocked. With the new liners you don’t have a traditional cleanout, if something did go down the chimney I would have to pull the insert out to get to it. For this reason I think i am going to keep something there.
All I can say I burned wood for 25 years never had anything fall into my chimney, take it off. my 2 cents.
All I can say is I’ve burned wood for 40 years, and so has my neighbors with a rain cap and wire mesh. And I (we) or anyone I know has never had an issue or problem with creosote on the wire mesh.
Inside the chimney…yes, can build up and cause a chimney fire but never have I heard the mesh screen being a problem.
Maybe I’ve just had my head in the sand? 
Last year it plugged up and I had to pull it off and clean it towards the end of the season, thought I could make it through this year but it is looking pretty blocked.
I’ve never heard of anyone having this problem before?
My neighbors burn wood all day every day, never had their mesh screens even close to being blocked.
What size mesh is it?
I don’t really get anything inside the chimney, just the screen. I would guess it is about 1 inch holes.
I put one of those caps on when we first bought our house to keep critters out. It came off half way through the first winter. Had one sparrow in my chimney in 20 years. Not a huge concern for me. More birds have died at my place flying into my front picture window.
I’ve heard this happening to others in the past as well. The mesh size and metal thickness is a big contributor. Bigger openings and thinner metal is what you want. Thinner metal is easier to heat up which keeps the metal from condensating.
When they pulled in the new liner I am pretty sure they didn’t insulate it. I have been thinking of taking the insert out to insulate the liner and punch a hole in the back for a fresh air intake.
I had a squirrel and a wood duck come down my chimney (2 stories) before putting the cap on top 20 years ago. The wood duck ended up in my basement when we were up to the cabin for the weekend. My father in law let it out the first time. I laughed at him and told him I didn’t believe him. Went up next weekend and it got in again during the week. That little thing covered everything in my basement with green runny crap. Let it out again and put a cap on the chimney. We don’t burn fires that often but haven’t had any build up on the cap.
Can you call a chimney sweep guy and get their opinion? Sounds like you may have a problem with your chimney and not so much with the cap.
Something is not right the way the fire is burning or exhausting! If you are burning good dry oak and keeping a hot fire there is no good reason to have that much build up. I heat with wood and have for years and never once had to clean my cap and it’s 1/4″ screen.
It’s foolish to run with no cap IMO. Way too many things to go wrong.
It is a newer insert that meets Obamas emissions law/rule that was put in place. The older fireplaces let a lot of heat out the chimney and keep it hotter, this newer one keeps a lot more of the heat in the house and I am guessing the chimney runs colder. On the plus side the cold month we had in Nov. my gas bill was only $45. Looks like I may pull it off this weekend to clean it, I’ll take a look and see if there is anything else I can do…..or maybe buy a 2nd one and can just change it out so only 1 trip up and down.
It is a newer insert that meets Obamas emissions law/rule that was put in place. T
That very well may be the problem 
Is it a fireplace or a wood stove? My wood stove is newer and quite efficient with after burn technology, but wood stoves and fireplaces are 2 totally different things. I can understand if it’s a fireplace with the new emissions crap. I don’t like it, but I get it.
It is a fireplace insert, no cat but it does recirculate to burn the gases 2 times prior to going out the chimney, typically the lower end inserts use a cat and they can plug if not kept hot enough.
I did some google searching and this is pretty common especially if it is colder like we get around here. Not sure there us much I can do besides what has already been discussed.
We have a Jotul Rockland fireplace insert – also an EPA compliant insert. They put a 6″ stainless liner (insulated) in when we had the insert installed (I think it was 2010). I would guess about 25′ of chimney and we have never had the screen on the cap clog up.
We typically go through about 1.5 cords of dry hardwood a winter.
We have a Jotul Rockland fireplace insert – also an EPA compliant insert. They put a 6″ stainless liner (insulated) in when we had the insert installed (I think it was 2010). I would guess about 25′ of chimney and we have never had the screen on the cap clog up.
We typically go through about 1.5 cords of dry hardwood a winter.
I am pretty sure insulating it would help, it is a brick chimney on the north side of the house. If I pull the insert I will insulate it. We have had ours burning 5-7 days a week since Nov.
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