What are the spinning things on chimneys?

A cowl is a usually hood-shaped covering used to increase the draft of a chimney and prevent backflow. The cowl, usually made of galvanized iron, is fitted to the chimney pot to prevent wind blowing the smoke back down into the room below.

How does a rotating cowl work?

Another type of cowl is called a rotating spinning chimney cowl. These use the force of the wind to spin a turbine like device, increasing draft. It basically creates a vacuum in your chimney, sucking fresh air up the flue and expelling it outside your home.

Is a chimney cowl necessary?

Chimney cowls are some of the most useful chimney accessories you can get, and though not essential, they are necessary for protecting the home and making the most of your wood burner.

What does a chimney cowl do?

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. As you can see, they do quite a lot!

How long should 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 a many years. In fact over 4 million Colt Cowls have been successfully installed since 1931 and a huge number are still there decades later!

What does a spinning chimney cowl do?

Spinning Chimney Cowls Revolving (spinning) chimney cowls are designed to cure the problems caused by downdraught. The cowl spins, either when the wind blows, or when your appliance is burning well, when the heat on the underside of the cowl will make it spin.

How should I choose the right chimney cowl for my fireplace?

How should I choose the right chimney cowl for an open fire? When solid fuel is burned, it gives off more corrosive chemicals than gas, and reaches higher temperatures. So for wood burning fireplaces and stoves, we recommend a solid fuel stainless steel chimney cowl for longer-lasting, efficient functionality.

What is an anti-downdraught chimney cowl?

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.

How do I stop birds from nesting in my Chimney?

Try the conical cowl, which has a geometric design makes it terribly difficult for birds to sit on top of it. One type of chimney cowl revolves, helping to increase draft inside your chimney flue which consequently retards the action of “puff downs” or downdrafts.