- PENSACOLA SHOWROOM: 7555 Highway 98 West, Suite A, Pensacola, FL 32506
- DESTIN SHOWROOM: 36054 Emerald Coast Pkwy #100, Destin, FL 32541
To look at a chimney and watch it operate, it all seems pretty simple. But a lot more than you may realize goes into creating the chimney and building it in a way that lets it do its job safely, efficiently and correctly.
Doodlebuggers Fireplace, Grill & Outdoor Store of Pensacola, FL, and Destin, FL, would like to share some useful information about the anatomy of the modern chimney system.
Chimney anatomy: The parts you seeMasonry chimneys are built, ideally by a chimney mason, with bricks and mortar to create the outer housing through which smoke and gases are vented from the fireplace or other appliances.
Usually made of metal, a chimney chase is the housing that surrounds the vent pipe connected to a manufactured fireplace.
At the top of the chimney is the chimney crown, an angled concrete slab that keeps water and debris from getting into certain areas of the interior chimney. Crowns also protect the bricks beneath them.
A key component in efficient chimney operation is the chimney “top.” This may refer to a full-width chimney cap, a flue cover that protects only the flue opening, or a chase top for manufactured fireplace systems. These devices block rain, debris and small animals.
Flashing is the material that seals the gap between the roof and chimney. Its purpose is to prevent water from running down into unseen areas of the home, where it can cause deterioration in chimney masonry below the roof and adjacent home building materials.
A chimney liner is the interior tubing or channel that contains intense heat and dangerous gases, thus protecting the chimney masonry and the home itself. Liners can be made of stainless steel, clay tiles or poured-in-place compounds. By law, all chimneys built today must have chimney liners.
Smoke chambers sit just above the throat damper and serve to channel smoke and combustion gases up into the chimney liner. Built in a sort of upside-down triangle shape, smoke chambers must have smooth surfaces in order to efficiently manage smoke. Rough surfaces impede drafting and collect flammable creosote. More than half of all chimney fires are started by ignited creosote in the smoke chamber.
Above the smoke chamber is the smoke shelf. Its job is to collect water or debris that might have fallen into the flue. Its shelf-like design also helps to reduce downdrafts and keep smoke and ash from blowing out of the fireplace.
Throat dampers sit just above the firebox. They regulate air flow and control the level of a fire’s intensity. When closed, they prevent air exchange and the loss of conditioned air inside the home. Some damper styles are found at the top of chimneys and called “top-mount dampers” or “chimney dampers.”
These are the main components and parts of most modern chimney systems. Other components include:
Wythe: a protective masonry wall between dual chimneys.
Ash dump: an area for collecting fireplace ashes.
Clean-out opening: part of some chimney systems, it lets you manually remove debris.
Appliance connector: an assembly that allows for a furnace, water heater or other appliance to be connected to and vented through the chimney.
Doodlebuggers can help when any part of your chimney is damaged or not functioning correctly.
We provide a full menu of chimney repairs, component installations, chimney sweeping and licensed chimney inspections.Call and speak with a chimney expert today, or get in touch through our contact form.
