Many people think of the chimney pot as an old-fashioned part of a house that no longer has any real purpose for homes that are heated by gas and electricity. But in fact, the chimney pot has a future as an architectural feature, giving character and beauty to a house, almost like an accessory. In addition, they can also be used on older houses to transform the chimney into a ventilation system. So how do you know what chimney pot and chimney pot cowl to use on your house?
How chimney pots are made
Traditional chimney pots are one area of construction that hasn't changed much since the 1800s, they are handmade by a craftsman in most cases. Usually a chimney pot is made either by being thrown on a wheel or created from a mould then hand finished by an artisan. The pot then needs to dry for several days before being put into a kiln and fired at temperatures, normally exceeding 2000 degrees.
Kilns are one area of the process that has seen modernisation to allow for a more efficient production line, though the coal fired type of years gone by are still in use in some areas. Modern kilns tend to move the chimney pots through themselves with a conveyor belt, a little like pizzas in a commercial pizza oven. After they come out, the pots are left to dry for several days.
What are cowls?
In addition to the chimney pot itself, the other main feature of the system is the chimney pot cowl. This is put on the top of the chimney to stop animals and birds entering the chimney and also from nesting on top of it. They often stop rain and snow from travelling down the chimney and a special wire mesh was often added to prevent the chance of burning debris rising from the chimney and setting fire to the roof.
Another type of chimney pot cowl is called a wind directional cap. This is shaped like a helmet on the top of the chimney and moves around with the wind. It is designed to stop the wind from blowing smoke back down the chimney or to prevent the wind itself blowing down the flue. An H-style cap is a cowl shaped like the letter H, one of the oldest ideas to stop winds blowing the smoke back into the house. It fell out of favour due to its bulkiness but has seen a resurgence due to its energy saving functionality.
Choosing a chimney pot
The first consideration when choosing a chimney pot and chimney pot cowl is the look of both your house and the area you live in. In fact, there are even certain designs and styles that are associated with specific areas of the country, such as the Halifax Windguard and the Carlisle Blowdown
(Check out our range of Chimney Pots Here).
If you are looking to replace a chimney or add one to an older building, the age and style of the building will often dictate what works best. Heritage organisations such as the National Trust and English Heritage can also provide information about what is the traditional style for particular areas and types of building.
Should the chimney pot be serving as part of an active system, then the size of the flue in the house will have a bearing on the size of the chimney pot. This is because the area of the outlet needs to be the same as the area of the flue area to ensure the system works properly. If smoke blows back into the house, this is usually because the system doesn't work properly together.
Choosing a cowl
The choice of the chimney pot cowl again depends on the use of the chimney (Have a look at our selection of Cowls here). If it is purely for cosmetic reasons, then the addition of a cowl if desired can be based on how it looks. If you are adding the chimney pot to a working system, then the type of fuel in use can have a relevance on the cowl. Most cowls are now made from steel and are attached with special screws or cement. Anti-downdraft cowls are important to stop smoke blowing back into the house and come in flat options that sit close to the chimney pot or rotating versions that move with the wind direction.
