Chimney downdraft

[Wolfie]

Hoping that there may be an ex gas engineer in Arbtalk world.

 

Got a nice client who loves her trees but is persistently bullied by her neighbour who doesn't like the trees close to their boundary.

They now reckon that during the recent strong winds the cedar tree closest to their chimney created a wind vortex causing a downdraft and setting off their monoxide alarm.

 

Anyone know whether this is feasible or just baloney.

[Stubby]

Nasty business

[mark_goldfinch]

Haven't got a tree above my chimney but the other week had abit of rain and fairly strong wind with the log burner going in the lounge and smoke was traveling nicely to the stack but being forced back down the other pot into the bedroom. Much to my mrs dismay. So yeah it is possible. Got a cowl fitted to the other pots now so don't have any issues. Just to make sure it wasn't the chimney structure at fault I borrowed the thermal image Camara from the station and checked the internal walls for excess heat. So yeah it's possible just doesn't happen often.

[Logrod]

It'd be almost impossible to prove that the tree was related to the downdraft. I'm not saying it couldn't have an impact but the chances are there'd have been a downdraft with or without the tree in the strong winds but even with top computer modelling you wouldn't stand any chance of proving it either way.

[Wolfie]

It'd be almost impossible to prove that the tree was related to the downdraft. I'm not saying it couldn't have an impact but the chances are there'd have been a downdraft with or without the tree in the strong winds but even with top computer modelling you wouldn't stand any chance of proving it either way.

 

This was my thought also, that it was probably just due to the strong wind in general.

 

Thanks for the responses guys.

[niftysteve]

You can get an anti down draught cowl

[detritus21]

Carbon monoxide it more an issue of incomplete combustion. I'd be more worried about having the fire tested if it was gas. Trees may cause a downdraft but really the gas fire should be through a cowl even though many aren't. In my opinion it is not the right thing to remove the tree if other avenues haven't been explored first (unless the person whose tree it is wants it removing)

[sasha.p]

I know plumbers use smoke tablets to test how well a draw is on the chimney if there is a risk of carbon monoxide it needs addressing I would be very doubtfull of it being tree related more a structure issue only somebody who is qaulified for chimney installations would be able to tell really if anything a tree being there should protect the chimney from strong winds by sheltering it so I would think it is more an issue of the draw on the chimney itself that needs addressing.

[spudulike]

I fitted a damn expensive German WindKat cowl, gotta say that it works a treat and solved many of our bad draft problems!

 

Got mine off eBay and fitted myself - electric angle grinder 40' up on the roof cutting the top of the chimney off. They do have some funky fitting options!

[burrell_]

hope it ent the tree i no in st ives mate if so it sound like its getting messy