On Tue, 24 May 2022 19:02:00 +0000, Nash123
<39ad9e17904971843cdd4fa6b54c7656@example.com> wrote:

>I was considering a chimney cap for my house. Our chimney is only connected to a oil furnace. I live in New England and we get heavy snow. I'm concerned the chimney cap will get clogged by snow. Are chimney caps a bad idea for my situation?

Our upstate-NY house was built with a fireplace, but no chimney cap.
First time we lit a fire, the house filled with smoke. They put on a
chimney cap which cured the problem by preventing down drafts.

The chimney cap in no way ever interfered with the fireplace function
regardless of weather, including once a three-foot snow fall.

-dan z-

--
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On Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 9:09:24 AM UTC-4, dyno dan wrote:
> On Tue, 24 May 2022 19:02:00 +0000, Nash123
> <39ad9e1790497184...@example.com> wrote:
>
> >I was considering a chimney cap for my house. Our chimney is only connected to a oil furnace. I live in New England and we get heavy snow. I'm concerned the chimney cap will get clogged by snow. Are chimney caps a bad idea for my situation?
> Our upstate-NY house was built with a fireplace, but no chimney cap.
> First time we lit a fire, the house filled with smoke. They put on a
> chimney cap which cured the problem by preventing down drafts.
>
I had friend that lived in an old farm house with a huge fireplace. Right
after they moved in they installed a coal burning stove in the same
large living room. The coal stove was used to heat the house and
during their first fall and early winter, it worked perfectly - other than
having to feed it 3 times a day.

I was there for their first Christmas party during which they built a huge
fire in the fireplace for ambiance. As the evening went on, it started to
get colder and colder in the house. The owner checked the coal stove and
noticed that the temperature had dropped significantly.

Not sure what was happening, he decided to open the stove and check things
out. He was instantly covered in coal ash, as was the carpet and everything
within 5 feet of the stove. What a mess!

Turns out the fireplace had such a draft going that the coal stove had stopped
drafting and was going out. When he opened the door, the sudden down draft
blew the black ash all over the owner and the room.

Once we sure that he was alright, much, much laughter ensued. ;-)

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 2:16:24 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> On Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 9:09:24 AM UTC-4, dyno dan wrote:
> > On Tue, 24 May 2022 19:02:00 +0000, Nash123

>
> I was there for their first Christmas party during which they built a huge
> fire in the fireplace for ambiance. As the evening went on, it started to
> get colder and colder in the house. The owner checked the coal stove and
> noticed that the temperature had dropped significantly.
>

Yup. The combustion air for the fireplace is coming from the preheated air inside the house, and all that heat is being blown out the chimney at a great rate. Basically a fire in a fireplace is a net loss of heat, although as you say the ambience is nice.