New to wood stoves, had fireplaces in the past...still learning the ins and outs of our new Hearthstone Heritage 8024... Anyways this is not really about starting a fire or working the stove, I imagine those questions will come as we get in the colder months here in WV. This about the pipe cap, we woke this morning and seen three of our cats sitting and pawing at the glass door of the stove, a sparrow got in through the stove pipe and I was wondering if it would be wise to put a cap on that has a mesh screen to hinder critters getting down the pipe. birdy was set free, we opened the back door and opened the stove and directed the little thing out the door. Praise the Lord!!! Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!!! CS
Welcome CS...normally during burning season its not an issue...off season, yes...if you can reach it then put a cap on in the summer, if not then put one on with larger openings in the screen...1/2" mesh is often too small and will plug up sooner or later, even if just with ice during a cold snap...which is kinda ironic, but it happens
Welcome to the forum Christian Soldier. In all my years of burning wood, I've had a total of 2 birds get into the stove. When that happens i just reach in and grab the bird (gently) then release it outdoors. So I just don't worry about birds getting in. btw, one was a chickadee and one was a bluebird.
Welcome to the forum Christian Soldier. I have a screen on my cap, (which I want to change out) so I never had an issue with birds. Those stupid stink bugs is another story. What part of WV are you in?
I have had it happen 2-3 times now I guess over the last 10 plus years. I don't have a screen over mine. No big deal if it's close to a door, shut all the lights down, open the door and they will go for the light. My stove is in front of a door so it's easy enough for me to get them out. Only once did the bird do a lap around the house. Only has happened in the late part of spring early summer. I think they tell their buddies of their traumatic experience and they stay clear.
I find bird remains in the fall when getting ready for the heating season. Very seldom a live bird....but, every fall I have to remove the remains of their nest.. either at the top of chimney in the cap, or down in the actual chimney...could hear fluttering from the pipe throughout the summer. I used to clean chimney from the top with steel brush and rods. I would be able to push the nest into the firebox and clean up the straw and twigs....or use it as firestarter But, since installing steel roofing years ago, it is much to slippery and steeply pitched to climb to the peak. I use the Soot Eater with my drill now. Some of of the nests are built so tightly, it's difficult to push through from the bottom...and pull back down into the stove. (Ideal Steel from Woodstock). I definitely need some kind of screen at the cap...but if too large a hole in the mesh, the birds (sparrows) will just get through and continues the annual nest building....too small of mesh, may get clogged with creosote. Oh, the dilemma!
My "screen" (its actually SS sheet with stamped square holes) has about 3/4"-1" holes and I have had no birds, and no plugging. Like this cap... Deluxe Flat Top Plate - 6in X 18in X 18in - Chimney Liner Depot
That looks like a great cap, but nope, sparrows are like mice...can probably squeeze through a quarter ( or smaller denomination) sized hole.
We have sparrows and every sort of bird around here...I agree that they probably could get through there, if they decided to try...but its been there since 2012...not one bird.
Last year we had one that didn't want to leave! It would fly around and land on the doorknob of the open door and then fly back in.
Thanks to everyone for the replies, I was guessing it has happened more often than not. BTW- I'm in the eastern panhandle near Martinsburg. and yes the stink bug are one nasty smelling critter...we came from TX and we would much rather deal with the stink bugs over scorpions...wife got stung on top of the foot, darn thing got in the bed with her, that was nearly three years ago and she still has a spot on top of the foot from the stinger and not to mention she said it was one of the most intense pains she has dealt with. thanks again to all CS
I too used a steel stiff bristle brush for a couple decades, here, smaller pipe and soot eater, different for sure! I don't use a drill, I go bottom up from inside my house, but still gets the job done on our pellet stove. We don't use the wood stove much since we got the pellet stove but that is top down on metal roof too, that's up to my husband, I bought him some knock off Teva sandals years ago, and of all things they are very grippy on metal roofs. I bought him expensive roof shoes with interchangeable soles for his job, but he uses the sandals at home lol. I remember you posted a picture of one, cute lil thing.
We have Sun Spiders out here (look like scorpions) and they scared us!! In our rural college rental in 1990 husband (then boyfriend) stepped on one in the kitchen, another one came out from under the fridge and drug it away. Uh, no thanks on creepy spiders.
Thank you for the replies...I think I'll try some 1/2" to 3/4" mesh...in the spring, before nesting season! I need some kind of manlift or boom truck to get to the top...it's the only safe way I can figure to get to chimney cap.....steep pitched and steel roof...too old to scramble up there like the old days!
If you have an extension ladder they make a hook that hooks to the peak of the roof and to your ladder. aka ladder hook Something like this, don't just buy this it is only an example. If you want to go that route that is, I get old and steep roofs. I might just pay someone to install the stove pipe on a 2 story house for that reason.
Once upon a time I had a massive bird problem!!!! I mean it was like out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Friends at work referred to me as the Birdman or bird serial killer… GET A SCREEN!
