Noisy chimney when windy outside..

House_Hunter

Hi all,

In both our 1st floor bedrooms we have old iron victorian fireplaces, both are fairly sealewd with the throat plates installed. However the chimney itself is still fully present and open at the stack on the roof.

The problem is that whenever its windy outside, the chinmey becomes very noisy with the whistling of the wind. I am guessing this is right?

Is it caused by the fact that the throat plate sin the rooms aren't perfectly sealing? or Would it happen anyway?

Anybody have any ideas on how to cure it as it gets quite loud and woke me up in the night last night!!

I've heard that you can "cap" unused chimney's but not really sure what this entails....

ANy help much appreciated.

Cheers!

puddy

ours is like that, i think thats the nature of chimneys.

we have been advised to cap outs, not because of wind but because they're not in use anymore, not sure really why though

House_Hunter

If you don't mind me asking, how much were you quoted for capping it?

Any Diy alternatives - e.g. similar to chimney balloon?

punknzippy

it means your chimney is doing what it was intended to do
mines the same in my bedroom , i fitted a fireplace in mine at the start of the year as it was previously bricked up and now hear the wind where as before i reopend it up it was quiet .
you can get what we builders call a ufo , its a type of cowl that fits inside your pot on the top of the chiney and is kind of like a lid for the pot but with holes around the side , it keeps it ventilated and should cut down some of the wind noise .
as in previous thread reguarding cost , it depends on who you get to fit it , bearing in mind the builder has to price it with reguarding the fact that if some tiles break whilst putting up his roof crawler ladder on the roof they will obviously need replacing , also his insurance costs etc , a 10 minute job it may seem but it wont be a £20 job for sure , unless you get in the cowboys !!!
would you risk your life for £20 ??
i personally dont do this type of work so couldnt say how much for definate but as a guide a freind paid £150 for his to be done a few months ago

xs11ax

i rolled up an old duvet and shoved it into the part where the coal is meant to go.

its just temporary like! gonna remove the old fireplace and seal it up soon.

shown73

I used to see lots of chimneys with a kind of cowl that rotated like a weather vane, so the smoke would in fact come out at a right angle. That would presumably cure most, if not all, wind noise. Just a thought... Could well be available in salvage yards, or similar.

dander

I like to hear the wind in the chimney. Makes it feel very cosy inside.

puddy

i totally agree, this is why im not getting my pot topped (or whatever its called)