You should always have a Birdguard, Anti-downdraught Cowl or Ventilation Cap fitted on any chimney.

 

You have a chimney pot on top of your chimney stack the size of a small bucket, and every time it rains, water penetrates your chimney.

 

Cold, damp & wet chimneys will have a negative impact on the way your fire will draw and provide you with heat.

 

A chimney which is wet inside will reduce the heat storage capacity of the chimney bricks as they will be damp and cause heavy, damp air pressure inside your flue, making your fire difficult to light.

 

A Birdguard, Anti-downdraught Cowl or Ventilation Cap will prevent this. But most importantly, a good quality cowl can reduce the chance of, bird infestation, and unwanted down draught.

 

Getting a nest out of a chimney flue can be an expensive exercise due to the size of the nest (usually 4 to 6 foot), bends and sometimes wire thrown down by the birds. So rather than paying twice, as once the birds have picked upon your flue they will be back next year, so a Birdguard should be fitted as soon as a nest has been removed.