How to choose a chimney cowl

We have a range of chimney cowls from M.A.D, Colt and Darco. Selecting the most suitable cowl for your property depends on a range of factors, including the type of fuel used and the design of the property itself.

Cowls serve several purposes, including preventing rain, birds and animals from entering the chimney. They can also improve the draw of air up the chimney, aiding combustion. As part of this, most of our cowls are designed to prevent downdraught also. Downdraught flowing down your chimney can cause smoke and smells to enter the room through the fireplace.

Static Cowls

Our static cowls from Colt and M.A.D. are shaped to reduce downdraught while preventing rain ingress.

If bird nesting is causing problems, we also have some Birdguard Cowls available with mesh inserts. However, please check the item description regarding the type of fuel, as some are only suitable for solid or gas fuels.

Spinner Cowls

Our Spinner Cowls can be helpful when a lack of air draw is hindering your fire. The spinning action requires at least a small amount of wind and will pull air up the chimney while preventing downdraught. Please note that there are exceptions to when a spinner can be used, however:

• Chimneys that are less than 4m high (some bungalows).
• Chimneys that experience temperatures higher than 250°C (Some high wattage stoves).
• Areas with extreme winds are not suitable, for example, many coastal areas as well as Scottish Highlands and Islands.
• Fires that use wet or unseasoned wood as tar build-up will eventually stop a spinner.

Other Parts

We also have some accessories for chimneys and cowls:

• Capping Cowl - For an old chimney that is no longer in use. Stops rain and downdraught but still allows a small amount of air movement to prevent condensation and dampness.
• Jackdaw Chimney Guard - Prevents bird entry when you otherwise do not want to use a cowl.
• Adaptor Plates - We have a range of adapters to use our cowls with smaller chimneys also.