Old Chimneys

As much as everyone wants to think that hot air rises and cool air sinks, they are only partially correct. Actually hot and cold air mix. So cold air can rise and hot air can sink. So old chimneys do waste energy. I have a friend who owns a chimney company in Houston (yes they do exist in the south). My friend informed me that when ever he is on the roof and it starts to get hot up there he'll lean into the chimney chase to get a shot of cold air from inside the home. That statement right there tells me that older chimneys can be drain on your electric bill. In fact you might have even noticed a draft in the areas near chimneys. How much is lost really depends on how big the chimney is and how many stories the chase of a chimney rises. Either way older chimneys can cost you money in the summer months and create uncomfortable drafts in the winter. Fortunately, there are devices that you can buy to fix this problem. You can search the web for "energy efficient damper caps". These caps can create a seal that is 90% air tight. That's pretty good. Installing this type of cap will definitely keep drafts out in the winter and cold in your home in the hot months of the south. Check it out.