Expert: James Ball - 12/1/2010

Question
We purchased a home in 2003 at that time I had a new baby and this place had a buck wood burning stove in it.  We had is removed and had a gas fireplace insert made by monesson installed at that time I was told they sealed off the chimney. Now seven years later I am having a problem I feel cold air coming from somewhere and when it rains I can hear the rain drops hit the top of the insert.  I called a local company called shoot shakers and they came out and told me that the cap they had put on the top of the chimney needed to come off and they installed a $95.00 cap that looks like a birdhouse that is pretty much all they did and told me that it would fix our problem last night we had a heavy rain and the water was dripping even worse than before and I still feel could air.  What do you recommend to fix this problem?  I don't understand if I am not using a wood burning stove why the chimney just can't be sealed off 100% since my logs are vent free.

Answer
Hello Sherry, not sure what you had or have now, if you have a driving rain it will come through the screen part of any cap, they do  make top mount damper caps that close off completely but I am not a big fan of closing off a gas fireplace even if it is "Vent free".
I would have a local Certified Chimney Sweep www.csia.org, (there you can look up by zip code to find one near you) take a first hand look at what you have, they should be able to help.
Hope this helps
James