Did I just improve my draft? (dialup safe pics)

[Steve NW WI]

I can't help thinking this will make my stove draft better. The chimney itself has good draft, even when the stove is out. But, there is always a good bit of room air escaping up the chimney from where the 6" round from the stove meets the clay tile.

So, I had the laser guy at work cut me a cover plate today. I just made it out of .050 aluminum, since I didn't have time to set up a brake to form it at work. I just bent the sides in by hand over a 6" vise. I did have to shove the stove around a little to get everything lined back up perfectly with the hole, but otherwise it's as simple as it looks.

First pic is the before shot, with the new cover on top of the flue. Second is the after shot.

It's 63° here right now, so the stove probably won't get lit tonight, but I'll post my findings when I try it out.

 

[laynes69]

I'm sure your draft will increase if the 6" that entered the square flue wasn't sealed. I go as far as a light bead of masonary cement around the cleanout at the base of the chimney. Without that plate you put in, it would dilute the draft to some extent.