When building a residential chimney, whether a masonry chimney or metal chimney, it must be built to the proper height to avoid potential fire hazards and the proper function of the chimney. Building codes require residential chimneys to be built to certain standards to meet fire prevention standards.

These codes may be different from town to town so you should contact the local fire marshal or building code officer for information on proper chimney height standards.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a trade association whose members include experts in the house development and house safety industries. The Occupational Safety and Hazard Association (OSHA) is a government subdivision under the U.S. Department of Labor. The two organizations offer different recommendations for house safety standards, including chimney heights. However, OSHA recognizes NFPA's fire prevention standards as comparable to their own and allows building owners to use NFPA's standards if they wish.

NFPA provides a standard for the minimum height for chimney stacks attached to a house. For fire safety, the minimum height of chimneys must be greater than three feet above the point where the stack emerges from the roofline. Not all local municipal building codes adhere to the NFPA's recommendations. They often have their own chimney height standards.

A chimney's minimum height changes if a house has an air intake on its roof. Roof air intakes allow outdoor air to enter the house. They are located in such a way as to prevent debris or odors from entering the house. According to OSHA, chimney stacks must be at least 10 feet taller than an air intake system or roof line within 50 feet of the chimney. The chimney's top must be 10 feet taller than whatever object, roof line or air intake, has a higher elevation.

If a chimney is too short, homeowners may experience some challenges from the faulty design. For instance, short chimneys do not vent as efficiently as properly built chimneys and can be a fire hazards. In addition, faulty venting can result in filling up your home with smoke and damage to the chimney's flue stack and chimney cap over time.

If you are considering building your own chimney as a DIY homeowner project, insure that you check with the local building code officer or fire marshal for height requirements.

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