Upstairs fireplace-chimney height and draw problem?

bb12

Registered User
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216
Have just been reading in the Homebond house building manual, that to ensure a good draw in the chimney, the chimeny height should be at least 4.5m above the fireplace. My problem is that in the storey and a half house I'll be building, my living room is on the first floor with a fireplace in it, so there's no way the chimney height can be 4.5m above this fireplace. Do you think this will cause problems in the future regarding the draw on this fireplace? Should I switch this fireplace to an electric one perhaps instead of a solid fuel to avoid having problems with it in the future?
 
Our next door neighbours have a bungalow. Their chimney has a revolving stainless steel cowl on to provide enough updraught to safely vent the gasfire they have in the fireplace; should also work for solid fuel fire.