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Why the Best Time to Install a Chimney Cap is Now

Chimney Cap - CT Chimney SweepsDo you have a fireplace but no chimney cap on your chimney? Whatever the season, now is the best time to have one of these beneficial appliances installed. Chimney caps are accessories that provide essential benefits in winter, spring, summer, and fall.

What is a Chimney Cap?

According to Merriam-Webster, a chimney cap or cover for a chimney is “a device fitted to the top of a chimney to improve the draft by presenting an exit aperture to leeward.” This is another way of saying it provides an opening with protection from the wind. While this is an accurate description of chimney caps, it doesn’t tell the full story about the benefits they provide.

Protection from Moisture

Chimney experts often call moisture the number one enemy of a chimney. With this in mind, the most important function of a chimney cap is that it prevents rain and snow from going directly into your chimney system. Moisture causes several kinds of damage; and the longer the problems continue, the more expensive the needed repairs. The following are a few issues caused by moisture that can be avoided with a chimney cap:

  • Components inside the chimney can rust, such as the damper. A damper that doesn’t operate properly needs to be replaced.
  • If moisture in the chimney mixes with creosote, more rapid deterioration of the flue lining can occur. It is a critical safety issue to have a flue lining that is completely free of any type of damage. The flue protects combustible parts of the home from potentially igniting and starting a raging home fire. Even a small crack in the chimney lining is enough of a breach to be a danger.
  • When moisture gets into the masonry in a climate with frequent freeze-thaw cycles, the chimney structure can be damaged. The masonry expands and contracts through changing weather conditions. The face of the masonry can begin to flake and pop off. The entire chimney can begin to lean and could even collapse, if not repaired.

Reasons to have a Chimney Cap Installed Before Winter

There are several reasons to have a chimney cap installed before the onset of wintry weather. If you get a chimney cap with mesh, it operates as a spark guard. When home fires are burning, the chimney cap mesh can prevent hot embers from starting a rooftop fire.

Downdrafts commonly occur in winter, and a chimney cap will prevent cold air from blasting down your chimney.

Lastly, various animals are attracted to the warmth of the chimney in winter. A cap can keep various critters from going inside your home via the chimney. Birds like to build their nests in chimneys but a chimney topper prevents that from happening, as well.

Types of Chimney Caps

Chimney Sweeps CT - chimney cap installationsThere are many options in chimney caps. You can opt for accessories ranging from affordable to expensive and highly decorative. The materials chimney caps are generally made with include stainless steel, galvanized steel, and copper. There are also clay chimney pots and decorative shrouds.

Contact our experts at Northeastern Chimney LLC for more information about chimney caps and tips on choosing a chimney topper for your home. If you don’t already have one, now is the best time to buy a chimney cap.

 

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