Why Having a Strong Chimney Cap Is Important

You wouldn’t leave your home with your front door wide open. Do you realize that leaving your chimney without a cap on it is just as risky?

A chimney cap is like a metal hat, with a solid top and mesh around the sides, that is installed over the mouth of the chimney. Much like a front door, it protects your homes from unwelcome guests, expensive damage and natural elements. Installing a chimney cap today could save you thousands of dollars in the future.

Here are the top 3 ways installing a chimney cap can protect your home and save you money:

1. Keeps Pests Out

Animals love to make nests in chimneys. Birds, bats, squirrels, raccoons and even snakes have been found nesting in chimneys. These critters can bring other pests with them like lice and maggots. Their droppings can also give your chimney a foul odor.

Trying to smoke out a critter that you hear in your chimney can make the problem worse. Smoke can quickly kill an animal. Having an animal carcass in your chimney is a serious safety risk especially if there is a nest or multiple animal carcasses. It can block air flow; preventing smoke from escaping which can result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Or it could catch fire and cause a chimney fire or house fire. Lighting a fire in a chimney covered in animal droppings can also make the smell even worse.

Hiring a CSIA-certified chimney sweep that has experience removing animals and cleaning out animal droppings is the best solution if a critter gets into your chimney. Having a chimney cap installed is the best way to keep pests out.

You won’t have to worry about a bird or bat flying into your home if your chimney has a cap on it and you’ll never have to Google “how do I get a raccoon out of my chimney?”

2. Reduces the Risk of a Fire

Chimney caps reduce the risk of a fire in two ways. The first way is that the solid metal top and the metal mesh along the sides act as spark catchers. They prevent hot embers from flying out of the chimney and landing on the roof. The second way is by preventing lawn debris, like sticks and leaves, from accumulating in the chimney and catching fire.

3. Prevents Water Damage & Deterioration

Water is the leading cause of chimney damage. It corrodes metal chimney lines and dampers. It causes tile chimney liners to crack as the water they absorb expands and contracts. If the masonry in the chimney becomes heavily saturated with water, it can seep out causing damage to insulation, walls, ceilings, and beams nearby. Over time, it will weaken the structure of your chimney which can make it lean and could, eventually, make it collapse. A dark, moist chimney is also an ideal environment for toxic black mold to grow in.

Allowing rain water and snow to freely fall down your chimney increases the risk of these problems. It can cost thousands of dollars to replace a chimney liner, repair water damage or restore the structural integrity of a chimney. Breathing in spores from toxic mold in your chimney can cause serious harm to your health and could even place you or a loved one in the hospital.

A small investment in a chimney cap can prevent all of these risks. It is especially smart here in Connecticut where we have lots of little critters that are attracted to chimneys and receive a lot of precipitation.

The most durable chimney caps are made of copper and stainless steel. They come in many different shapes and sizes to accommodate the diversity of chimneys. It is important to get a chimney cap that is the right size for your chimney and to have it professionally installed. Poorly installed chimney caps and caps that are the wrong size often leak.

If your chimney needs a new cap or the chimney cap on it needs to be repaired or replaced, give us a call! We can recommend the best option in your price range and professionally install it for you.