Does Every Chimney Need to Have a Cap on It?

Every chimney needs a chimney cap, even though the feature is dubbed an accessory. There are several essential functions of a chimney cap, and it is a component that chimneys should never be without. Chimney caps are installed on the flue pipe or, if you have an outside-mount custom chimney cap, it covers the entire top of the chimney. When you are aware of the benefits of chimney caps named below, it’s easy to see why every chimney needs to have a cap on it.

Keeps Out Enemy #1

Moisture is what causes most of the types of damage common to chimneys, and the installation of a chimney cap is the first step in getting serious about combatting moisture. Operating much like an umbrella on a rainy day, chimney caps prevent rain, sleet, snow, and hail from falling straight down into the chimney system. This is vital because once moisture has entered into masonry, all that’s left is to replace the affected bricks or witness their gradual deterioration that can lead to a leaning or collapsed chimney.

A Buddy to Smokey Bear’s Cause

Smokey Bear was made famous as the symbol of the U.S. Forest Service in promoting the prevention of forest fires. Chimney caps help in that important goal when they are equipped with wire mesh. The mesh serves various purposes, not the least of which is to prevent floating embers from escaping a chimney and possibly starting a fire on the roof or other nearby combustible materials. This function, usually referred to as a “spark guard,” likely has the fictional bear’s thumbs-up–no matter that he was created back in August of 1944.

Keeps Out Intruders

If a chimney cap is equipped with mesh, it can do the important job of preventing animals from entering the chimney system. Though their reasons may vary, squirrels, snakes, bats, birds, and raccoons are among the critters known to seek the cozy confines of a chimney flue. Animals inside chimneys can cause all kinds of potential trouble, from dealing with toxic animal waste to needing chimney cleaning to remove blockage caused by animal or birds’ nests and even to needing removal of a decaying carcass and its horrendous stench.

Stop Debris Buildup

Chimney caps prevent twigs, leaves, branches, and other kinds of debris from entering the chimney flue and causing a blockage. Each year, this type of obstruction is often the cause of chimney fires that result in hazardous house fires.

Certain dynamics on rooftops combined with strong winds frequently result in powerful downdrafts. Without a chimney cap to stop it from occurring, a downdraft induced by the wind can reverse the flow of air in your chimney and blow the smoke from a fire into your home.

Chimney Chase Installation

If you have a prefabricated fireplace with a metal chimney, a chimney chase cover is needed instead of a chimney cap. A chimney chase cover fits like a shoebox lid over the chimney chase and provides the same benefits as a chimney cap.

Contact Dubuque Fire & Patio for Chimney Cap Installation

Our experienced chimney sweeps at Dubuque Fire & Patio can provide professional chimney cap installation and chimney chase cover installation. Contact us today at (563) 582-5156. If you live closer to Highland WI, contact Chimney Specialists, Inc., our sister store, by calling (608) 929-4887.