Four Great Reasons You Should Have A Chimney Cap Installed

A Chimney Cap That Fits

Many of your needs can be met by having a chimney cap. The worry at night when you hear scratching in your chimney will be no more. But choosing the right cap has everything to do with the type of chimney you have. To figure this out, survey your chimney from a safe location (do not try climbing out on your roof!) and count the number of flues.

They will look like a square of stone or one or two metal pipes.

Write down a good description of each. Try to be detailed in your notes. You could even take a picture on your phone to provide better information. This is the information that the experts at Quality Fireplace, Roof, & Chimney Services will inquire with you.

Benefits of a Chimney Cap

Chimney caps perform multiple duties for your fireplace and they are quite affordable. At first glance, you assume that the term chimney means the entire structure from top to bottom. Many homeowners may be surprised to know that the chimney is made up of several components.

Chimney caps provide many useful functions to protect the interior of the chimney. There are different types of chimney caps for homeowners to choose from, which we would gladly discuss with you. Due to the height of your chimney, have a professional install your chimney cap.

First, the opening of the chimney is measured so the cap is the exact size. Then the cap is tightened down and a caulk is added around the base, ensuring no water enters the chimney.

Here are just a couple of reasons for having a chimney cap:

Stops Rodent Access

• Bats
• Squirrels
• Raccoons
• Rats
• Ducks…yes ducks!

Keeping these pests out is important. Once they get comfortable and settle in they will bother you and can destroy the integrity of your fireplace and even the interior of your attic space due to cracks in the mortar…these feisty little pests are quite adept at creating quite a mess.

The risk of disease from these animals is eliminated as well. You do not want to be stuck with a sick animal in your chimney in the middle of the winter. Once they begin to build nests and bring in food for their young it can create a number of hazards for your own family.

A chimney is such an ideal place for pesky wildlife because it is warm, dark, and provides plenty of shelter from the elements. It is much safer to keep out those pesky animals than to pay someone to come extract them.

Save Money

When the cold air arrives, you want to be safe and warm without the extra cost. Having a chimney cap can stop downdrafts inside your home. Downdrafts affect the temperature in your house and hike up your energy bills at the same time. A wind coming down your chimney can make everyone inside feel a draft of chilliness. A sudden gust of wind can be especially dangerous as it can blow in smoke, embers, and ash right out of your fireplace.

While there is nothing better than a glowing warm fire, the winter winds can channel down the chimney and create quite the mess to the interior of your home. If you want to cut back on the overall cost of your bill and protect the inside of your home as well, invest in a chimney cap today.

Helps Prevent Fires

The only fire that should be happening, is the one in your fireplace. Chimney caps are useful for controlling sparks and preventing fires. Sometimes a fire can throw spark up the chimney and out the flue. This can potentially catch your roof on fire causing terrible damage. The protection offered by a chimney cap goes both ways: it is outfitted with a mesh that keeps embers where they belong and protects the environment from a potentially dangerous situation.

Keeps the Water Out

A chimney cap can prevent water and moisture from ruining the inside of your chimney and your home. Brick and mortar chimneys will deteriorate faster when consistently wet. In addition, moisture collecting inside chimneys can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew. A chimney cap is installed over the flue so water cannot enter to protect from creating other issues within the structure.

Do Not Wait Until it is Too Late

When it comes to your fireplace and chimney system, everything can appear to be fine unless persistent problems arise. If you don’t know a lot about your chimney assuming that everything is okay is not good. It just means you are not paying attention.

Once there are issues like:

• Water in the firebox
• Dark stained areas in the ceiling or on the walls by your fireplace

It is too late and there is a bigger problem going on inside your chimney than the eyes can see. You probably have a leaky chimney!

Are you interested in installing a chimney cap? Contact us and find out how we can get yours installed for a great price!