Why Your Chimney Needs a Cap

A lot of the money homeowners spend every year on chimney repairs and service could be saved by installing a simple chimney cap. Doodlebuggers Fireplace, Grill & Outdoor Store of Pensacola, FL, and Destin, FL, would like to share some valuable information about chimney caps and why your chimney needs one.

What is a chimney cap?

Any device that covers the top of a chimney is often called a “chimney cap.” Technically, a component that protects just the flue opening is a “flue cover,” while a component that protects the entire top of the chimney is a “chimney cap.”

The purpose of a chimney cap

Chimney caps provide several important benefits to chimney owners. Here are six of these benefits.

1. Keep water out of the chimney

A good chimney cap is a shield against incoming water from rain and snow. Water can damage several parts of a chimney system.

Chimney liner:

A water-damaged chimney liner will allow intense heat to contact adjacent parts of the home and can start a fire. Broken liners can send flue gases, including carbon monoxide, into the home.

Chimney masonry:

If incoming water penetrates cracks in the interior chimney masonry, major structural damage can occur over time.

Fireplace damper:

Water that moves down the flue can cause rusting on fireplace dampers. The result is a damper that never fully opens or closes.

2. Reduce smells

Chimneys that service wood-burning fireplaces often contain a lot of creosote and soot. When mixed with incoming water, the smell can get pretty bad. Chimney caps reduce this problem.

3. Keep small animals out

An open chimney flue is an invitation to squirrels, birds, rodents, raccoons and other critters that like to take refuge in chimneys. Some of these animals build nests, and some of them die inside the chimney. This debris can hinder the drafting of smoke and send deadly carbon monoxide into your home.

4. Prevent sparks from spreading

Proper chimney caps and flue covers provide a barrier to keep sparks and embers from shooting out the top of the chimney and landing on the roof or in the yard. Many fires start after hot materials escape the chimney.

5. Reduce downdrafts

Sparks and embers also fly out of an active fireplace, particularly when downdrafts occur. Wind blowing down the chimney can send fiery materials onto your hearth and onto objects near the fireplace. It can also blow smoke and soot into your house. A chimney cap helps to block these drafts.

6. Guard your chimney crown (full-width caps only)

A custom, full-width chimney cap covers the entire top of your chimney, including the vulnerable concrete chimney crown. Cracks in a crown will let water move in and cause further crown deterioration. Eventually, water can run down into unseen areas of the chimney and lead to major damage.

Get the perfect chimney cap for your chimney

Doodlebuggers is ready to protect your chimney with a proper chimney cap that’s built right and installed right. Chimney caps are relatively minor components for a chimney system, but they can bring you major benefits, as you’ve seen here.

Reach a chimney service expert today at 850-477-1151 in Pensacola, FL, or at 850-243-0154 in the Destin, FL, area. You can also get in touch with our handy contact form.