All spring and summer you may not have given your fireplace a second thought, but now as temperatures drop, it’s time to think about chimney maintenance. In order for your fireplace to work well and your chimney to work efficiently, all the parts should be properly installed and in place—especially the chimney cap.
The Chimney Cap
Firstly, the chimney cap is the roof of the chimney. It protects it from the top-down. Just like you need a roof for your house, you need a roof for your chimney. If the roof leaks, it’s a pain and leads to damage – it’s the same with your chimney.
The cap keeps water out.
Without a chimney cap, rain, sleet, and snow can fall directly into the flue opening. Water inside the chimney system can ruin it from the inside out, leading to expensive damage that can lead to increased fire risk and structural problems. The masonry can become stained, cracked, gapped, and eventually tilted. Chimney leaks even lead to leaks in other parts of the home because water runs through ceilings, walls, and floors to form leaks rooms away from the chimney itself.
The cap keeps wind out.
Though some models of caps are made specifically to divert the wind, a good, properly-installed cap will also prevent wind gusts from entering your chimney. During a storm or periods of high wind, gusts that enter the chimney can affect your fire and even cause smoke to enter your living space.
The cap keeps wildlife out.
Any animal that can crawl onto your roof can also crawl into your chimney opening. Critters that climb and birds that fly can all nest in your flue, bringing with them nesting materials that are flammable, droppings and urine that cause odors and bacteria growth, and they climb out using claws that scratch the flue liner on their way out. Installing a chimney cap on the top of the flue is the best defense you have against animal intrusion year-round.
The cap keeps the fire in.
While a fire is burning in the fireplace, hot embers and sparks can rise up the flue when temperatures are high. If there isn’t a cap on the flue, these sparks and embers can leave the chimney completely and ignite debris on the roof and even dry grasses and shrubs on the ground. Prevent a wildfire by capping your chimney.
The Mad Hatter Can Help
Whether you want a standard chimney cap made from copper or stainless steel, a custom-made cap, or even a top-mount damper that doubles as a cap, we have what you’re looking for.
Contact The Mad Hatter and ask about caps and other chimney and venting services today. Call 317-596-0200 or contact us online today.