A Guide to Chimney Caps

If you are interested in increasing the longevity and performance of your chimney then you might want to consider installing a chimney cap. Installing such a device can actually save you a lot of money in the long term because it will help you avoid costly repairs. There are many options when it comes to these types of fireplace accessories but hopefully by the end of this article you will have a better idea about what to buy.

The Benefits of Chimney Caps

Chimney caps offer a number of benefits and that is what makes them such a recommended purchase. Here are just some of the ways that chimney caps can benefit your home:

  • The main purpose of a chimney cap is to prevent rain, wind, and snow from entering your chimney. Moisture and wind can damage the inside of your chimney and will mean that you have to spend money on costly repairs; the chimney cap prevents this damage from occurring.

  • Chimney caps also prevent birds and other pests from entering your chimney and causing problems.

  • Chimney caps can look very attractive and some of the better designed ones will be a nice addition to the overall look of your home.

  • A chimney cap will help prevent airborne sparks from your fire setting light to something outside.

The Different Types of Chimney Caps

There are different types of chimney caps available and it may be helpful to understand a bit about each of these before you decide on the best option for your home. Most chimney caps will be made from cooper, galvanized metal, or stainless steel; they will often come with a mesh on the sides. Here are a few of the different chimney caps you are likely to come across:

  • A band-around chimney cap clings to the outside as well as the vertical sides of the chimney. This means that they are able to protect the whole chimney.

  • A single flue chimney cap is used for a chimney that sticks above a concrete band.

  • Multi-flue chimney caps are similar to single flue caps but it is for when you have more than one flue coming out of a concrete pad.

  • There are also different shaped chimney caps such as square, rectangular, and round. The one to choose will depend on the type of chimney you are dealing with.

How to Install Chimney Caps

The method for installing chimney caps is always going to depend on the type of chimney caps you are protecting. It is usually a fairly straight forward procedure and most of them can be just screwed on; often with tension screws that only require a screwdriver and not much muscle. If you are going to be using tension screws you will what them to fit snugly but don’t screw too hard because this might break the flue. Once you have installed the cap it is important to ensure that all the vents are open and not blocked by any leftover packaging material.

Tips for Buying Chimney Caps

Here are just a few tips to help you find the most suitable chimney caps:

  • One of the most important considerations when buying chimney caps is that you buy something durable; they have to take a lot of abuse.

  • Remember that you have to buy a chimney cap to suit your particular chimney – don’t buy anything unless you have the precise measurements of your chimney.

  • This is something that you will want to last many years so it pays to pay a bit extra for quality.