What is the purpose of a chimney cap? Caps cover things. A ball cap or stocking cap covers your head. A gas cap covers the top of your gas tank and a chimney cap is there to protect your chimney from the weathering effects of precipitation. Your chimney is a sturdy structure, but even something that sturdy can be worn down over time from exposure to wind and rain.
Chimney Structures
If you take a look at your chimney, you’ll notice that there are two main structures sitting on top. The one is connected right to the chimney itself and is made out of concrete. It is designed with sloped slides that hang at least two inches over the outer edge of the chimney so that when rain falls it is directed away from the seam between the chimney and roof. This is a great line of protection to keep rain out of your house, but it still leaves the opening of the chimney unprotected. This is where the chimney cap comes into play.
A chimney cap, unlike the chimney crown, is not actually part of the chimney. The chimney cap is also specially designed to protect your chimney with a sloped top and sides made of meshed steel. This design works perfectly for two reasons. The top directs precipitation down to the chimney crown without letting any into the chimney opening. The meshed sides allow smoke to get out while keeping debris such as dried leaves, twigs, and other debris
Keeping Animals Out
Debris and leaves aren’t the only things that you want to keep out of your chimney. Birds and animals building nests can also cause big problems to your chimney system. Birds and raccoons, along with other critters, love to build their nests in dark, warm, dry areas that are out of the way of predators, and your chimney is the perfect spot. This causes many different problems including noise, odors and flammable materials in the wrong place. When the little ones are born, they can be noisy. Although this stage doesn’t last too long, for some homeowners, it can be rather annoying. Another problem is that, unfortunately, sometimes a the animals die inside the chimney, causing nasty odors. When the babies are old enough to leave the nest, the nest gets left behind to dry out, and in the winter when you’re using your fireplace, this blockage is the perfect kindling for a spark to catch and ignite a chimney fire.
Keeping Sparks In
The chimney cap keeps things out, but it is also keeping things in. The cap keeps sparks and embers from floating out of the chimney, landing on the roof or dried lawn, and starting a fire.
Keep Your Cap in Shape
The chimney cap is an important line of protection for your home, and if yours is in rundown condition, then give Ceaser Chimney Service, LLC a call today. We sell caps from Olympia Chimney Supply, so you know you’re getting a top-rated item. Add to that our top–quality service, and you can be sure that your chimney cap will serve you well for years to come!