10 Questions to ask when you’re buying a chimney cap
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What’s the warranty?
A good stainless steel or copper chimney cap will have a lifetime warranty.
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Will it keep out animals?
One of the main advantages of a chimney cap is to keep animals out of your chimney. That requires a strong cap with a heavy duty mesh.
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Will it protect my chimney crown or just keep water out of the flue?
Ideally, a chimney cap should protect the vulnerable crown of the chimney as well as the chimney interior. To accomplish this you may need a multi-flue chimney cap that attaches to the crown of the chimney rather than just a single flue cap that may just attach to the flue liner of one chimney.
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Can I install it myself?
If you decide to install the chimney cap yourself it may void the warranty. And, naturally this would involve going up on your roof.
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What is the cap made of?
The most common metals for chimney caps are copper or stainless steel, both of which should last indefinitely. Most copper and stainless steel caps come with a lifetime warranty. Galvanized chimney caps are also an option and come with a limited warranty.
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What kind of custom options are there?
Many dealers can provide chimney caps that are custom made to fit if you have a chimney that is not a standard size, or if you want a non-standard design.
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What’s the total cost with installation?
There is bound to be some installation charge which should be relatively small unless you are having a large, non-standard cap installed, or your chimney top is not easy to access.
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Will a chimney cap interfere with draft?
A properly sized chimney cap should not interfere with draft. Draft is that which controls how well smoke is drawn up and out of your chimney. The lid of the cap should be at least 5” above the top of the any flue tiles it is covering. Having more clearance than 5” is a good idea.
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Will it keep embers off my roof?
A chimney cap with at least a ¾” sized mesh should accomplish this. However, if mesh is smaller than ¾” it could ice up in the winter and block the chimney.
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How will it hold up to strong winds?
Chimney caps can blow off a chimney in strong wind conditions. If you live in an area subject to strong winds, you should inquire about additional steps that can be taken to ensure your chimney cap stays secure.
Chimney Terms
Stainless Steel Chimney Liner
Stainless steel pipe, either rigid or flexible, made for relining flues of masonry chimneys when the original clay liner has cracked or broken. May also be used to create a lining in a masonry chimney that was made without a clay liner.
Chimney Caps
Protective coverings for chimneys usually made of aluminum, galvanized or stainless steel, or copper. Most chimney caps have a mesh screening that serves the dual purpose of spark arrestor and barrier against animals. Chimney caps also prevent rain from entering the flue of the chimney.
Top-Sealing Dampers
A device installed at the top of a chimney for the purpose of sealing the flue shut when the fireplace is not in use. They are often used as replacements for throat dampers that are installed just above the firebox when a masonry chimney is built. Lyemance and Lock-Top top-sealing dampers are as much as 90% more efficient than throat dampers because they provide a silicone rubber gasket seal rather than metal to metal.