Chimney caps are one of the most important parts of a fireplace system. However, they can fail at times, which can cause major damage to the chimney itself and present dangers inside your home.
When chimney caps aren’t working properly, they can result in poor draft. Not only does this make it harder to light and keep a proper fire, it can also result in harmful fumes coming into your home.
In addition, failing chimney caps can result in damage to the outside and inside of your chimney, as well as having debris and other things fall down into your home.
Below, we discuss some of the most common causes of chimney cap failure and how you can prevent them from happening.
Debris Accumulation
As it’s the top part of your chimney, the chimney cap is the first line of defense when it comes to falling debris. If too much debris accumulates in the chimney cap, it can cause extensive damage to the chimney, the fireplace and parts of your house.
That’s why it’s important to ensure you have a well-designed chimney cap that has a secure lid that works to prevent debris from entering the chimney. You might also consider purchasing a chimney cap that has a spark arrestor, which can also help prevent debris from accumulating inside the cap.
Even if you have the highest-quality chimney cap and it’s installed properly, you still should have regular inspections performed on it to identify whether debris has accumulated.
It’s possible for homeowners to use a wire brush to clean the mesh screen on the chimney cap, but it’s best to hire a professional chimney sweep for thorough and safe cleaning.
Rusting and Corrosion
Rusting can happen any time that a ferrous metal is exposed to oxygen and moisture. If you see that rust is appearing, it’s usually a sign that it’s been exposed to moisture for a prolonged period of time.
If you notice that there is rust in the firebox, this is a clear indication that your fireplace system isn’t safe to use.
Again, regular inspections can help you identify any corrosion and/or rust that is accumulating, which can then give you plenty of time to repair and/or replace the parts before more damage can occur.
Another important thing to consider in this respect is what material your chimney cap is made of. While copper chimney caps are quite durable and resistant to rust, they require regular maintenance to prevent greenish discoloration and dulling.
That’s why it’s often best to opt for a rust-resistant material such as natural stone, concrete or other masonry.
Weather-Related Damage
Severe weather can do a number on any man-made material, and chimney caps are no exception. Depending on the type of severe weather, the chimney cap can come loose and ultimately blow off the chimney crown.
In Michigan, homeowners need to consider installing a wind-resistant cap, which will generate a partial vacuum to pull flue gasses up the chimney properly. You can even purchase hurricane and storm chimney caps that have two layers of solid walls, which provides improved insulation.
Regardless of what type of chimney cap you choose, make sure to install it with a secure mount to prevent as much weather-related damage as possible. It’s also important that your chimney cap has a secure lid to prevent water from entering the chimney.
This is very important in Michigan, which experiences a lot of wet and cold weather. It’s also advisable in this region to ensure your cap has a waterproof coating, which helps prevent even further water damage.
Chimney Cap Design and Installation
Even if you purchase the best chimney cap money can buy, failures can happen if it isn’t installed properly. While you can buy generic chimney caps, it’s best to have one custom fitted to your particular chimney.
The great part about chimney caps is that they can be designed to fit any specific chimney structure, which ensures that the fit is perfect and secure. Not only that, but a custom cap can match the exterior of your home, which provides a cohesive aesthetic solution.
Again, when you hire a professional contractor with experience in chimney caps, such as the experts at All Brick, you’ll be ensuring that everything is installed properly and working right from the start.
Materials and Durability
While you might be interested in saving some money on your chimney cap, when you choose low-quality materials, it can cost you much more money in the long run. Cheaper chimney caps often lead to failure.
Those that are well-designed and use durable materials can actually prevent failure on their own. As mentioned before, choosing a high-quality material that is rust-resistant, wind-resistant and water-resistant will be the best choice to ensure that your chimney cap lasts a long time and protects your home.
Maintenance and Inspection
Just like any other part of your home, it’s important to conduct regular inspections on your chimney cap, as well as the entirety of your fireplace system. These inspections can help you identify any potential issues that might be happening so that you can address them right away before they become major problems.
Sometimes, issues that are identified are minor in nature. If they are addressed right away, they can result in little to no damage occurring. If left unaddressed for a long period of time, though, it can result in catastrophic consequences and cost a lot of money to repair.
It’s always best to hire a professional to conduct these regular inspections and to repair the chimney cap, when needed, so nothing is missed and every potential issue is fixed promptly.
Importance of Chimney Caps
The chimney cap is located at the topmost part of your chimney. It’s designed to not only prevent things from entering your chimney but also to direct smoke away from the firebox or stove and out of the house.
This is why it’s such an important component of a chimney system. It works in conjunction with other parts such as the flue liner, the crown and the damper. It serves many purposes, including improving the efficiency of your fireplace, reducing the risk of toxic smoke entering your house, preventing drafts from entering the home, and preventing debris and water from entering the chimney.
Since it serves as the first line of protection to your chimney system, it’s important you select a chimney cap that uses the right materials. While metal chimney caps are popular, masonry caps are a great option as well, because they provide excellent protection and can be customized to your specific chimney.
Prevention and Solutions
The chimney cap should sit flat on top of your chimney, and that is made possible by a properly-installed chimney crown. By ensuring that you have a well-designed chimney crown that’s made of high-quality materials and is installed properly, you can ensure that you are preventing your chimney cap from failing.
There are many additional features that your chimney crown can provide, including a waterproof coating and spark arrestor.
Have a High-Quality Chimney Cap Installed by a Professional
The chimney cap is an essential part of your fireplace system, which is why it’s so important to choose one that’s well-designed, is made of the highest-quality materials and is installed properly.
Beyond that, it’s also important to have regular inspections conducted on your chimney cap to identify any potential issues and address them as soon as possible.
The installation, inspection, cleaning and repair/replacement of your chimney cap is best left to a professional you can trust, such as the experts at All Brick. We have been mastering the art of masonry for the last 10 years, so you can trust us with all work related to fireplace systems.For more information, or for a free quote, contact us today.
