The Types of Chimney Caps and Choosing the Best for Your Chimney

Types of Chimney Caps

Chimney Caps are essential for proper function of your chimney. The flue opening goes straight down into your home unprotected, that is, until a much-needed accessory is added. There are two basic types of covers for the flue. There is the smaller, less expensive “Chimney Flue Cap” which only covers the flue opening, and there is the "Custom Sized Outside Mount Chimney Cap” which covers the entire chimney top and chimney crown. It’s important to understand their differences before you choose the vital accessory to have installed on your chimney.

Chimney inspection in Lake Geneva, WI

Basic Benefits of Chimney Caps

Whether you choose installation of the first or second type of chimney cap, as detailed below, these covers perform several crucial functions, though to different degrees of success. 

  • Chimney caps cover the flue opening, which prevents water from pouring down directly into chimneys. Moisture is a chimney’s biggest enemy, and it can be very costly to repair damages caused by moisture.
  • Chimney caps also prevent animals and debris from getting into your chimney system. Debris is often a result of stormy weather. Animals tend to seek the warmth of a chimney. Animals commonly make their way down chimney flues include birds, raccoons, snakes, squirrels, and rats.
  • Sometimes hot embers can escape a chimney, land on nearby combustible materials, and ignite a dangerous fire. A spark guard is part of most flue caps, and it prevents hot embers from escaping the flue.

Economical Chimney Flue Caps

Chimney flue caps are made of metal, and they are installed at the top of the flue. They are similar to the way a cap sits atop your head. The sides of the caps are typically mesh. The protection provided to the chimney against windy rainstorms is inefficient, however, since the cover doesn’t extend far past the flue pipe. Flue caps don’t provide any security for other chimney components, either. Flue caps are most commonly made with aluminum, painted or galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper. 

Professional chimney cap installation in Pewaukee WIOutside-Mount Custom Chimney Caps

The best choice of chimney cap that many homeowners are opting for is an outside-mount custom chimney cap. It doesn’t just cover the flue opening. It completely covers the chimney crown and adds additional protection for the entire chimney system. Keeping moisture out is accomplished much more effectively because the cover portion reaches much further beyond the flue in each direction. 

Custom chimney caps add to the beauty of a home and help to reduce chimney maintenance costs because of the protection against moisture that they provide to the exterior chimney.

Contact Burlington Fireplace & Heating

Are you ready to provide better protection for your chimney with an outside-mount custom chimney cap or a flue cover? Whichever you prefer, our trained chimney technician can provide professional chimney cap installation. We also offer chimney inspections, chimney cleaning, chimney repairs, chimney maintenance, masonry services, and more. Contact us at Burlington Fireplace & Heating today by calling 262-763-3522.

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