Fall, winter and spring bring a lot of wet weather. All of the water from it can cause serious damage to your home, if your chimney lacks adequate protection. And by proper protection, we mean having a chimney cap in place and making sure that it is in excellent condition.
About chimney caps
Chimney caps top your chimney like a roof for a house, it works to protect your chimney from a host of problems. Chimney caps are made from a variety of materials and come in different levels of quality. Aluminum chimney caps wear out quickly. Whereas, stainless steel or copper chimney caps can last a lifetime. Some reasons to be sure that your chimney is capped securely includes:
- Keeping water out. Without a chimney cap, water can flow freely down the walls of your chimney. Water in a chimney cause liners to break down or masonry to crack and crumble. It can also get into your firebox to cause your damper, fire grate, fireplace doors and other metal components to rust and break down. If water intrusion is severe, it can seep from your chimney into your home, causing mold growth, wood rot and water damage in your home’s structure.
- Stopping animal intrusion. Ideally, chimney caps should be surrounded by a wire cage. These cages stop birds, animals or bats from entering your chimney. An animal in your chimney is a nuisance. It can also invade your home through your firebox.
- Blocking downdrafts. A sudden gust of wind can come down your chimney, chilling your home or sending sparks, embers and logs from your home flying. A chimney cap provides a block to your chimney opening, which stops inconvenient or dangerous downdrafts.
- Preventing a buildup of debris. With an unprotected chimney, water, animals and downdrafts can make their way into your chimney. Limbs or leaves from trees can enter your unprotected chimney. If this persists, natural debris can completely block off your chimney. It can catch fire and pose a danger or it can allow carbon monoxide and smoke from your fire to build up dangerously within your home.
Protecting your chimney with a chimney cap
Don’t put your chimney at risk of damage or other problems this winter; make sure it’s protected with a chimney cap! If you’re unsure of the state of your chimney cap, if your chimney cap is missing or inadequate, contact Total Chimney Care to schedule an appointment today! We can inspect your existing chimney cap and repair or replace it if needed. Or if your chimney is missing a cap or has an inadequate cap, we can install a quality, new chimney cap to protect your chimney for years to come.