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Tips for Masonry Chimney Caps
Masonry chimney caps are specifically designed to cover brick, stone, or concrete block chimneys.
Brick chimneys seem to be so solid that nothing could ever hurt them.
That is not even a little true. Water is the great destroyer. Remember, water made the Grand Canyon.
Add baking sunlight, freezing cold, and wind to the mix, and you have a recipe for the slow destruction of a brick structure.
Add baking sunlight, freezing cold, and wind to the mix, and you have a recipe for the slow destruction of a brick structure.
Chimney Crown Cover Installed
What are the benefits of having a chimney cap? If you live in a cold climate, water and snow seeps into every little nook and crack of the brick when it rains or even in the morning dew cycle. Even you gutters can be harmed by this.
Then it freezes and expands. Everytime it expands it tries to break apart the bond between the brick and the mortar joints.
It can destroy an unprotected chimney in a few short years.
If you don’t live in a cold area, then the rain and sun cycle will take a little longer, but will still do the damage.
Stone Chimney Toppers
Brick chimney toppers will prevent all forms of weather damage. Just like the roof on your house keeps your furniture and carpet dry, the cap stops the mortar and masonry from deteriorating.
But there is also another very important thing a chimney lid will do….keep out animals.
Squirrels, raccoons, ducks, flying squirrels, birds, Chimney Swifts, and more can end up in your chimney.
They usually fall down to the bottom, which means they either fall into your fireplace or land on your damper.
Chimney Caps For Brick
If your damper happens to be open when the animal falls in your clay or steel chimney flue (tube), the pests will soon be running around your living room scaring the daylights out of your family.
If they land on top of the damper, they won’t be able to get back out of the chimney.
They will die and start decomposing. Then your house smells horrible. It is a smell that takes a long time to get rid of.
What if that happened right before your big holiday party! It would be a disaster for you.
Or if debris falls in, it can clog the whole thing up.
Masonry Chimney Caps Installed
All our services are available on any visit. We do an inspection and maintenance check and determine what type of fireplace you have. We also check if you have any issues or if any repair is needed while there. We will tell you the price up front with a firm estimate so there are no surprises. Many chimney sweeps companies don’t do that. They dodge questions and try to brush that part aside.
For instance, is your chimney leaking carbon monoxide?
You can request a check.
We earned the title of chimney experts.
We continually search for the best products for your property.
Your home project is just as important to us as anyone’s. Your safety isn’t just a business to us.
There is one more very important purpose for our masonry chimney cap installation service.
Fire safety outside the home, while keeping the interior dry.
The style of the cap should include spark arrestor screen.
Wood fires make sparks. Sparks fly up the chimney with the hot smoke, soot, and air. If they land in the wrong place, like on some leaves, or on an exposed wooden beam, they can start a fire outside the house, a homeowners nightmare.
Our replacement masonry chimney caps come with a screen installed. The screen is a spark arrestor. It is also a raccoon arrestor and will help keep out curious animals.
First we assess the situation. We take measurements of the length, diameter, and type of chimney system you have. The height, width, size, and materials are all important things to consider. The design of the cap must fit the dimensions of the crown exactly. We always drill pilot holes through the skirt of the chimney cap. Then we use a masonry bit, and screws with a power screwdriver. This is true with steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, or other metal. The material doesn’t matter. We install the covers to stay.
We have a special ladder for any occasion, and experience with all types of flues.
A cap, or cover, for your masonry, stone, or brick chimney will keep you safe and add decades to the life of the chimney.
The mortar that holds the bricks together is NOT concrete. Mortar is much softer and absorbs water. That is what makes it susceptible to water and weather damage.
Gas logs in fireplaces can be ruined by moisture.
The next time you see an older brick home with an unprotected brick chimney, notice the difference in the sides of the house and the chimney.
The sides of the home will look almost new because they have always been under the roof of the house.
The uncovered chimney will look aged.
That’s one of the reasons to have a masonry chimney cap. It stops the aging process immediately.
Once you have installed a chimney top, your job is done. It should outlast you and your house.
Then it’s time to relax and have a non stinky holiday party!
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Questions Answered:
1. How easy is it to install the chimney caps?
Assuming you don’t mind going on a very high roof, and have the necessary tools and materials, installing chimney caps can be a relatively simple process. Not easy, simple.
Once you have the proper cap, place it over the opening and secure it in place with screws or bolts. Some caps also come with a built-in screen or mesh to keep animals and debris from entering your chimney.
2. What is the material of the chimney caps?
There are a variety of materials that can be used for chimney caps, including stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. Each material has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to choose the right material for your specific needs. Stainless steel is a durable material that is resistant to rust and corrosion, making it a good choice for areas with high humidity or salt air.
3. What are the dimensions of the chimney caps?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the dimensions of chimney caps can vary greatly depending on the specific type and style of cap. However, some general guidelines can be given. For example, most chimney caps are typically between 12 and 24 inches in width and length, and between 2 and 4 feet in height. The exact dimensions will also depend on the specific type of chimney cap, as there are many different styles available on the market.
Some chimney facts:
1. Chimney caps are installed on the top of chimneys to keep water, animals, and debris from entering.
2. Chimney caps typically have a mesh screen to keep debris and animals out and embers in.
3. Chimney caps can also help prevent downdrafts and keep the chimney from smoking.
4. Chimney caps should be installed by a professional
5. Chimney caps come in a variety of materials, including stainless steel, copper, and aluminum.
6. Chimney caps can be custom made to fit any size or type of chimney.
7. Chimney caps should be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure they are functioning properly.
8. Chimney caps can become damaged over time and may need to be replaced.
9. Chimney caps are an important part of maintaining a safe and efficient chimney.
Some Quick Chimney Cap History
The chimney is where the narrative of chimney caps begins, and the chimney is a relatively new invention in the grand scheme of human history compared to other essential architectural functions like fireplaces and roof overhangs.
To be honest, they’re not much older than a few hundred years, making them far younger than gutters. Actually, the idea of Santa Claus entering the home by jumping down the chimney is only about 200 years old.
Some ancient cultures, like the Romans and the Chinese, had effective heating systems, but those systems gradually died out when their economies and empires fell. For as long as there have been dwellings, an open hearth has been the primary method of keeping warm.
Though most buildings were not particularly airtight to begin with, holes were occasionally cut in the walls or ceilings to improve ventilation.
Then came progress
It became increasingly difficult to have a hearth on the ground floor during the Norman conquest (about 1000 BC), when people started building two stories.
The fires were relocated inside the walls, on the base of the foundation, and vents were cut in the brickwork or built from scratch.
As we know them now, chimneys first appeared on a handful of structures in the 15th century. Chimney caps had also made their debut at that time, however they were often used for protection rather than decoration. Early chimneys were sometimes round.
Shifts in the Status Quo and the Need for Evolutionary Change
Chimneys became widely used due to the availability of cheap coal during the industrial revolution, but they also posed a significant health risk to the population.
This paved the way for the first chimney sweeps, who were typically young kids. By the end of the Victorian era, child labor had been eliminated, and builders were placing greater focus on central heating systems that did not rely so much on chimneys.
Most contemporary chimneys are purely aesthetic, existing as a stack of bricks on the roof.
Caps are necessary for the chimneys atop many older buildings in order to protect them for the long term. Most architectural experts agree that traditional chimneys are once again in vogue, and that a chimney cap is an excellent method to highlight the architecture of one’s roof.
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