When you have a chimney, one of the most important things you can to do is to prevent water penetration. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends a chimney cap as the least expensive preventive method against water penetration. Over our years of working on chimneys, we have repaired many chimneys that were damaged because they were not capped. Sometimes the damage can become so bad that we have had to rebuild chimneys. This is one of the reasons why the CSIA has called water the biggest enemy of masonry chimneys. We would like to tell you more about chimney caps and how they can save the life of your chimney.
How does a chimney cap keep water out of my chimney?
Without a good quality chimney cap installed at the top, your chimney is an open hole on your roof. Water from rain and melted snow can easily penetrate into the brick and mortar of your chimney. This trapped moisture can lead to spalling damage in the winter, which is when the water freezes, expands, and thaws. The repeated freeze/thaw cycles cause the bricks and mortar to crack, break apart, and become loose from the chimney. Making sure your chimney is protected by a chimney cap at its top. This will help to decrease the spalling damage to the bricks and mortar.
What other benefits do I have from a chimney cap?
Not only do chimney caps prevent water from getting into chimneys, they also keep birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals out of the flue. All American Chimney Service can show you chimney caps that are equipped with metal mesh sides that make it impossible for any critters to even try to enter your chimney to use as a nesting spot. These metal mesh sides serve another important purpose as they keep hot sparks and embers from jumping out of the top of the chimney. This reduces your risk of experiencing a fire on your roof or in your yard. If you are having trouble with the draft in your chimney, we can also show you chimney caps that are vented on the sides to direct the wind to help pull exhaust gases out of the chimney.
By serving several important functions, a chimney cap is one of the most essential components of a chimney and venting system. Contact us at All American Chimney Service to find out more about our chimney cap sales and installation services.