If you want your chimney to work at its highest levels of efficiency and safety, you should make sure that all of its components are in place and in good condition. When even just one of these components is damaged or missing, your chimney is at a higher risk for water leaks, wild animal invasions, and other issues. While it is hard to say which component is the most essential, the chimney cap is the one that comes to mind since it actually performs at least three important functions that help your chimney avoid significant damage and other problems. No matter what your chimney’s size, shape, or type may be, Ashbusters has a wide range of
options of chimney caps in our online fireplace catalog, and our expert staff can help you find the best one for your chimney. Once your chimney cap has arrived, we will schedule an appointment for one of our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney technicians to come to your home and professionally install the cap on the top of your chimney. To help you understand why a chimney cap is so important, we would like to tell you more about the roles it serves for your chimney.
KEEPS OUT WATER
When most people think of a chimney cap’s function, the first thing that comes to mind is how it stops water from entering the chimney every time it rains, sleets, or snows. This chimney component does such an excellent job of keeping out water that the CSIA recommends chimney caps to homeowners as the least expensive way to prevent water penetration and the damage it can cause to a chimney and fireplace system.
PREVENTS THE ENTRY OF BIRDS AND WILD ANIMALS
Without a chimney cap professionally installed on the top of your chimney, there is a wide open hole on your roof that not only allows water but also critters like birds, squirrels, bats, and raccoons to easily get inside your home through the flue. When one of these critters gets into your chimney, it can damage its interior, leave behind smelly droppings, and even possibly get trapped and die inside the structure. To avoid these situation, you will find a wide variety of chimney caps that have mesh metal sides to keep birds and wild animals from moving into your chimney.
OTHER FUNCTIONS
The mesh metal sides on many chimney caps do not just serve to prevent bird and animal invasions; they also prevent accidental fires by stopping hot sparks and embers from jumping out of the top of the chimney. If you have often experienced draft problems with your chimney and fireplace, a certain type of chimney cap with special side vents may solve the issue. Ashbusters can show you how these vents direct the wind to improve the draft in your chimney so that you can light fires with ease this winter.
Is your chimney uncapped? Protect your home by contacting us at Ashbusters to schedule your appointment for our professional chimney cap sales and installation services.