Chimney Services
Chimney cap work for Cameron City homes
Any cap work you schedule in the 72 hours after your free inspection is 10% off.
Crown-mounted caps for several flues
Where two or more flues rise close together, one cap can cover them all. This kind of cap is fastened to the crown with a flange, adhesive and masonry screws, and the maker's guidance keeps each flange edge at least one inch from the edge of the crown so the fasteners do not crack it.
A crown-mounted cap depends on a crown that is sound and flat enough to seat the flange. We check the surface, the tile heights and the spacing between flues before recommending one. When the crown is failing, the cap waits until the crown is repaired.
Rust streaks below the cap
Orange or brown streaks on the crown or down the brick usually start at the cap. When the coating on a steel cap wears through, rain carries rust across whatever lies below it. The stain is a cosmetic problem at first and a warning that the metal is thinning.
Replacing the cap with a corrosion-resistant one stops new staining. Existing streaks on brick can often be cleaned, and we tell you which masonry cleaners suit your chimney before anything touches the face of the brick.
When the flue tile sits too low
A bolt-on cap has to grip tile that stands clear of the crown. Brick Industry Association guidance puts the top of the flue liner a minimum of two inches above the crown surface, and some chimneys were finished with far less showing.
Where the tile barely clears the crown, a crown-mounted cap or a repair to the top of the chimney may be the better route. We measure the projection at the inspection and explain which approach fits your chimney before any part is ordered.
Sweep the flue before the cap goes on
A cap closes the top of the flue to outside debris, so it makes sense for the flue to be clean when it goes on. Soot and creosote also collect on cap screens, and a flue that has not been swept can clog a new screen quickly.
The national standard, NFPA 211, calls for a yearly inspection of chimneys, fireplaces and vents. If your flue is due, sweeping and cap fitting can happen on one visit, each priced on its own.
