Our Services
How our pros choose and fit a chimney cap
Family-owned and local, we price every cap upfront with no hidden fees.
Measure the flue tile before choosing a cap
Flue tiles come in square, rectangular and round shapes, and their outside size decides which caps can fit. A bolt-on cap has to slide over the tile and clamp to it, so a measurement taken at the top is the only reliable one. Sizes guessed from the ground or from an old receipt often miss.
We measure each tile, note how far it rises above the crown and check that it is sound enough to hold a clamp. Those three findings set the choice between a single-flue cap, a larger crown-mounted cap or a cap made to order.
Check for animals before closing the top
Scratching, chirping or bits of nest on the damper mean something may be living in the flue. A cap fitted over an occupied chimney traps the animal inside, where it can die or damage the flue trying to escape. Lighting a fire to drive it out is dangerous and, for some birds, illegal.
We look into the flue before any cap goes on. If animals are present, removal comes first and follows the wildlife rules that apply, and the cap goes on once the flue is empty.
An unused fireplace still needs a cap
A fireplace nobody lights can still take in rain and animals. Water that runs down an open flue rusts the damper, stains the firebox and soaks the smoke chamber, however long it has been since the last fire.
Capping an idle chimney is one of the simplest ways to keep it from deteriorating. If you plan to use the fireplace again one day, we fit a cap that can be removed for sweeping and inspection when that day comes.
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.
