Consider Chimney Caps and Chase Covers
Chimney Caps Inspections
Chimney Caps and Chase Covers sit on top of the chimney and can easily rust or be damaged. In many instances, you will never know there is a problem until it is already too late. Catching these small repairs before you have big problems is important, which is why having an inspection every year is a great idea.
An Uncapped Chimney
If your chimney does not have a cap, you need to get one put on as soon as possible. Without it, you have an uncovered hole on your roof!
- A great place for critters to make a home. Perfect for nesting birds and small animals.
- Allows water from rain and snow into the chimney system that can lead to moisture, causing damage and potentially expensive repairs.
- Burning embers and sparks escaping through an open chimney can be a fire hazard. These embers can easily land in dry leaves on your roof or in your yard.
Protect Your Home
Protecting your home with a chimney cap is one of the single most cost effective ways to prevent damage to your home and reduce fire hazards. Here is a partial list of problems we see on service runs every day. These could be avoided had the home only been properly protected by a chimney cap or an energy saving damper.
Critters of all kinds love flues without chimney caps.
Bird droppings that turn to dust and enter the home can cause histoplasmosis.
Old broken and rusted chimney damper caused by rain and snow.
Birds
Birds find the chimney top a good place to perch. They are often overcome by the carbon monoxide being released, and after their early demise, fall into the flue. Over time, it becomes clogged and the water heater is unable to vent properly, leading to costly repairs.
Spalling
Spalling occurs when water is absorbed into the clay tile material and then breaks apart during the freeze-thaw cycle. Did you know water expands 9% when it freezes? This type of damage is preventable with a chimney cap, keeping water out.
Why Consider Replacing the Chimney’s Chase Cover
Most prefabricated fireplaces that are installed end up with a galvanized chase cover that rusts out over time. If not caught, you will begin to see a stain that runs down from the top of the chimney. By the time this happens, you most likely have water in the chimney system and possibly rust throughout. We recommend replacing the chase cover with a stainless steel cover that has a lifetime warranty to extend the life of a prefabricated fireplace’s chimney system.
Don’t let this happen to you! Call All American Chimney Service, LLC at 502-435-2364 today or request an appointment online to install a chimney cap or new chase cover.
