5 Reasons You Should Opt for Quality Chimney Caps

A chimney cap is an investment that can last a lifetime. A stainless steel or copper chimney cap can last for decades and plays an important role in protecting you and your loved ones from serious safety risks as well as protecting your home from damage.

These are the top 5 ways that a quality chimney cap is a smart choice:

#1 – Protects Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

You might not think that an animal nest or lawn debris, like leaves and sticks, could be a safety risk but they can be. If you use your fireplace without realizing that the chimney is obstructed by an animal nest or lawn debris, carbon monoxide could be trapped in your home because of poor airflow. This toxic gas can cause serious illness and even death.

#2 – Prevents a House or Chimney Fire

Another key safety role that a chimney cap plays is preventing a house fire. Every year there are homeowners who suffer a house fire because a stray ember from their fireplace’s exhaust ignited the roof or other flammable objects near the chimney. These house fires could easily be prevented by a chimney cap. The fine mesh along the sides of the cap stops stray sparks from escaping the chimney.

A chimney cap also prevents fires by keeping lawn debris and animals nests out of the chimney. An ember from the fire can also catch dried lawn debris or animal nests in the chimney on fire leading to either a chimney fire or house fire.  

#3 – Stops Wildlife from Making a Home in the Chimney

If you’ve ever had to deal with a bat, bird or snake that got into the house through your chimney, you know how much of a hassle it can be when wildlife gets into the house through an unprotected chimney. Wildlife can bring diseases into your home. They can also be loud, messy house guests. Trying to smoke out animals that have gotten into your chimney can leave you with a rotting animal in your chimney or cause a chimney fire if they have a nest in the chimney that catches fire. The best way to prevent wildlife from nesting in your chimney is to have a chimney cap installed. The metal cap and mesh along the sides prevent lizards, snakes, squirrels and other wildlife creatures from getting into your chimney. 

#4 – Reduces the Risk of Water Damage

Moisture is the top enemy of a chimney system. It deteriorates mortar joints, weakens bricks and flue tiles and warps metal flue liners. The more it deteriorates the structural integrity of your chimney, the risk of a house fire increases as broken flue tiles or a warped flue line create pathways for embers to escape the chimney. It also creates pathways for water to enter your home causing damage to structural beams, dry wall and insulation. These problems can be compounded if moisture in the chimney also leads to the growth of toxic mold. Installing a chimney cap is the simplest way to stop rain and snow from entering the chimney system and causing a wide range of damage.  

#5 – Controls Draft & Improves Airflow

If you struggle to keep a fire burning in your fireplace because either there is too much of a draft or too little of one, you might be able to solve the problem with a chimney cap. A new chimney cap can improve the airflow so that the fire gets just the amount of oxygen that it needs. Talk to a chimney expert to find the right chimney cap to fix your chimney’s airflow problem.

If you are in need of a chimney cap for your home in Houston, TX or the surrounding area, give us a call! Our chimney experts can help you find the perfect chimney cap for your home.