Chimney Cap Installation – Louisville KY

louisville ky chimney cap install and chimney service A chimney needs a protective chimney cap to keep out moisture in the same way a house needs a roof. Louisville Chimney Sweep & Repair, LLC, offers expert chimney cap installation. You can choose a chimney cap made with galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper. There are additional benefits, if you have a chimney cap installed that includes a mesh screen.

Chimney Caps Help Keep Out Moisture

Although a chimney cap is considered an accessory, it is truly essential to protect the chimney from its number one enemy: Moisture. Water and moisture can be more destructive to a health chimney system than any other incident. Rain, sleet, and snow can freely pour into your chimney system and wreak havoc if a chimney cap is not properly installed. The following are the types of damage you can be prevented by reducing the intrusion of water with the addition of a chimney cap:

Water penetration of porous bricks, causing them to expand, contract, and eventually break off as a result of freezing and thawing cycles;
Mortar deterioration, cracking and crumbling which exposes masonry to damaging moisture;
Deterioration of a chimney liner;
Firebox & chimney damper damage.

Chimney Caps Keep Out Animals and Debris

Without a chimney cap that includes sturdy mesh, it is not unusual for animals to make their way into chimneys. Snakes, squirrels, raccoons, bats, and birds are the types of animals that are commonly found in chimneys. Mother raccoons, for instance, look for quiet, dark places to use as a den for their cubs in spring and summer and chimneys are ideal. Federally protected birds called chimney swifts are instinctively drawn to build nests in chimneys and other chimney-like structures. Because of their status as federally protected creatures, the birds must be allowed to stay in a chimney until it is time for them to continue their migration.

It can be extremely frustrating and dangerous to deal with the issue of birds and other creatures in the chimney. Animal droppings cause a terrible odor and the smell of a dead animal stuck in a chimney can be unbearable. There are dangers, as well, since animals and their nests can cause blockage, creating a fire hazard and causing toxic fumes to enter your home rather than exiting through the chimney once the fireplace is in use once again.

In addition to animals, debris such as leaves & sticks can enter your chimney system in windy conditions, unless a chimney cap with mesh is installed.

Spark Protection and More

A chimney cap with spark guards can prevent airborne hot embers from possibly escaping the chimney and igniting nearby combustible materials. An additional benefit of a chimney cap is that it prevents downdrafts because crosswinds are unable to enter your chimney. Some chimney tops are available that enhance the updraft function of your chimney.

Chimney Cap Options

Of the three materials typically used to make chimney caps, galvanized steel is the least expensive and, by far, the least durable. A better investment is to have a stainless steel or copper chimney cap installed. Both materials are highly durable and may come with a lifetime warranty. You also have the added benefit that rust won’t stain your chimney, when you choose a copper or stainless steel chimney cap.