Making sure your chimney is ready for winter is an important task for homeowners. Cold weather can be hard on your chimney, and you need to be certain your chimney will work properly all winter to keep you and your family warm. At Ace Chimney Sweeps, we can help you ensure your chimney is well prepared for colder weather by inspecting your chimney and making recommendations of necessary repairs. One common recommendation we make regards a very important component of your chimney: the chimney cap. If you do not have a cap installed on top of your chimney or if the existing cap is damaged, we strongly recommend installing a new chimney cap to protect the interior of your chimney. We would like to tell you the reasons why you need a chimney cap.
A chimney cap prevents damage from water penetration.
The main function of a chimney cap is to keep water from rain and melted snow out of your chimney. Without a cap installed on the top of your chimney, water can easily enter the interior where it can cause major damage. The bricks and mortar absorb water, and this water will freeze within these masonry materials when the temperature drops. When water freezes, it expands, and when it thaws, it causes the bricks and mortar to crack and break apart. Water can also leak down your chimney into your home to cause more damage. Called the most inexpensive preventive tool to keep water out of your chimney by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a chimney cap will protect your chimney from water damage.
A chimney cap keeps birds and animals from getting into your chimney.
Equipped with mesh metal sides, a chimney cap can also prevent birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other small animals from entering your chimney to nest during the winter. When birds and animals get into your chimney, they become fire hazards and make your fireplace unsafe to use. Even when they leave your chimney, they create fire hazards by leaving behind their nests, which can cause flue blockages that can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning and chimney fires.
A chimney cap prevents accidental fires from starting on roofs and in yards and trees.
Hot embers and burning sparks can jump out of the top of your chimney and land on the roof or in your yard or a tree to ignite a fire. The mesh metal siding on a chimney cap keeps these embers and sparks from exiting the top of your chimney.
A chimney cap can improve the draft in your chimney.
Certain types of chimney caps have vents that can direct the wind to improve your chimney draft. This helps your chimney to work more efficiently and effectively. If you have suffered from chimney draft issues, Ace Chimney Sweeps can help you find a chimney cap that will solve this problem.
If your chimney does not have a chimney cap installed at the top, contact us at Ace Chimney Sweeps. We can help you select the perfect cap for your chimney and professionally install it to protect your chimney this winter.