Chimney Rain Caps With Animal Guards and Spark Arrestors
Why every chimney benefits from a protective chimney cap:
Water Is The Big Enemy! When it penetrates masonry, it activates acids and causes masonry corrosion and rusting dampers. It breaks things up when freeze-thaw cycles occur. It leaches out both calcium salts and sooty deposits and then stains chimney exteriors and even interior house walls. Water carries odors and encourages moss and lichen growth, as well as mold. Rain chimney caps are your first and best line of defense!
Rain caps with meshed sides keep out animals, that can block venting with their nests and dead bodies, and also spread disease and parasites and cause horrible damage if they get inside your house. We often have to deal with birds, squirrels, flying squirrels, and raccoons who are happy to call your chimney home.
Meshed rain caps also guard against sparks and flying embers emerging to damage roofs or start structure or brush fires.
Types of chimney caps
Stainless Steel Chimney Caps
Our best selling caps are stainless steel — sometimes single flue caps, but usually multiflue, custom-fit to cover the whole chimney top for maximum protection. These caps all have mesh sides, a lifetime warranty, and can be spray painted black for a small extra charge. Alternative option: powder-coated various colors for additional charge.
Copper Chimney Caps
Handsome, similar to stainless steel but less durable, and 2 - 3 times more expensive. Long-lasting but no warranty provided. Can be allowed to age ("brown up") or can be pretreated to preserve a burnished copper look. Vulnerable to wind damage because of malleability. Also vulnerable to acid damage when oil and gas flues are involved.
Bluestone Chimney Caps
Masonry construction with 1 1/2" - 2" thick gray-blue slate on brick pillars, usually approximately 4 bricks high. Handsome and usually meets any "historic district" requirements. Mesh protection is extra. Durable but no specific warranty. More difficult to service. Custom-sized; about twice as expensive as stainless steel.
Peaked "Bishops" Style Chimney Caps
Brick construction. Distinctive but expensive and somewhat impractical with regard to servicing. Often existing on older, unlined chimneys.