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The Pros and Cons of a Chimney Cap

chimney caps sizes

Chimney caps come in a variety of shapes and sizes to match the exterior of your home.

A chimney cap is a covering for the top of your chimney, and it usually includes wire mesh. It makes a great deal of sense to install a chimney cap, when you look at the benefits. There are, however, some problems which can occur because of a chimney topper, particularly involving wire mesh.

Pros

• A chimney cap prevents water from entering the chimney. Moisture can enter the flue anytime it rains, without a chimney cap. This can cause water to get inside the attic or house as it runs down the brickwork. The moisture can damage your walls and ceiling.

• A chimney cap can stop downdrafts from entering the home. Downdrafts can cause your home to fill with smoke. Especially in windy areas, a chimney cap can be extremely beneficial in helping to make the home more energy efficient. Cold blasts of air are prevented from entering into homes equipped with a chimney cap.

chimney caps

It is best to choose a chimney cap with the mesh siding to prevent critter from entering your chimney.

• When mesh netting is installed with the cap, animals are prevented from entering the chimney. Birds are drawn to the warmth provided by a chimney and will build nests in uncapped chimneys, which causes serious clogging. Other animals are also known to access uncovered chimneys, such as raccoons, snakes, and squirrels. The animals often get stuck; and they sometimes die, which creates an awful odor. It’s dangerous to deal with a wild animal, since they can carry various diseases, including the deadly rabies virus.

• Wire mesh on chimney caps are also spark deflectors, which can be extremely important in dry areas.

Cons

• The openings in the chimney cap screens are sometimes very small, and they can become clogged with creosote. Creosote is buildup caused by wood smoke and is not only deposited on the flue lining, it can also clog the mesh. When the screen is obstructed, the oxygen needed for the fire is cut off, which means the fire could be much more difficult to light, and it won’t burn properly.

• Soot can also clog the mesh on a chimney cap. Soot is a black fine powder created during combustion. The rising particles adhere to the sides of the flue and can clog the mesh in a chimney cap.

professional chimney cleaning

During your annual chimney inspection your professional chimney sweep can check the cap to make sure it is properly cleaned and safe to use.

• After high winds, debris and leaves can clog a chimney cap.

• If paper is burned in the fireplace, which isn’t recommended, ash could accumulate and get trapped in the netting, causing blockage.

• During heavy winter storms, ice and snow can build up around the mesh and prevent air circulation from flowing adequately.

• Discoloration of the chimney and roof in the surrounding brick or stucco could also occur, if there is an accumulation of creosote or soot in the mesh.

A professional cleaning by one of our licensed, certified chimney sweeps will take care of all issues connected with a clogged chimney cap. Annual inspections are important, even for people who don’t use their fireplaces frequently during the winter. The chimney cap is a potential problem area, no matter how frequently you’ve used your fireplace.

The debate concerning the pros and cons of having a chimney cap can easily be won by the pros, since regular chimney cleaning and inspection virtually eliminates problematic issues.

Northeastern Chimney, Inc.
formerly Nayaug Chimney Services, LLC
37 Cody Street, West Hartford, CT 06110
Phone: 860-233-5770

Chimney Inspections in Hartford, Glastonbury, 06001 Avon, 06002 Bloomfield, 06006 Windsor, 06010 Bristol, 06010 Forestville, 06011 Bristol, 06016 East Windsor, 06019 Canton, 06023 East Berlin, 06025 East Glastonbury, 06029 Ellington, 06030 Farmington, 06032 Farmington, 06033 Glastonbury, 06034 Farmington, 06035 Granby, 06037 Berlin, 06040 Manchester, 06041, 06042, 06043 Bolton, 06043, 06045, 06050 New Britain, 06051, 06051, 06052, 06053, 06066 Rockville, 06067 Rocky Hill, 06070 Simbury, 06071 Somers, 06074 South Windsor, 06078 Suffield, 06080, 06081 Simsbury, 06082 Enfield, 06083, 06084 Tolland, 06085 Farmington, 06088 East Windsor. 06089, 06090 Granby, 06092, 06093, 06095 Windsor, 06096 Windsor Locks, Hartford, 06105 West Hartford, 06106, 06107, 06108 East Hartford, 06109 Wethersfield, 06110 Elmwood, 06110, 06111 Newington, 06117, 06118, 06119, 06127, 06128, 06129, 06131 Newington, 06133 Elmwood, 06133 West Hartford, 06138, 06226 Willimantic, 06232 Andover, 06247 Hampton, 06248 Hebron, 06249 Lebanon, 06447 East Hampton, 06447 Marlborough, 06450 Meriden, 06451,06455 Middlefield, 06457 Middletown, 06459, 06475 Old Saybrook, 06480 Portland and many more CT towns

Nayaug Chimney Services LLC
Kreiger Lane GlastonburyCT06033 USA 
 • 860-659-0937

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The Pros and Cons of a Chimney Cap

chimney caps sizes

Chimney caps come in a variety of shapes and sizes to match the exterior of your home.

A chimney cap is a covering for the top of your chimney, and it usually includes wire mesh. It makes a great deal of sense to install a chimney cap, when you look at the benefits. There are, however, some problems which can occur because of a chimney topper, particularly involving wire mesh.

Pros

• A chimney cap prevents water from entering the chimney. Moisture can enter the flue anytime it rains, without a chimney cap. This can cause water to get inside the attic or house as it runs down the brickwork. The moisture can damage your walls and ceiling.

• A chimney cap can stop downdrafts from entering the home. Downdrafts can cause your home to fill with smoke. Especially in windy areas, a chimney cap can be extremely beneficial in helping to make the home more energy efficient. Cold blasts of air are prevented from entering into homes equipped with a chimney cap.

chimney caps

It is best to choose a chimney cap with the mesh siding to prevent critter from entering your chimney.

• When mesh netting is installed with the cap, animals are prevented from entering the chimney. Birds are drawn to the warmth provided by a chimney and will build nests in uncapped chimneys, which causes serious clogging. Other animals are also known to access uncovered chimneys, such as raccoons, snakes, and squirrels. The animals often get stuck; and they sometimes die, which creates an awful odor. It’s dangerous to deal with a wild animal, since they can carry various diseases, including the deadly rabies virus.

• Wire mesh on chimney caps are also spark deflectors, which can be extremely important in dry areas.

Cons

• The openings in the chimney cap screens are sometimes very small, and they can become clogged with creosote. Creosote is buildup caused by wood smoke and is not only deposited on the flue lining, it can also clog the mesh. When the screen is obstructed, the oxygen needed for the fire is cut off, which means the fire could be much more difficult to light, and it won’t burn properly.

• Soot can also clog the mesh on a chimney cap. Soot is a black fine powder created during combustion. The rising particles adhere to the sides of the flue and can clog the mesh in a chimney cap.

professional chimney cleaning

During your annual chimney inspection your professional chimney sweep can check the cap to make sure it is properly cleaned and safe to use.

• After high winds, debris and leaves can clog a chimney cap.

• If paper is burned in the fireplace, which isn’t recommended, ash could accumulate and get trapped in the netting, causing blockage.

• During heavy winter storms, ice and snow can build up around the mesh and prevent air circulation from flowing adequately.

• Discoloration of the chimney and roof in the surrounding brick or stucco could also occur, if there is an accumulation of creosote or soot in the mesh.

A professional cleaning by one of our licensed, certified chimney sweeps will take care of all issues connected with a clogged chimney cap. Annual inspections are important, even for people who don’t use their fireplaces frequently during the winter. The chimney cap is a potential problem area, no matter how frequently you’ve used your fireplace.

The debate concerning the pros and cons of having a chimney cap can easily be won by the pros, since regular chimney cleaning and inspection virtually eliminates problematic issues.

Northeastern Chimney, Inc.
formerly Nayaug Chimney Services, LLC
37 Cody Street, West Hartford, CT 06110
Phone: 860-233-5770

Chimney Inspections in Hartford, Glastonbury, 06001 Avon, 06002 Bloomfield, 06006 Windsor, 06010 Bristol, 06010 Forestville, 06011 Bristol, 06016 East Windsor, 06019 Canton, 06023 East Berlin, 06025 East Glastonbury, 06029 Ellington, 06030 Farmington, 06032 Farmington, 06033 Glastonbury, 06034 Farmington, 06035 Granby, 06037 Berlin, 06040 Manchester, 06041, 06042, 06043 Bolton, 06043, 06045, 06050 New Britain, 06051, 06051, 06052, 06053, 06066 Rockville, 06067 Rocky Hill, 06070 Simbury, 06071 Somers, 06074 South Windsor, 06078 Suffield, 06080, 06081 Simsbury, 06082 Enfield, 06083, 06084 Tolland, 06085 Farmington, 06088 East Windsor. 06089, 06090 Granby, 06092, 06093, 06095 Windsor, 06096 Windsor Locks, Hartford, 06105 West Hartford, 06106, 06107, 06108 East Hartford, 06109 Wethersfield, 06110 Elmwood, 06110, 06111 Newington, 06117, 06118, 06119, 06127, 06128, 06129, 06131 Newington, 06133 Elmwood, 06133 West Hartford, 06138, 06226 Willimantic, 06232 Andover, 06247 Hampton, 06248 Hebron, 06249 Lebanon, 06447 East Hampton, 06447 Marlborough, 06450 Meriden, 06451,06455 Middlefield, 06457 Middletown, 06459, 06475 Old Saybrook, 06480 Portland and many more CT towns

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