Wildlife screens
A heavy mesh screen blocks animals from nesting in the chimney without blocking the draft.
Chimney Parts
Chimney Cap Installation Palos Heights, IL
A chimney sweep in Palos Heights can install a metal cap over your flue that keeps rain, birds, raccoons and leaves out while letting smoke escape. Dial (708) 708-7262 to talk with a local chimney pro about a cap.
Without a cap, the top of a flue is open to rain, snow, leaves and wildlife. Water that falls into an open flue rusts metal parts, breaks down mortar and leaves a damp, smoky odor in the room. Squirrels, raccoons and birds nest in open flues, and their nests can block smoke from escaping.
A chimney cap is a metal hood with mesh sides that sits over the flue opening. The crown seals the top of the brick, while the cap protects the opening of the flue itself.
Not every cap fits every chimney, so sizing and style matter. Some caps fasten to the flue tile with screws or a clamp, and others mount to the crown and cover all the flues at once. Galvanized caps cost less up front but tend to rust, so stainless steel or copper is the longer lasting choice.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney cap installation in Palos Heights, IL can go hand in hand with chimney crown repair and chimney animal removal.
Looking for Palos Heights chimney cap installation? Call (708) 708-7262 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cap installation
Here is how a chimney sweep usually handles a cap installation.
Look inside
Before the cap goes on, the flue is checked for animals, nests and blockages. An occupied flue gets handled before capping.
Size the cap
Measurements of the flue tile, or of the whole crown, decide which cap fits. Getting the size right keeps the cap secure and the draft strong.
Pick the right cap
The cap is matched to the chimney, the appliance and the look of the house. The appliance using the flue affects the choice.
Check the crown
The crown and the top of the flue are checked so the cap is not mounted on failing masonry. Crown repairs are easier to handle at the same time.
Fasten the cap
The cap is screwed or clamped to the flue tile, or anchored to the crown for outside mount models. It should not wobble when pushed, and you will hear when the mesh should be checked for soot.
What is included
Chimney cap options
Top sealing caps
Caps with a built in damper seal the top of the flue and cut drafts for better energy savings.
Stainless steel caps
Copper caps last a long time and weather to a natural patina without staining the brick below.
Flue tile caps
A cap that fits over one flue tile and fastens to it is the most common type on brick chimneys.
Full crown caps
Outside mount caps that span the whole top of the chimney keeps several flues covered under one lid.
Related service
Chimney Cap Replacement Palos Heights, IL
Plenty of chimneys already have a cap, but it may be rusted, bent or missing mesh. Look for rust stains on the crown, a tilted lid or gaps in the screen. A replacement in stainless steel or copper usually ends the cycle of rusting caps.
In Palos Heights, a missing cap is often noticed only after a nest or a wet firebox appears. It helps to tell the sweep whether the chimney has one flue or several and what is vented through it. Debris that fell in while the cap was off may need to be cleared out first.
Related service
Spark Arrestor Installation Palos Heights, IL
Spark arrestors are screened caps that trap glowing embers inside the chimney. The NFPA 211 standard sets a mesh size that is small enough to stop embers but large enough not to clog quickly, about half an inch or a little less. Local fire rules in dry or wooded areas may require a spark arrestor.
A screen that clogs with soot can push smoke back into the house, so the mesh should be checked during sweeping. A smoky fireplace after years of good draft can point to a clogged screen. Cleaning or replacing the mesh restores the draft.
Local help
Chimney Cap Installation Near Me
Chimney caps in Palos Heights take a beating from wind, storms and the freeze and thaw cycles that come with the seasons. In Palos Heights and places nearby like Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, squirrels, raccoons and birds treat open chimneys as easy shelter, so a solid cap is one of the simplest ways to protect the flue.
For chimney cap installation in Palos Heights, IL or nearby towns like Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, call (708) 708-7262 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
This part of the country gets long winters, heavy snow in places and stretches of bitter cold. Furnaces, wood stoves and fireplaces run hard from fall to spring, which means fast creosote buildup and a lot of stress on liners, crowns and flashing. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. That is why Palos Heights chimney sweeps are busiest every September and October.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Palos Heights know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney cap installation
Can a cap go on if there are birds in the chimney?
Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so their nests cannot be removed while they are in use. A sweep can tell you what kind of bird it is and advise on timing. Capping after the birds migrate keeps the next season from repeating.
Will a cap make my fireplace smoke?
Well fitted caps rarely cause draft trouble. Trouble usually traces back to a clogged screen or a cap that is undersized or mounted too close to the flue opening. A sweep can clean the mesh or switch to a better fitting cap.
How long does a chimney cap last?
A good stainless steel or copper cap can last as long as the chimney itself in many cases. Galvanized and painted steel caps tend to rust within several years, especially near the coast or with oil fired appliances. Have the cap looked at during each sweeping, since wind and wildlife can loosen it.
What is the difference between a chimney cap and a chimney crown?
The crown is the slab of concrete or mortar that covers the top of the masonry around the flue. The cap is the metal cover with mesh sides that sits over the flue opening above the crown. A chimney needs both, and a cracked crown can leak even with a good cap.
Why should I put a cap on my chimney?
A cap keeps rain, snow, leaves and animals out of the flue, which protects the damper, the masonry and the inside of the chimney. Water in the flue causes rust, crumbling mortar and odors, and animals can block the flue completely. For the cost of a small part, a cap prevents a lot of trouble.
More questions? Call (708) 708-7262
Often needed together
Chimney Crown Repair
Repairing the concrete slab that caps the top of the chimney, so water stops soaking into the masonry from the top.
Learn moreChimney Animal Removal
Clearing animals and nesting material out of chimneys and flues, and cleaning up what they left behind.
Learn moreChase Cover Replacement
Installing new stainless or copper chase tops before rust and leaks damage the framing below.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Palos Heights chimney sweep about chimney cap installation
Call (708) 708-7262 for a local chimney sweep in Palos Heights and nearby towns.
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