One of the most important additions to your roof is a chimney cap. Why, then, do so few homeowners install these beneficial additions? Are the rest of them forgetful, or is it because they don’t understand the importance of chimney caps?
We’d say it’s the latter, which is why in this article, we’ll take you through what a chimney cap does exactly, and why your home needs one.
What Is a Chimney Cap?
As the name suggests, a chimney cap is a protective device made out of copper or steel mesh that’s installed on the top of your chimney. It’s great because it’s unobtrusive and unnoticeable from the street. So you don’t have to worry about anything unusual standing out on your chimney. On the other hand, you get to enjoy all the protection a chimney cap can offer.
Are There Different Types of Chimney Caps?
Definitely. Depending on your chimney, you can choose from various different caps.
Some homeowners are happy opting for an external mount chimney cap. It’s relatively easy to put up and efficient in keeping your home safe.
Others will prefer a more economical, more straightforward chimney flue cap installed at the end of your flue. Of course, it’s up to you to learn more about chimney cap styles at mastercaps.com, and decide which one is right for you. For now, let’s see what benefits a chimney cap can bring you!
What Does A Chimney Cap Do?
A chimney cap comes with a long list of benefits, which means that at least one of them is bound to fit your particular needs.
1. Prevents Wild Animals From Getting Into Your Chimney
There are a lot of reasons why you don’t want wild animals getting into your chimney. First of all, the thought of toasting a baby raccoon next time you go to set the fire is grim, in its own right, though instances of this happening are pretty rare. Usually, you won’t have a problem with animals getting into your chimney during the cold months since you’re burning fires regularly, and animals are smart enough to stay away from that.
In the summer, however, it’s more than likely you’ll find some animal living up there, from chimney sweep birds, to pigeons, even raccoons. And each one of these animals carries its own set of issues. Birds, most commonly, threaten to leave behind nests and nesting materials that will light up the next time you set the fire. Obviously, this poses a considerable fire risk to your property.
Other animals, such as raccoons, or squirrels, can enter your home through the chimney, exposing you and your family to all sorts of diseases, and in some cases, quite a bit of property damage.
2. Reduces Moisture Inside the Chimney
Moisture may not seem like such a big deal at first. So what if a little bit of rain gets inside your chimney? It’s nothing that a good, hearty fire can’t dry. Or so we think. In truth, if you live in an area where it rains a lot, you’re probably at risk of chimney damage.
How does that happen? Well, while it’s true that one little rain isn’t a problem, constant rain will leave your chimney’s insides damp. In time, this can destroy the chimney lining and even the mortar joints. That means your chimney can collapse from rainwater.
Now getting a chimney cap to keep out all that water doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
3. Keeps Sparks From Getting Out
You know how a fire will crackle, and sparks will fly loose? Well, while nothing can happen if the spark stays inside your chimney, the spark getting out onto the roof is a different story. The more sparks escape your chimney, the higher the risk of fire. Again, a chimney cap can prevent that from happening.
4. Can Keep Your Home Warm
One common issue in windy areas is a downdraft. Though not often talked about, a downdraft is a gust of wind blowing into your home through the chimney. And if you live in a place where strong gusts of wind are a common issue, this gets tiresome quickly and can make it harder to keep your home warm.
This is another excellent reason to install a chimney cap, since it will stop the wind from getting into your home, along with the water and the animals.
Should You Get A Chimney Cap?
Our answer would be a definite yes. Regardless of where you live, or if you have any of the above issues or not, a chimney cap is a smart investment. It will protect your home, and specifically, your chimney, against from many different problems, it would honestly be a shame not to put one up!
You should have learned something new and beneficial from this essay. There are plenty other suggestions on this page: Top Five Signs You Need To Repair Your Roof
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