The Remarkable Benefits of a Chimney Cap
Make no mistake, moisture is a chimney’s Enemy Number One. Yet, the remarkable benefits of a chimney cap are even greater than acting as a metal umbrella. Other potentially disastrous misfortunes you can avoid if you have a chimney cap complete with mesh are detailed below. At Chimney Saver Solutions, we never blow smoke. We know first-hand the kinds of conundrums you can avoid with a chimney cap. If we didn’t emphasize the importance of chimney caps with mesh, we would be derelict in our duty as devoted, CSIA-certified chimney technicians.
Why is Moisture an Enemy to Chimneys?
Much like sponges, bricks are very porous. Each component of a chimney contributes to the dubious proposition of keeping moisture out. Every brick that is infiltrated by moisture is on an unavoidable path of destruction.
Water inside bricks becomes disastrous during the freezing and thawing cycles of winter. As the water expands and contracts, the structure of the brick is destroyed. Bricks that contain water will go flat and, therefore, must be replaced. Otherwise, your chimney will start to lean and could eventually collapse.
Without a chimney cap, water will flow down the chimney flue. Now, that may not affect external bricks, but it is still destructive. Moisture mixed with creosote, for example, creates a corroding effect. An intact flue liner is essential to avoid threats such as a sudden, devastating fire and exposure to potentially deadly carbon monoxide fumes.
The Remarkable Benefits of a Chimney Cap with Mesh
Mesh as an added feature on a chimney cap provides amazing benefits. To fully appreciate the value of a chimney cap with mesh, you would have to experience what mesh prevents. We will try to recreate some of those avoidable disasters, as follows.
A Horrendous Smell Invades Your Home
Animals can enter your home through your chimney flue if there is no mesh on your chimney cap. It is not uncommon for snakes, squirrels, raccoons, bats, birds, and other creatures to enter chimneys. Sometimes, those animals cannot get back out. When that happens, the animal will die inside the chimney and begin to decompose. This causes an unbearable stench to infiltrate your home, and it is just one of many worst-case scenarios. Another is that a live snake could enter the living space of your home.
A Symphony of Loud Chirping Robs Your Home of Quietude
If Chimney Swifts find that your chimney is open for entry, they could build nests and enlarge their families inside your chimney. Because these birds are a federally protected species, it would be unlawful to remove the birds or disrupt their activities in any way. The worst of this experience is, of course, the waste that is deposited in your chimney. However, a close second is the noise of multiple nestlings chirping day and night for worms and such.
Fortunately, the noise usually lasts for only a few weeks at most. Also, once the baby birds are ready to fly, the chimney swifts vacate chimneys and continue in their migration patterns. What is your next step if this happens to you? It is necessary to schedule trusted chimney technicians to remove the toxic substances in your chimney that the birds left behind. Then have a chimney cap with mesh installed.
Fire Breaks Out on Your Roof
The mesh on a chimney cap also acts as a spark guard. The mesh can prevent embers that float up the chimney from escaping to start a fire on your roof or elsewhere nearby. It’s also important to schedule routine chimney cleaning. Those embers can also start a chimney fire by igniting highly flammable creosote.
Many homeowners don’t realize how dangerous chimney fires are. Most chimney fires cause structural damage that you may not see. The chimney flue is the component that is usually damaged by chimney fires. After any chimney fire, schedule a chimney inspection to make sure your fireplace is still safe to use.
Call the Chimney Experts for Chimney Cap Installation
If you live in the Richmond VA area, the terrific chimney technicians at Chimney Saver Solutions are available to provide you with high-quality chimney services. Now that you know the remarkable benefits of a chimney cap, are you ready to have one installed? If you have a chimney cap but it doesn’t have mesh included, contact us about that, too. We can discuss your options.
We can help with all of your needs related to chimneys and fireplaces. Our comprehensive chimney services include chimney cleaning, chimney inspections, masonry repair, full or partial masonry rebuilds, chimney cap installation, flashing repair or installation, flue liner repair or replacement, and new fireplace installation.
To schedule an appointment, call us or fill out our online form today.
