Chimney Caps, Spark Arrestors, and Weather Shields

by | Apr 13, 2018 | Chimney Anatomy

Your chimney cap may look like it has everything it needs. From the outside, it may have a cap, crown, sturdy masonry, and a steady stream of translucent smoke escaping out the top. Many chimneys have no cap at all, so if you have one you’re doing great, right? Wrong. Not all caps are created equal, and your cap may be what stands between you and a code enforcement citation.

Your Chimney Cap and Chicago Weather

In “The Windy City” you shouldn’t be surprised that many chimneys are affected by windy weather. A perfectly healthy chimney can become damaged by water even if it’s capped! A standard chimney cap should keep water from falling directly into the chimney flue, but only a chimney cap with a windshield will keep the wind from carrying rain into the flue. What kind of cap do you have?

Municipal Codes and Spark Arrestors

Your chimney cap may or may not have a windshield but should have a spark arrestor. Not only is it safer for your home, your neighbors, and the environment, but it’s most likely required by your local safety code as well! A spark arrestor should be a component of your chimney cap because it prevents sparks from rising up and out of the chimney flue. In windy conditions, a spark that escapes one chimney can ignite a fire several blocks or miles away. Knowing your local and national safety standards is important when building and maintaining a home. When you use a certified chimney sweep to build and maintain your chimney system, you don’t have to worry about safety codes. We worry about them and take care of them for you.

Hiring a Professional Chimney Sweep

A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep must study and test over national residential fire safety codes as part of his or her certification. When you hire a professional with the CSIA certification, you can rest assured that they take chimney and fire safety seriously. At Robinson Maintenance Repair we are CSIA-certified, and abreast of local safety codes in our service area. If you’re living in North, Northwest, or Western Chicago suburbs, we’ve got you covered. We sell and install chimney caps with weather shields and spark arrestors, and we offer these services year-round. Install now and you can protect your chimney against spring rains and animal intrusion.

The Importance of Chimney Caps

Your chimney cap has many jobs to do, and if your chimney doesn’t have a cap at all, none of these jobs are getting done!

  • The cap keeps out water and moisture from the top-down, preventing devastating water damage.
  • The cap keeps out debris from trees, wind, and animals.
  • The cap prevents animals from entering.
  • The cap prevents downdrafts that may affect your fire, your utility bill, and more.
  • The cap prevents embers and sparks from escaping the flue and igniting the roof or nearby shrubs and grasses.

RMR can install your chimney cap before spring is fully over, preventing water and animal damage this spring, preventing conditioned air loss this summer, and preparing your chimney for burn season next fall. Don’t hesitate to call and schedule your appointment today.

Call 847-290-1883 today.