Old Smokey's Fireplace & Chimney's Blog

Do I need a chimney cap?

With a slight dose of fanciful imagination, can you hear your chimney asking, “How do I look in this cap?” Old Smokey’s can’t claim ever to have heard any portion of a house speak, but we can supply real-world answers to questions about chimney caps.

Questions — and answers — about chimney caps consider both form and function. When you think about it, a chimney cap serves as a valuable tool to protect everything below it: your chimney, its lining, the damper, the flue, the fireplace — and ultimately the people under your roof.

Make sure your chimney sports a proper cap all year-round. Whether your chimney cap is made of stainless steel, galvanized black steel, copper or aluminum, top off your chimney with style and substance. Whether its shape is square, rectangular, oval or round, whether it is fancy or plain, sign up the experts at Old Smokey’s to help you make the right choice.

You’ll want to combine aesthetics and protection against rain, snow, sleet, ice, debris, critters and random plastic grocery bags (admittedly far-fetched and unlikely). You’ll want a quality chimney cap to prevent creosote buildup and to stop moisture intrusion, which can damage chimney linings, bricks or mortar.

Proper installation is required for your properly selected chimney cap. Your brand-new chimney cap needs to be mounted securely and evenly so it can firmly guard your chimney from meteorological or animal intrusions. In other words, you’ll want a qualified and experienced Old Smokey’s professional to install your chimney cap.

We at Old Smokey’s have a whole lot of solid experience with all things related to chimneys. Trust us, there is no need for you to climb onto your roof to look at or repair or improve your chimney. We do not recommend such hazardous undertakings. That’s our job!

Incidentally, a professional chimney inspection is always a good place to start. Why? Because then we can assess the condition of your bricks and masonry, check on flashing and sealant, and inspect for water intrusion or unwanted guests. A thorough chimney inspection conducted by an Old Smokey’s trained professional is a prudent action in advance of any chimney cap purchase.

Depend on experienced Old Smokey’s professionals. We’ve been at it for more than 30 years, building an excellent reputation one household at a time throughout northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and midsouth Michigan.

Call 800-876-6539, or schedule your appointment online. Let Old Smokey’s help you with your chimney’s headgear to make more than a fashion statement. Let us help you select and properly install the right chimney cap for your structure, so that it looks good and does its job in good weather and bad.

Close Your Fireplace and Chimney for the Season

Energy savings are a hot button topic year round for many homeowners. Surely everyone likes to save money whenever possible…right? Chimney dampers, for many, are just the way to control heating and cooling bills. The main purpose of a damper is to seal the chimney airtight when it’s not in use. If the chimney isn’t properly sealed when not in use, all of your valuable conditioned air can go up the chimney. Liken this to leaving your windows or doors open. You wouldn’t do that, so why would you leave your chimney and fireplace wide open?

THE JOB OF A TOP-MOUNT DAMPER

A top-mount chimney damper is installed at the top of your chimney to seal the flue shut when the fireplace is not in use. They create an almost airtight seal at the top of your chimney and keep energy in your home. The top-mount chimney damper’s design is two-fold: it stops outside air from coming down the flue while at the same time prevents expensive conditioned air from going up and out. These dampers are usually installed in damper repair situations where the original damper is missing or beyond simple repair; however, many homeowners looking for new ways to keep valuable conditioned air inside their living spaces are having top-mount dampers installed. The damper itself keeps wildlife and rain out very well when the fire is out as well as during the offseason. Top-mount dampers also keep out most insects (flies, bees, mosquitoes, etc.) that are especially problematic during the warmer months of the year.

HOW A TOP-MOUNT DAMPER FUNCTIONS

These dampers are designed to make your fireplace more energy efficient by sealing the flue at the top (where a more airtight seal is possible) rather than at the bottom (where a less-than-airtight seal is typically found). Sealing at the top keeps the unconditioned air out and your conditioned air in. Top sealing dampers are operated by a control mounted in the firebox and connected to the damper itself by a cable or chain. They are often an economical alternative to replacing a rusted out or warped throat-mount damper.

WHY BUY A TOP-MOUNT DAMPER?

Top-mount dampers help you save energy dollars, protect your chimney from damaging water and other elements, prevent animal infiltration, and provide year round protection for your chimney. When closed, it serves as a chimney cap and the silicone gasket provides a more airtight seal than a metal-to-metal throat damper. These dampers are specifically designed for wood burning masonry fireplace flues and should not be used for other applications.

If you’re ready to put an end to wasting money on conditioned air that just goes up and out of your chimney, give us a call (260-424-0009) at Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney! We’ll take a look at your system and help you determine if a top-sealing damper is the solution for you. Schedule your appointment today by calling or clicking here [https://www.oldsmokeys.com//scheduling/]! We look forward to helping you keep your family and your home protected and warm for the long haul!