Repairing the chimney cap is an important maintenance task for your safety, better life of the chimney and to avoid any inconvenience. Damaged or missed caps can cause several disadvantages such as blockage, debris inside the chimney and the risk of fire which is very dangerous. Regular maintenance can prevent these issues and give your chimney a long life.
Why are chimney caps important?
Animals Avoidance
Animals like birds, raccoons and squirrels can easily enter your chimney which is dangerous and causes blockage but chimney caps help prevent them from entering.
Safeguarding Debris
Substances such as leaves and other debris can fall into chimneys which cause blockage or fire but chimney caps act as a barrier to them.
Spark Stopper
Chimney caps with spark arrestor screens work to stop sparks and embers from getting out of your chimney and possibly setting nearby flammable objects on fire.
Rain Avoidance
Rainwater can be prevented by entering and causing the damage if chimney caps are properly installed and designed.
Enhanced Vision
If the chimney cap is properly installed, the airflow will be flawless.
How to identify if there’s a problem?
There are some signs from which you can guess there is a problem.
-Water stains around your Chimney
-Smoke coming inside the house instead of going out
-Animal or debris inside the chimney building nest or staying there.
How to prevent the problem?
Maintenance is the key. Below are some tips which can be followed:
Habitual inspection
To make sure it’s in good condition, make it inspected by a professional once a year at least. Minor problems can cause big problems later.
Keeping it Tidy
Removing any debris, leaves or nest that may be covering the Chimney once a week to keep it clean and tidy. And make sure to keep the cap close.
Spark Arrestor
Install a cap with spark arrestor which can prevent any sparks and fires and keep the environment safe.
Spot Leakage
Inspect any water leakage around the chimney frequently, and take serious notice/ steps before it gets worse.
Groom Neighboring Trees
Any long or messy tree nearby your chimney can be alarming. Make it tidy as soon as possible to prevent debris falling in and making the situation worse frequently.
Consulting specialists is better immediately if you notice any changes to avoid any inconvenience.
How can a Chimney cap be repaired?
There are few ways:
-Sealing any patch or hole found on the cap.
-Replace if damaged or can not be repaired.
-Sometimes reinforcement is necessary to make it stable.
Who can repair it?
There are special technicians and inspectors who provide chimney cap repair services. They do cleaning, inspecting, repairing and make sure it’s in good condition. They are professional and well trained to keep one’s chimney in best condition. Nowadays there are several online platforms which are offering it too which are easily available and can resolve the problem in a blink of an eye.