Chimney Cap & Damper Installation

No one wants to end up with a chimney leak problem. We want to help you avoid the frustrating experience too, which is why we recommend a number of different preventative measures that can help protect your chimney system from water and from the damage that leads to leaks.

One helpful measure is waterproofing. Blue Ridge Chimney Services can apply a waterproofing sealant to your masonry that helps to keep water from making its way into the system. Although they are waterproof, these sealants are still vapor permeable, allowing gases and moisture that are in the system to vent through the brick and mortar as they’re supposed to.

Another valuable preventative measure you can take is to make sure that your chimney cap and chimney damper are properly sized and installed.

Chimney Caps Work To Protect Your Chimney System

The metal cap up at the top of your flue helps protect your chimney system in a number of ways:

First, since it’s blocking off the very top of your flue, it’s helping to keep rain, sleet and snow from jumping right into your chimney and contributing to damaged flue liners and masonry. But that’s just one of the chimney cap’s benefits.

Water is your least welcome intruder, but we don’t want birds and other animals getting into your flue either. Birds can nest in the chimney, carrying debris in to build nests that block the flue and cause a fire hazard. (And, if those birds are federally protected chimney swifts, you can’t remove them, by law — you’ll just have to wait them out.) Other animals bring more debris, bugs, smells – things you don’t exactly want in your chimney system. A properly installed chimney cap will go a long way toward showing water and animals the “No Vacancy” sign.

Brick chimney with copper chimney cap

Chimney Dampers Have Water Fighting And Energy Benefits

Your chimney’s damper serves to block off the flue when it isn’t in use. Many older chimneys have what’s called a throat damper, installed above the firebox. Newer chimneys often have a top-end damper, installed at the top of the flue.

When functioning properly, both kinds of dampers serve as another layer of protection against water getting into your chimney system. But it’s not uncommon to see stuck or corroding throat dampers that need to be replaced. Most often, we replace these with top-end dampers, because they bring another great benefit. Since top-end dampers include a gasket that seals off the flue at the top when the damper is closed, you don’t end up paying to heat cold air in your chimney again and again. These energy-top dampers are known to offer great energy savings on top of offering a superior barrier against the elements.

If you need a chimney cap or chimney damper repaired or replaced, call Blue Ridge Chimney Services today at 540-217-2030 or click here to schedule an appointment online!

Annual chimney sweeping is an important part of home maintenance. We are happy to offer this basic service to keep your chimney in tip-top shape and your family safe and warm.