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(645) 465-4171

Worn chimney cap replacement in Sailboat Bend

A cap sized to the flue, fastened the way its maker intends and backed by our workmanship warranty.

  • Owned and run locally
  • Available for same-day service
  • Fully licensed and insured
  • Family owned and run

Clues that the cap on your chimney has failed

  • Rust streaks running down from the cap
  • Leaves or twigs landing in the firebox
  • One flue capped and another left open
  • Cracked flue tile under the cap
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Measuring, choosing and fastening a chimney cap

Paint on a metal chimney top

One factory-built chimney maker allows high-temperature, rust-proof paint on the exterior metal parts, except the top portion of the chimney cap. Other makers set their own rules, and ordinary paint near the flue can blister or burn off. A coating the instructions do not allow is best left off.

If you want a painted look, tell us the chimney maker, or read the label from the pipe if you can reach it indoors. We check what the instructions allow before any coating goes on. For masonry chimneys with a metal cap, we usually recommend choosing a metal whose natural finish you are happy with instead of painting it.

Rust on the damper as a warning

A throat damper sits low in the chimney, just above the fireplace. When rain enters an uncapped or poorly capped flue, the damper is often the first metal it reaches. Rust flakes on the hearth, a damper that sticks or brown streaks on the firebox walls can all trace back to the top.

Mention any of those signs when you call. We check the cap and the flue top, and we look at the damper condition too. Damper repair is a separate job with its own estimate line. Stopping the water at the top first helps any damper work below last longer.

Clearing the roof and hauling the old cap away

Cap work leaves behind the old cap, bolts, broken mortar or sealant, and sometimes debris pulled from the flue. We gather it up, clear the roof area around the chimney and haul it away rather than leaving it in your bin or yard.

We also check the firebox and hearth below, because some debris can fall down the flue during removal. If anything reached the room, we clean it up. Tell us before the visit if there is furniture, a rug or anything fragile near the fireplace, so we can protect it before starting.

Leaves and twigs in the firebox

Leaves, twigs and seed pods in the firebox are a common sign that the cap is missing, damaged or has a torn screen. They fall down the open flue and gather on the smoke shelf or the damper before reaching the fireplace floor.

Clear the loose material from the firebox if you like, but do not light a fire over it. Tell us what you found and roughly how much. We check the cap and the flue top, and we look for material that may be lodged higher up. The estimate then covers the cap and any clearing needed.

What a chimney cap proposal should name

  • Outside size of each flue tile
  • Condition of the tile's top edge
  • Cap style suited to the mounting surface
  • Written record of the cap work

What to ask about a chimney cap in Sailboat Bend

Do I need to measure the flue before calling you?

No, and please stay off the roof. We measure every flue during the free inspection, along with the crown or tile the cap will fasten to. You only need to describe what you have noticed and roughly when it started.

Can you fit a cap on a factory-built metal chimney?

Yes, using the cap its maker lists for that chimney. The Florida Building Code requires factory-built chimneys to be terminated as the manufacturer's instructions say. If the chimney label is reachable safely from indoors, read it to us when you call.

Can a chimney cap keep birds and animals out of the flue?

A cap with an intact screen blocks the opening animals use. It must not be fitted over an animal that is already inside. If you hear movement in the flue, tell us, so removal is handled before the top is closed.

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