Tag Archives: chimney caps

A Wind Cap vs A Chimney Cap

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Wind cap
A Wind Cap

Enjoying a warm fire on a cold evening is one of the simple pleasures in life, but not when that beautiful crackling fire is accompanied by the eye-burning smell of smoke.

There are a number of causes for fireplace smoking problems, many of which are easily remedied.

If you live in areas prone to wind, such as the coastal or mountain region, or even off of a canyon or hillside, there is a very simple solution–a chimney wind cap.

 

The difference between a Wind Cap and a standard Chimney Cap

Chimney cap
A Standard Chimney Cap

A standard chimney cap serves several important purposes:
* Prevents embers from landing on the roof;
* Prevents animals and other critters from entering the home through the chimney;
* Prevents rain from going into the chimney system; and
* Prevents debris, leaves and pine needles from entering the chimney.

A standard cap, however, will not prevent wind-induced downdrafts.

What is a Wind Cap?

Wind caps have the same benefits as standard chimney caps but due to the design, wind caps have the added benefit of preventing wind from going down the flue which can cause smoking problems in your home.

Wind caps work on the same premise as weather vanes.  They rotate on a turret, turning their back to the wind while allowing the smoke to exit the flue pipe. The wind currents flow over the cap, instead of going down the pipe. The air current going past the wind cap creates a venturi effect (partial vacuum) in the pipe, helping to prevent the downdraft that creates the smoking problem. The hood of the wind cap also prevents horizontal rain from entering the flue pipe.

Where to find a Wind Cap

Unlike universal standard chimney caps, wind caps must be custom sized to fit the flue pipe. This requires taking accurate measurements of the inside and outside diameter of the flue pipe as well as the shape of the chimney flue pipe. The measurements can be tricky, especially for the odd-sized or odd-shaped flue pipe. Wind caps have to be special ordered to fit properly. It is recommended to hire a professional chimney sweep to measure, order and install a wind cap. To find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, go to the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s website.

One precaution with a wind cap

Please be aware that a wind cap cannot be installed on a pre-fabricated fireplace system due to the U.L. listing on the pre-fab fireplace. A wind cap can be installed on a masonry chimney and the pipe of some freestanding wood stoves and stove inserts.

Fireplace smoking problems may be easily resolved. Don’t just accept a fireplace smoking problem. Nothing should take you away from enjoying one of the simple pleasures in life.

Birds in Chimneys

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Birds on top of chimneyAs I’m sitting in my office working, I can hear the high-pitch chirping from some obviously newly-hatched baby sparrows just above my office window. I’m not surprised by the chirping. I’ve been watching the mama bird building her nest on a ledge just above my window for several weeks. During her time building her nest, every time we walk below her nest, she quickly flies away, only to return when we are out of sight. I don’t mind the nest, nor the sound of the constant chirping of the chicks. I don’t even mind the bird poop below the nest on our walkway. It’s the circle of life and I love it.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who is dealing with new nests during the spring. We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls from homeowners who are concerned that birds are coming into the chimney. Here’s some information that you need to know.

Are the birds INSIDE the chimney?

“Are the birds INSIDE the chimney?”  That’s not a dumb question. Just because you hear bird noises coming from the chimney, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are INSIDE the chimney.

Prefabricated chimneys have a metal flue pipe with a termination cap at the top. Birds like to hang out at the top. Their chirping through the metal flue pipe creates what I call the “Megaphone Effect.” We chimney sweeps have gone out to homes many times because homeowners insist that these feathered friends are inside the chimney, only to determine that they are just hanging out at the top. The good news is that no birds are inside the chimney.

Once the birds get into your chimney

The bad news is that if birds do get inside the chimney, they’ll fall down on top of the closed damper or behind the damper in the area called the smoke shelf. Then the bird gets trapped. Once the bird lands in the smoke shelf, it’s extremely difficult for them to get out on their own.

Once the bird has flown into your chimney, that chimney is now considered its natural habitat. This makes it a felony for anybody to remove the bird or active nest from its natural habitat without a special wildlife permit. Due to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, there is a potential $15,000 fine per bird, nest, or egg as well as possible jail time and confiscation of any equipment or tools involved with the removal of said birds.

Chimney sweeps have been targeted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as frequent violators of these federal laws. Many chimney sweep companies simply didn’t realize that it’s against the law to remove birds from chimneys and what kind of potential heavy fines they are opening themselves up to. For that reason, we recommend contacting animal rescue organizations who have the wildlife permit.

After the birds are gone…

Chimney CapThe best way to deal with birds getting into your chimney is prevention. Once birds are gone from the chimney and the nest has been abandoned, we recommend having the chimney inspected and swept to remove any nesting material. In addition, installing a chimney cap will prevent future birds as well as rodents and other critters from entering the chimney.

To find a qualified chimney sweep company to install a chimney cap, make sure you use a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep through the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

We have a responsibility as humans to care for our wildlife. We can live in harmony with these precious creatures. Soon enough, I know I’ll miss that sweet chirping just outside my office window.

Roof rats love your chimney!

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A chimney cap will prevent roof rats from entering a homeEven if homeowners don’t use their fireplace, there are still very important reasons to have a chimney cap.

This last week, as a chimney sweep, I received a record number of phone calls from people who had critters in their chimney.  This time of year here in San Diego, during the rainy season, it’s not uncommon to get these phone calls.  Critters are always looking for a dry, warm, dark place during the rain.

Here in San Diego, in many cases, these critters are roof rats. Once they get down the chimney, they land behind the damper in an area called the smoke shelf. Once they go down, it’s difficult if not impossible for them to find their way back up the chimney. If your damper is open, it’s easy for the roof rats to find their way into your home. Not good!

Birds are also a problem

In addition, this is about the time of year when birds are finding places to nest. If a bird gets in a chimney and builds a nest, it is illegal for any person to remove a bird or an active nest without a special wildlife permit, according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. You have to wait until the birds and chicks leave the nest permanently on their own or until the birds die. If the birds die inside the chimney, the smell is disgusting.  Even worse, the leftover nest carries dangerous diseases such as histoplasmosis.

As of March, 2020, here is a comprehensive list of 1,093 species of birds covered under this Act. This list even includes pigeons!

This Act is one of the oldest wildlife protection laws on the books.  According to the MBTA, “It is a misdemeanor to violate any provision of the Act with punishment of a maximum fine of $15,000 or imprisonment up to six months or both…” unless you have a special permit issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The best way to prevent birds, and other critters, from coming into a chimney is with a chimney cap.

Four other very important reasons for a chimney cap

In addition to preventing critters from entering your home through the chimney, there are four other important reasons to install a chimney cap.

A chimney cap, because it has a spark arrestor mesh, prevents hot flying embers from landing on your roof, on your neighbor’s roof, in dry brush or on solar panels and cars.

Chimney CapA chimney cap with a solid lid on top will prevent most of the rain from entering the chimney. Over a long period of time, rain that enters the chimney will land in the smoke shelf and can then rust out a damper and deteriorate a chimney from the inside out.

A chimney cap prevents leaves and other debris from falling into the chimney from the top. Leaves and debris are a combustible material and can create a potential safety hazard in a chimney.

Downdrafts can create smoking problems. Installing a specially-designed windcap will prevent smoking problems caused by downdrafts.

If your chimney does not have a chimney cap, it’s a good idea to install one. Call a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep today to install a chimney cap to prevent those “unwelcome visitors” from entering your home!

Chimney Caps and Termite Tents

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Chimney cap askew on top of a chimney
Photo credit: Rick Pocock

What do chimney caps and termite tents have in common? More than you think!

Several times a year, the strong Santa Ana winds hit Southern California. These winds are something we San Diegans dread because it usually brings with it the threat of wildfires. But there’s something else that occurs due to these forceful winds.

After the winds subside, I get numerous phone calls from customers who notice that their chimney caps have flown off and landed in their back yard. The first question I now ask: “Have you recently had your house tented for termites?” In every single case, the answer is always “Yes.”

What happens to Chimney Caps when your house is tented?

In our experience as chimney sweeps, we have experienced two scenarios:

Scenario #1) The pest control company leaves the chimney cap on the chimney during the termite tenting. In this case, the full weight of the heavy tent is on the highest point of the house which, in many cases, is the chimney cap. The full weight of the termite tent will crush the cap. With a crushed cap, this creates a dangerous situation for the homeowner. Using your

A termite tent will crush chimney caps
Photo credit: Adobe Photos

fireplace with a crushed chimney cap will mean that the smoke, gases and carbon monoxide cannot vent. The hazard is especially dangerous when the homeowner has artificial gas logs where the gases are colorless and odorless. This is a potentially DEADLY situation.

Scenario #2) The pest control company removes the chimney cap and re-installs it after the termite tenting has been completed. There have even been cases where we’ve seen the cap was simply sitting on top of the chimney without even being attached in any way to the chimney. Unfortunately, many pest control companies do not know how to re-install the chimney cap properly and the first wind that comes up, the cap goes flying. Hopefully, the cap doesn’t land on your tile roof, solar panels, through your neighbor’s window, on a car, or even worse, on a person.

How to prevent problems with Chimney Caps

After your home is tented for termites, always have the chimney inspected by a chimney sweep certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep will not only be able to ensure that the chimney hasn’t been damaged by the heavy termite tent but will also be able to verify that the chimney cap is installed properly.

Make sure a termite doesn’t affect the safety of your fireplace!

What is a Masonry Chimney?

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A masonry chimney on the exterior wall of a home

Just like automobiles that have different manufacturers and models, the same goes for fireplaces and chimneys.

Here in Southern California, there are primarily three different types of open fireplace systems–1) masonry chimneys; 2) prefabricated, factory-built systems; and 3) Rampart General Pre-Cast systems. Since I’ve already addressed Rampart General Pre-Cast systems in the past, this post will be about the masonry chimney.

The History of the Masonry Chimney

These masonry systems have been around for many centuries and are tried and true. They are constructed on-site with bricks, stone, concrete blocks and mortar. Masonry systems are built by hand, brick by brick. If the system is built properly and maintained regularly and there are no extenuating events (such as earthquakes and wildfires), they will last a century or more. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see masonry chimneys still in use in houses built in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Unfortunately, due to the high cost of labor, these systems haven’t been constructed since the mid-1980s here in Southern California except for in high-end, custom-built homes.

For a fireplace to work properly, there is a formula involved in building a masonry chimney system. Some of the factors in this formula have to do with the height of the chimney, the diameter of the flue pipe, and the height/width of the firebox opening. If a system isn’t built properly, the chimney will never draw properly and will have ongoing smoking problems.

Components of a Masonry Chimney and Fireplace

It’s important to know the various components of a masonry chimney:

Flue cap – The chimney cap consists of spark arrestor material with a solid lid. It provides three primary benefits: 1) It prevents embers from getting on the roof; 2) It prevents birds, rodents and other critters from entering the home through the chimney; and 3) Flue caps with solid lids will also prevent most of the rain from coming down the flue lining. Without the solid flat lid of the cap, rain would land in the smoke shelf which may cause damage to the damper and may deteriorate the firebox.

Crown – The crown is a concrete or mortar surface at the very top of the chimney structure. Its purpose is to direct water Masonry chimney componentsaway from the structure. A crown can also be referred to as a “wash” or a “splay.” A cracked crown will allow moisture to get into the chimney structure, eventually creating cracks in the chimney structure.

Flue – The flue is the passageway from the firebox to the top of the chimney structure. In a masonry chimney, the flue is lined with a flue lining typically made from terra cotta, pumice or metal.

If the flue lining is cracked, broken or if the mortar joints are missing between the flue tiles, the system cannot be used because of heat transference or deadly carbon monoxide leaking into the house. There are three primary methods for repairing cracked flue linings–1) relining the system with a stainless steel pipe; 2) installing a stove insert with a metal pipe to the top of the chimney structure; or 3) a poured cement, cast-in-place system.

In addition, older systems may not have a flue lining at all (which is referred to as an “Unlined Chimney”). In this case, the system cannot be used until it has been repaired.

Flue tiles – A flue lining inside a flue is basically a vent pipe. This pipe is not one solid pipe. In most cases, the pipe (typically terra cotta or pumice) is made up of pipe sections called flue tiles. Each flue tile (pipe section) is anywhere from 12″ to 24″ tall. In between each flue tile is the mortar. There should not be any gaps or voids in the mortar joints.

Smoke Shelf – A horizontal shelf located behind the damper to prevent down drafts and to collect debris that has fallen down the chimney.

Damper – The device that opens and closes so that heat is not lost from the home when the fireplace is not in use. Some dampers can be installed at the top of the chimney flue.

Lintel – A horizontal metal piece that extends over the entire width of the firebox opening at the top of the firebox opening. It is a structural part of the firebox. Here’s important information on why you never want to remove a lintel.

Firebox – The area of the fireplace where the fire is burned.

Exterior Hearth Extension – The area that extends in front of and to the sides of the firebox opening. The exterior hearth extension should be made from non-combustible materials and should be differentiated from the rest of the room’s flooring.

Ash Dump – Not all masonry systems have an ash dump. This is the area below the firebox where the ashes can be swept down into. A firebox with an ash dump will typically have a metal plate in the firebox’s floor. This metal plate can be opened to brush the ashes below.

Clean-out Door: The clean-out door is located on the outside of the chimney structure near ground level to clean out the ashes from the ash dump.

Unlined Masonry Chimney

Before the early 1900s, masonry systems were not constructed with a flue lining. We refer to those systems as “Unlined Chimneys.” According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, “Never use a chimney that does not have a liner or has a damaged or improper lining.” [Public Safety Bulletin issued by the Chimney Institute of America: The Importance of Flue Lining in Your Masonry Chimney.] Here in San Diego, however, we have seen unlined chimneys as late as the early 1960s.

When these unlined systems were originally built, the masons used a material called parging (like stucco). They hand-coated over the bricks and mortar joints inside the chimney flue. With time, age and usage, this parging material has worn away, leaving the bricks and mortar joints exposed. In addition, back then the masons used a lot of sand in their mortar. Eventually, these mortar joints disintegrate, leaving gaps and voids. This creates a potentially dangerous situation.

If the unlined chimney is structurally sound and there are no other issues with the system, the system can be “relined.” This is a method where a stainless steel pipe is installed inside the chimney structure. However, if the metal lining is not installed properly or is undersized, the fireplace can be dangerous and/or will not ever draw properly.  Relining a chimney should only be done by a licensed and qualified chimney professional.

Make sure to use a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to inspect your system and sweep it if needed. If your masonry chimney is maintained, it will give you warmth and comfort for many years, decades and maybe even centuries to come.

Caveat: Chimneys are built differently in various regions throughout the country. What is common in one region may not be common in another. This information provided here is based on what we see in Southern California.

What do Trees have to do with Chimneys?

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Pine tree too close to chimneyHow many times do we, as chimney sweeps, advise a customer to contact someone that does tree removal services, a landscaper or a gardener? More often than you think!

The rule of thumb is to keep trees at least ten feet from the top and at least two feet below the top of the chimney. Certainly, no branches should ever overhang the chimney.

Here are eight very good reasons why

1) Branches overhanging a chimney will drop leaves and needles inside the flue, causing a fire hazard. In our experience, pine needles can be the worst.

2) Branches too close to the top of the chimney can catch the tree on fire.

Brown leaves on trees3) Trees too close to the house are a gateway for animals and insects to crawl on top of the roof and enter the home through the chimney. Something similar happened in our very own home so I speak from experience. One night we heard something on top of our roof. We went outside and saw a raccoon peering down at us from the edge of the roof. He had climbed up on the roof from the tree next to our house.  Only the chimney cap prevented the raccoon from entering the chimney.

4) Smoking problems when using your fireplace can be caused by a tall tree next to the top of the chimney causing downdraft issues.

5) The roots of a large tree can uproot the foundation of the chimney and can create a cracked slab in the concrete foundation of the house.

6) The smoke and gases from the fire going up the flue will affect foliage on the nearby tree, singeing the leaves and even killing a tree.

Ivy and trees on top of chimney7) Ivy and other vine-like vegetation growing on the chimney may look beautiful but will damage the masonry and will leave permanent unsightly marks on the chimney after removal. Also, ivy can eventually travel and grow inside the chimney, creating a fire hazard.

8) During heavy wind-driven storms or thunderstorms, overhanging tree branches can break off and damage the top of the chimney and the roof, causing expensive repairs.

Of course, a chimney cap will help in some of these cases but not all. It’s far better to keep trees away from chimneys.

A Chimney Cap is Essential, Even During The Summer

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Many people think that the sole reason for a chimney cap is to keep the embers from starting the roof on fire; however, there are so many other benefits to a chimney cap, even during the hot summer months.

A chimney cap will keep the critters out!

About a month ago, I received a panicked call from a woman who was looking out of her living room window and saw a raccoon scurrying along her neighbor’s roof and entering her neighbor’s chimney. After witnessing this, she immediately called us to install a chimney cap on her own chimney. It’s not uncommon for raccoons to enter chimneys, even in urban areas. She even took a photo of the raccoon and sent it to me! (See photo below.)

Get to know these creatures…

Without a chimney cap, a raccoon can enter a chimney
Photo credit: C. Black

Female raccoons will seek out open chimneys to climb down and create a nest to have their babies. In fact, 85% of the time when there’s a raccoon inside a chimney, it’s a female raccoon. The smoke shelf in the chimney (behind the damper) provides a safe, dark place away from predators. Male raccoons are a major predator to the babies because males consider the kits as more male competition.

Raccoons are more active during the spring, summer and autumn and tend to be nocturnal animals. Females usually give birth in April or May and will have up to eight kits at a time but typical litters of two to four are more common. Once the babies arrive, removing a raccoon becomes more difficult because you’re then removing not only the mother but her kits as well.

When the kits have reached five months of age, kits will venture out with their mother to learn how to climb and hunt. Kits become independent anywhere from 8-12 months of age.

The downside to raccoons

Raccoons carry dangerous infectious diseases such as Raccoon Roundworm, an intestinal roundworm found in their droppings that can infect other animals as well as humans. Raccoons can also be infected with rabies. They have sharp teeth and will typically not attack unless they feel threatened or cornered or if they feel their kits are at risk.

Removing raccoons from chimneys

Mama raccoons are fiercely protective of their kits so removal should be done by trained animal removal professionals! Here’s a comprehensive nationwide directory for professional wildlife trappers.  These animal removal experts can use special trapping systems that can be mounted to the top of the chimney flue.

Do not light the fireplace to smoke out the raccoon! Not only is this inhumane but the smoke and heat will kill the mother and kits, making it harder to remove the dead animals from the smoke shelf area. Also, to light the fire, you have to open the damper which may encourage the raccoon to come into the home instead of up the flue pipe.

Use a rope with knots tied about one foot apart and throw the rope down the chimney, tying the rope to the top of the chimney. This rope needs to be long enough to reach the bottom of the chimney into the smoke shelf behind the damper. The rope will help the raccoons and the kits to climb out of the chimney. Keep in mind that a mama raccoon can be heavy so make sure the rope is strong enough and tied off properly at the top.

Place repellent in a bowl inside the firebox.  Repellents can be Cayenne pepper, or a bowl of ammonia, or a commercial dog or cat repellent such as “Dog-Gone” or “Boundary” which can be found at most pet stores. If you have a tight damper, the smell may not penetrate into the smoke shelf area, in which case you may have to throw the repellent down from the top of the chimney.

In addition to the repellents, place a radio inside the firebox during the day. Also try scaring them out by using a broom to make loud noises inside the fireplace. These creatures don’t like loud noises. Putting a bright light or flashlight inside the firebox may also make the raccoons uncomfortable since raccoons are nocturnal animals.

After the raccoon leaves

Once a raccoon leaves the chimney, which will typically be at night, cover the top until a chimney cap can be installed. Be sure that all the kits are gone as well before covering the top. You don’t want to trap the babies inside.

In addition to raccoons, chimney caps will keep out birds, roof rats, squirrels and other critters. Unfortunately due to the wide mesh of the cap that is required by code, chimney caps will not keep bees from entering the chimney to build a hive.  Here’s more information about bees and bee removal.

Chimney caps are very important!

Chimney caps not only prevent animals from entering your home through the chimney, they prevent embers from landing on a roof or in your trees, causing a fire. The caps with a solid lid at the top will also prevent most of the rain from coming into the flue which can deteriorate the chimney from the inside out.

Contact a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to install a chimney cap today, before you get an unwelcome critter in your chimney!