Custom Chimney Caps

Anyone that has a fireplace must also have a chimney cap. This will prevent water, birds and little critters from getting into the fireplace and causing a lot of problems. When a chimney cap needs to be replaced there are a few things that one can do to make sure it will not have to be replaced again. One must first find out what type of chimney they have. Most chimneys have one or more flues, they stick up from the chimney itself.

The flue is usually orange in color and can be made of clay or brick. This lines the fireplace as it protects the brick or clay from too much heat coming up from the fireplace. The shape of the flue will also determine what kind of custom chimney caps you would need. More than likely these caps will have to be custom made as the manufacture of the original cap is no longer in business or cannot sell you the same cap as the original.

Custom chimney caps are usually square, rectangle or round. If one dares to climb up on the roof to look at the shape of the cap, they will discover what shape they have. If it is a round chimney cap, one must buy a custom chimney caps that are round. If it is square, you will need a square cap, and so on. Many new home builders today are installing factory built fireplaces and some do not have any type of cap. One needs to be installed as soon as possible to avoid a fire.

Custom chimney caps come in materials such as copper, black galvanized or stainless steel. Many prefer the stainless steel because it will not rust. These caps are made of 304 grade stainless steel and will do a good job of resisting corrosion. The finish is usually silver and has somewhat of a shine to it. One can buy custom chimney caps in different colors, maybe to meld into the house color or the bricks of the outside fireplace. Stainless steel custom chimney caps have a life time warranty.

Many people that have older homes that need custom chimney caps will opt for the copper ones. As it seems to go much better with the age of the home, it is usually picked above other material.  It is as high quality as stainless steel; it is long lasting and the more the weather gets to it, the prettier it becomes. Copper will have a patina and can add charm and elegance to the fireplace. Copper custom chimney caps come with a life time warranty.

Black galvanized steel is a good choice as well as stainless steel and copper. The steel is coated with zinc that prevents corrosion caused by the weather. It is painted black to keep rust from forming on it. This type of custom chimney caps does not hold up well after a few years and will probably have to be replaced again. These only come with a three year warranty.