For the most part, chimney caps do one simple thing: they keep stuff out of your chimney. From moisture, to leaves, to animals, you really don’t want anything coming into your chimney. It should be a one-way-street. But although chimney caps perform one basic function, there are a few varieties you should be aware of as a consumer. Today, we’ll help you decide what chimney cap is best for you.
What chimney cap should you purchase? We hope this helps you decide!
Shelter Caps
Let’s start with the most basic of chimney caps. Known as shelter chimney caps, these do exactly what you’d think; they ‘shelter’ your chimney from the elements. There really isn’t much to say about this, as it comes without any bells or whistles. Still, it will get the job done for a majority of people.
Draft-Increasing Caps
In the world of chimneys, you might think that drafts are a bad thing. In fact, the opposite is true. When we refer to a chimney’s draft, we’re not talking about cold air sneaking into your home in the winter (coincidentally, a damper could fix that). Instead, we mean your chimney’s ability to direct smoke and air out of your home. This is the whole purpose of your chimney!
If you have concerns about your chimney’s draft, then deciding what chimney cap to purchase should be easy. Draft-increasing chimney caps, also known as wind-directional caps, utilize the wind to strengthen your chimney’s draft.
High-Wind Caps
For the most part, our area isn’t especially prone to extreme weather. But every now and again, severe wind can do some serious damage throughout Maryland. Especially if you don’t have sufficient trees to break the wind around your home, you might experience some severe downdrafts in your chimney (that’s the bad kind of draft).
You might think that high-wind caps are especially resistant to damage from wind. That’s not quite the point of this kind of chimney cap. What they do is protect winds from entering your chimney and causing a harmful backdraft.
Hurricane Caps
Speaking of unpleasant weather, you may have experienced some damage to your chimney cap as a result of Maryland’s occasional hurricanes. Hurricane chimney caps, also known as storm caps, are the solution. They do what you thought high-wind caps might; they provide extra fortification against extreme weather.
Each chimney cap has its own perks. For the majority of homeowners, a shelter cap will do the trick. But if you have extra needs, we hope this helps you to decide what chimney cap is best for you.
Call the Experts at Champion Chimneys for Chimney Cap Installation Today!
Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured chimney service company that has been serving customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). Courteous service is our trademark, and our crews arrive on time in uniform, driving fully equipped trucks. We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.