Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Rain Caps

When it comes to keeping your chimney in good condition, few parts are as important as the rain cap. While rain caps are known by many names – including chimney cap, chimney cover, animal guard, or spark arrestor – their purpose is the same: protect the top of the flue from water, animal, or debris entry.

What is a rain cap?

Rain caps are metal guards with mesh or wire sides that are designed to fit over and cover the top of the flue. When installed correctly and undamaged, rain caps help keep moisture – as well as animals and debris – out of the chimney. However, rain caps can deteriorate over time due to shifting, settling, extreme weather, or simply long term exposure to the elements.

Five reasons you need a rain cap

The following are five reasons why your chimney needs to have a rain cap.

1.  Minimize moisture damage: Water can be one of the most harmful forces to your chimney system; while exterior masonry is designed to withstand the elements, the delicate mortar and metal components of the flue and firebox are easily damaged by moisture.
2. Keep animals out: A cool, dark chimney can be an inviting hideout or nesting ground for many small mammals and birds. However, the presence of animals can cause serious damage to your home and chimney.
3.  Block downdrafts. When using your fireplace on a breezy day, wind can blow smoke, gas, ash, and soot back down the chimney and into your home. However, a rain cap protects the top of the chimney against extreme downdrafts caused by the wind.
4.  Stop sparks: While chimneys are designed to vent smoke and gas, they can also be used to prevent sparks from escaping up and out onto your roof. The mesh sides of the rain cap serve as a spark arrestor, protecting your roof – and those of your friends and neighbors – from any hot sparks or coals that blow up the chimney.
5.  Keep out debris: Leaves, twigs, branches, and even Frisbees can all fall into unprotected chimneys. Metal rain caps protect the top of the flue and keep debris from falling in and causing chimney blockages.

Signs your rain cap isn’t working

With all that a rain cap does to protect your home and chimney, it is important that they work correctly. Below are a few signs that your rain cap may be damaged, needs to be repaired, or needs to be replaced.

• Water entry: The presence of water in your flue or firebox often indicates a leak surrounding the rain guard. A chimney inspection can identify the source of a leaky chimney as well as assess the condition of your rain guard.
•  Chimney blockages: If your chimney isn’t drafting properly or smoke is backing up into your home, you may have a chimney blockage. Chimney blockages are most often caused by animals or debris such as leaves falling into the flue.
• Animal entry: The presence of an animal in the chimney is a surefire sign that your rain cap is damaged – or missing altogether. After having the animals safely removed by a wildlife professional, it is important to repair or replace the rain guard to prevent them from coming back.All chimneys can benefit from having a quality and well-fitting rain cap installed. For more information on rain caps and why your home may need a new one, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan  today!

What the Cold Can Do to Your Chimney

One of the main purposes of having a fireplace, stove, or other fuel burning appliance is to help heat your home during the cold months of winter. While fireplaces are designed to keep us warm during the cold, the cold can often have a negative impact on chimneys.

The ice, snow, and freezing temperatures we experience during winter can damage your chimney or make existing damage worse. The following are just a few of the ways that the cold can negatively affect your chimney.

The stack effect

The stack effect can cause smoke to backdraft into your home. When the temperature outside is significantly colder than the air temperature inside, as is often the cause during winter, the cooler outside air will rush down the chimney shaft to replace the rising warm air.

These backdrafts can be prevented by keeping the damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. In addition, warming the flue may help prevent smoke from blowing back into the room immediately after a fire is lit. To warm the flue, light a small amount of kindling and hold it under the open damper for several minutes before lighting the rest of the fire. Doing this gradually warms the air in the flue which prevents a rush of cold air from flooding down as the fire is lit.

Water damage

The primary cause of chimney deterioration during the winter months is water damage. Bricks that are cracked or chipped can absorb water from snow and rain, which then freezes as the temperatures drop. The water in the brick expands, creating bigger and bigger cracks or holes. As the water melts, more and more water can enter the brick. This freeze thaw process can cause bricks to crumble and fall away from the chimney.

Likewise, melting snow and ice may cause a leak in the chimney structure. While identifying the cause of a leak may be difficult, it should be done as quickly as possible to prevent water damage to the chimney, flue, or other fireplace structures.

Animal entry

When the temperature outside drops, people tend to spend more time inside to escape the elements. Unfortunately, animals are the same way. Animals such as birds, raccoons, and squirrels often view chimneys are warm, protected placing to spend the winter. You might not even realize they are in there until there is a foul odor.

If you have animals in your chimney, the first step is to have them safely removed by a wildlife professional. Homeowners should not attempt to smoke out the animals by starting a fire or remove animals themselves, as many wild animals may carry diseases. This can also cause smoke and carbon monoxide build up in your home if the smoke from the fire has nowhere to escape.

After the animals have been removed, it is important to have your chimney inspected by a certified chimney sweep. Chimney sweeps can make masonry repairs to prevent animals from coming back as well as remove any blockages left behind in the chimney, which can damage the flue lining or cause smoke and gas to back up into your home.

If you think this winter’s cold weather has damaged your chimney, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today. Our certified chimney sweeps can inspect and clean your chimney and give you the peace of mind to continue enjoying your fireplace.