Custom Chimney Caps
Chimney caps are made of sturdy metal and include a screen to keep out animals and birds as well as a stout, angled lid to deflect water away from the chimney. Since every chimney is unique, every cap we make is custom measured and made just for your chimney.
Our caps are made of 24g stainless steel or 16oz copper (or higher) and will not rust. They come with a lifetime warranty.
“Chimney caps” cover the tops of masonry (brick/stone) chimneys. If you have a prefabricated, or manufactured, chimney, you will need a different kind of cap called a “chase cover”. (Some chimneys even need totally unique custom caps — we can make those too! Just ask!)
Outside Mount Chimney Caps
Outside mount chimney caps come with a “skirt” which slides over the top of the chimney like the lid of a shoe box. This skirt protects the top corners of the chimney and its kicker edge helps deflect water away from the sides of the chimney. The lid is larger around than the chimney, to form an “umbrella” to protect it from water. The screen sides are at least 10″ high ( this is required by code) to provide sufficient open area for venting — they can be made higher to accommodate tall flue tiles, top seal dampers, or other things on the top of the chimney.
Caps are attached via stainless steel “tapcon” connectors driven through the sides of the skirt and into the masonry (so there are no holes in the flat part of the skirt).
Lids can be “flat” (not really flat, because of two “crossbreaks” which allow water to fall off the sides of the lid) or “hip and ridge”, which has a sharper angle (like the roof of a house), and decorative seams (or “ridges”) along the angles (or “hips”) of the roof.
Top Mount Chimney Caps
Top mount chimney caps are lacking the skirt found on outside mount caps. They attach directly to the crown of the chimney. The lid is still larger than the chimney itself, and they do a good job deflecting water away from the chimney.
Top mount caps are helpful if the edges of the chimney are not square (such as on a natural stone chimney) and cannot accommodate the skirt on an outside mount cap. They are also a little cheaper.
Single Flue Chimney Caps
These are designed to cover individual flues. They do not protect the chimney crown from water entry, but they will keep animals and water out of the flue itself. These are the most cost-effective solution. Single flue caps can be clamped, screwed, wired, banded, or glued to the sides of the flue tile or can be attached directly to the chimney crown.
Painting/Powder Coating Chimney Caps
Our stainless steel chimney caps (of all sizes) can be painted (powder coated) in almost any color to match trim, or just for personal preference. Common colors include brown, black, white, or “copper patina” to resemble a weathered copper cap. We can also paint them sky blue to reduce their visual impact.
Chimney Caps vs. Chase Covers
Masonry chimneys are made entirely of bricks or stone held together with mortar. They are designed to be covered with chimney caps like the ones on this page. Prefabricated chimneys do not have a chimney crown (a flat spread of masonry) across the top — they are topped with a horizontal metal “lid” called a chase cover. Barnhill Chimney makes those too!