Our Company Blog

The Benefits of a Chimney Cap

One of the most important components of a masonry chimney is the chimney cap. Not only does a chimney cap keep water out of the flue when it rains, but this essential chimney part also prevents wild animals and birds from getting inside the chimney to nest. For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has provided superior professional chimney maintenance, repair, and installation services to the Austin area, and we have seen what can happen to an uncapped chimney. We would like to tell you more about the benefits of a chimney cap.

PREVENTS WATER LEAKS

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a chimney cap is the most economical way that a homeowner can prevent water penetration damage. Located at the top of the chimney, a chimney cap protects your home from water leaks, and this can save you from having to spend money in the near future on expensive chimney masonry repair work. Without a chimney cap, your roof has an open hole that allows water to easily enter whenever it rains.

KEEPS WILD ANIMALS & BIRDS OUT

If you have ever dealt with a family of birds or squirrels nesting inside your chimney, you definitely know exactly how important it is to have a chimney cap professionally installed on the top of your chimney. At Atlas Chimney, you will find a wide variety of chimney caps that are equipped with metal mesh sides that serve to stop wild animals and birds from being able to get inside the chimney. We can show you the best caps to prevent animal invasions.

DECREASES FIRE HAZARDS

The metal mesh sides on chimney caps that keep birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals out of your home have another important function that benefits your home. These sides also stop hot sparks and embers from jumping out of the top of your chimney to possibly start a fire on your roof. This will also lower your risk of an accidental brush fire in your yard.

IMPROVES DRAFT

When you have problems with your chimney draft, it can be challenging to light a fire or to keep a fire going in your fireplace. If you would like to improve your chimney draft, Atlas Chimney can show you chimney caps that have been designed with side vents that can direct the wind into your chimney to help pull out smoke and other exhaust gases.

With so many benefits available, it is easy to see why a chimney cap is such an essential component of an efficient chimney system. Contact Atlas Chimney today to learn more about our professional chimney cap sales and installation services.

Prevent a Leaky Chimney with Our Waterproofing Services

When it is summertime in Austin, the last thing on your mind is your chimney and fireplace. However, we tend to also get heavy rains during the summer season, and this leads to water leaking into your chimney. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), preventing water penetration of masonry chimneys is one of the biggest maintenance responsibilities for homeowners.

In order to ensure that your chimney has the ultimate protection against water leak damage is to schedule a water leak chimney inspection appointment with a CSIA-certified professional. For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has been providing excellent chimney maintenance, repair, and installation services to the area. You can count on us to give you a fair and honest assessment of the water penetration preventive services. We would like to tell you more about the service that we recommend the most to our customers: waterproofing.

Why does my chimney need a waterproofing treatment?

Masonry materials like concrete, bricks, and mortar joints are porous, which means they naturally absorb water when it rains or snows. The constant exposure to the elements can cause masonry materials to become damaged. This damage is accelerated during the winter. Whenever the temperature drops below freezing, any moisture trapped inside masonry materials will freeze and expand. As the water thaws, it can cause the bricks and mortar joints to crack, crumble, become loose, and fall from the chimney structure.

This is the freeze/thaw cycles, and it can lead to extensive spalling damage. If you don’t address this damage, it could jeopardize the stability of the chimney. A professional waterproofing treatment from Atlas Chimney can protect your masonry chimney against this type of damage and deterioration.

How does waterproofing work?

After our team inspect your chimney and makes the necessary masonry repairs, we will scrub the exterior clean. We will then apply a coating of the best waterproofing treatment available on the market, ChimneySaver. We love this product, as it is specifically made for masonry chimneys. You can trust us to never use any sealant formula to waterproof your chimney.

The ChimneySaver treatment is 100 percent vapor permeable, so you will not have to worry about more masonry damage occurring. Once we finish applying this treatment to your entire exterior chimney, our work is covered under a 10-year warranty. This means you have at least a decade of the ultimate protection against water penetration chimney damage.

At Atlas Chimney, we also provide other water penetration preventive services such as chimney cap installation and flashing repair and construction. To make sure your chimney can stand up to water damage, contact us today to schedule an appointment!