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.

Fire Hazards

Spring brings with it the promise of rebirth and renewal. Students are looking forward to summer activities away from the routine of the school day, families plan vacations, and parents think about doing a deep down spring cleaning before these activities take place. It feels good to clean out closets and attics, get rid of items you haven’t used in years, rake the yard, open the windows and let the fresh air blow through. But there are some areas that it’s best to let the professionals clean. Two of those places are your fireplace and chimney system, and your dryer vents. The reason this is so important is that both of these places hold the potential for a home-threatening fire to break out.

Creosote Buildup

A major cause of chimney fires is creosote. As you burn wood in your fireplace, the moisture that is trapped in the wood is released, along with a wide variety of chemicals. As this travels up your chimney, it condenses and forms a layer of flammable material called creosote. All it takes is one little spark and you could have a full-fledged chimney fire.

When you think of a chimney fire, most often the thought that comes to mind is a full-fledged, roaring fire, with smoke and flames billowing out of the chimney. Sometimes this is the case. More often, however, the fire that occurs is small, often going completely unnoticed by the homeowner. This is because there isn’t usually enough airflow in your chimney to feed this type of fire. Because of this, most often a fire will burn itself out before you know it is happening. This is equally dangerous, because your chimney may have sustained damage and you don’t know to have it fixed. If the mortar is damaged, the gases that are produced through fire burning may be leaking back into your home, causing health issues for you, your family, and your pets.

Full Dryer Vents

Another common place for a house fire to begin is in your dryer vent. It’s common knowledge that you should clean out your dryer’s lint screen after every load or two of clothes that you dry, but this isn’t enough to keep your home safe from a dryer vent fire. Some of the lint that pulls off of your clothes gets through that lint screen no matter how often you clean it, and as it blows through the dryer vent, it can get caught along the sides, attracting even more lint with each load you dry. This lint buildup is also highly flammable, and a stray spark from your dryer could cause a devastating house fire.

Call Atlas Chimney

At Atlas Chimney, we have the qualified professionals and the tools to look deep into your chimney to discover any and all creosote that has built up and to remove this hazardous material. Not only are we chimney experts, but we are also dryer vent experts, too! Although it may seem like a simple job, we have the proper equipment to get the job done thoroughly and with less mess. Give us a call and let us take care of all your chimney and dryer vent cleaning needs!