How to Measure For a Chimney Cap

I have always said the hardest part of installing a chimney cap is getting out the ladder and you have to do it twice. Once you get the energy to get the ladder out and get up on the roof the rest is simple. The first climb on the roof is to measure for the chimney cap. Remember to take a tape measure, paper and pencil with you! There's nothing like getting down and forgetting if it was the big line or little line you were looking at on the tape measure. Write it down while you're up there, then measure it again. Measure twice buy once! Below is a list of chimney caps and the measurements needed for them.

Single flue chimney with the clay tile raised from the crown is the most common. The best chimney cap will be an outside fit with 4 simple pressure screws. Measure the INSIDE of the flue tile length and width. Chimney caps are available in black galvanized, stainless steel and copper. Black Galvanized Stock sizes

Multi-Flue chimney cap is designed to cover several flues at one time. If the flue tiles are more than 6 inches apart you can use single flue chimney caps for each one. Using a multi-flue chimney cap tends to give your chimney a cleaner look with only one cap covering all the flues. Measuring for multiple flue chimney caps can be a little more difficult especially if the flue tiles are offset. Using the diagram below you will need to measure the widest point for all 4 sides, sometimes the flues are not set square to each other.

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Chimney Problems: Keeping it Clean

In a recent article, the dangers of an unclean chimney were the main issue. Clogged chimneys start fires and cause venting problems throughout the house. If you own a traditional fireplace, here's what you are going to have to do.

Gather your brooms, drop cloth and vacuum. You'll also want goggles and a suit for the job. You'll want to put the drop cloth down to make clean up easier when you are done. That's a trick of the old chimney sweep experts they learned at the turn of the century when it was becoming more customary to walk into a house and find a carpet rather than a wood floor. The drop cloth should be several feet wide and long so that it will be sure to catch all the soot that drops.

Sweeping the chimney isn't any harder than it sounds. Stick your broom up into the chimney and go to town. You should have different sized brooms for different locations. A small duster can handle the easy to reach areas. A broom with a long handle will reach the farther areas. Sweep until you can see through to light. Then, shine a flashlight into the chimney to look around for creosote and soot. You will also want to get on the roof to look down through your chimney.

It's like cleaning a rifle. You'll have to make several runs until you can see that you have cleaned everything. Cleaning up several times throughout the process helps you see if you are getting any closer to finishing. Simply vacuum as much soot from the drop cloth as possible so that when you make another pass at the chimney, you can see if anything is still coming out.

But, there are carcinogenic materials that you need to be aware of when you are cleaning your chimney. So, the best thing to do is call a chimney sweep expert who is going to come with all the right equipment. They know what they are looking for when they clean. They know how to detain the mess so that your house comes out spotless. And they know the dangers involved. But, they come with a price and chimney sweeping should be done at a regular basis.

But, what if you could have a fireplace without all that hassle? A ventless gel fireplace doesn't need a chimney. It's ventless. It produces a water vapor instead of soot. It burns like a candle, only it puts out some major heat. And it looks just like a fireplace without all the hassle. Most traditional fireplaces run between $5000 and $7500 to install. A ventless gel goes as low as $300 to have the complete fireplace experience.

Fireplaces are quite an expense. The chimney is just another part of the overall hassle you will have to endure to enjoy your fireplace experience. But, a ventless gel takes all the objections away. Cost effective, hassle free fireplace experience. You'll notice the difference right away!

Jessica Brylan is a home improvement expert. She loves remodeling homes. She has even built a few. In all her work, she has split off into interior design every once in awhile. But, actual construction is her first love. She knows enough to get by with the big guys.