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Chimney Cap vs. Chimney Pot

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The purpose of a chimney cap is to simply prevent things from entering the flue of a chimney. It can be made of a variety of materials and is usually attached at its base with screws to the exterior or interior of the flue tile. Not every chimney will benefit from the use of a chimney cap and some may be even be hindered by one as they can in affect draft. A chimney pot on the other hand is a taller tapered apparatus that not only can prevent rain and snow from entering your chimney, but it also adds height to your chimney, which can increase the draft. Chimney pots, since they are much more visible, are usually ornate or decorative.

Pros and Cons of a Chimney Cap

Pros

Animals & Birds – if you have become the home to a colony of Chimney Swifts from Peru while they are nesting here for the summer, you may want to consider investing in a chimney cap; not that you do not have a fondness for birds, but a chimney is no home for birds and it is a terrible fire hazard for your family! Their nests can clog the chimney and leave debris that could cause potential hazards come fire season. Other animals that can find their way into your chimney are raccoons, squirrels and bats. All of which can carry fleas, worms, rabies or any variety of things that you do not want to have in your home. It is an act of kindness to keep them out of your chimney, for your sake and theirs!
Sparks on Roof – a cap can also keep large sparks from your fire from flying up the chimney and out onto your roof; this can be a serious fire hazard and it is easily prevented by a chimney cap.

Rain & Ice out of Chimney – it seems as if a little water couldn’t hurt much in a solid chimney, but that simply isn’t the case; water from both snow and rain can cause corrosive damage in your chimney if it is allowed to enter, especially repeatedly. It gradually mixes with the smoke and burn-off exhaust from the fire and this mixture weakens the joints between the liner tiles and the lining itself. This same moisture inside your chimney liner is what can cause odor in the summer months in your fireplace. It the water freezes and then thaws, there can be expansion damage to the overall structure of the chimney, so when all is said and done, a little water can do a whole lot of damage. But a good chimney cap can keep most almost all water out of your chimney.

Increase Draft/Decrease Draft – if you have difficulty with draft due to constant wind in your area, then a chimney cap could definitely be a be a benefit as it could increase and stabilize your draft; be careful that the chimney cap is installed properly as an improperly installed chimney cap can reduce your draft.

Cons

Inhibit Draft – draft can be restricted by any number of things where the chimney cap is concerned, but primarily the culprit would be improper design or installation, a build-up on the mesh wire around the chimney cap of creosote from heavy use of the chimney or the build-up of soot in the same place.

Unattractive – chimney caps definitely have a practical look and not an aesthetic one; they are very useful things, but they are not ornate in any way. However, they do not rise from the chimney and are not highly visible.

Discoloration of Chimney – the same build-up of soot and creosote that accumulates on and around the chimney cap can eventually seep down the sides of the chimney causing a discoloration of the brick, stucco or siding surrounding the chimney.

Beware of High Winds! – if you live in an area with high winds or an area prone to storms with high winds, you may be periodically replacing your chimney cap; they can be blown off by extreme winds and even destroyed. Either way, you will be replacing or reinstalling a chimney cap each time this happens to your chimney cap.

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