Do You Need a Chimney Cover?

Draft and Odor Prevention

• The addition of a chimney cover will help prevent wind from blowing down the chimney, which can this create undesirable drafts and also impact the efficiency of the fire during the months when the fireplace is in use. When the fireplace is not in use, drafts coming down through the chimney can bring with them the odors of creosote and smoke. A chimney cover prevents drafts, and it also makes the fire easier to tend and keeps odors from seeping back into the home.

Prevent Water Damage

• Water damage is one of the biggest problems in maintaining a safe and efficient chimney. Rain getting into the chimney can cause the chimney itself to begin to deteriorate. This is a particular problem in areas where the temperature regularly drops below freezing. When water gets into the chimney, it is often absorbed into the porous material that makes up the bricks and mortar. When the temperature drops below freezing, the water turns to ice and expands, cracking the chimney and exposing even more areas for water to get into. A chimney cover prevents most of the water from flowing directly into the chimney and causing extensive damage.

Keeping Animals Out

• Some animals view the chimney as a warm place to build nests. This can also lead to animals crawling into the home, as well as a blocked fireplace, smoke backup and chimney damage. Birds may nest on the tops of chimneys that aren't protected by covers. An angled chimney cover will make balancing a nest impossible for even the most determined birds. Some animals, such as raccoons, chipmunks and squirrels, can fall into an unprotected chimney and end up in the fireplace -- undesirable whether the fire is burning or not. A cover will help prevent animal problems both inside and outside the chimney.

Keeping Fire In

• A chimney cover can be a valuable part of fireplace and chimney safety. When the fire is burning, there is always the chance that a gust of wind or draft will send sparks up and out of the chimney. Some of the materials that line the inside of the chimney after a season of use can be flammable, and a single spark can be enough to ignite the inside of the chimney. The cover not only prevents drafts from pulling sparks up the chimney, but it also extinguishes sparks that do make it to the top of the chimney. In particularly dry areas of the country, a chimney cover can mean the prevention of a quickly spreading fire.