Chimney Cap & Chase Cover Installation in New York, NY

A chimney cap and a chase cover keep weather and wildlife out of the top of your chimney. A cap sits over the flue opening, with a hood that sheds rain and a mesh screen that blocks animals and debris. A chase cover is the metal panel that seals the top of a framed chimney chase, the boxed-in, often sided chimney found on many homes with factory-built fireplaces. When either piece is missing, rusted or loose, rain, snow, leaves and animals get in, and the damage usually shows up inside the house first. PrimeFlue Chimney Services measures, fits and installs chimney caps and chase covers for homeowners in New York and nearby cities. Our certified technicians also check the parts around them, such as the crown, the flue tile and the flashing, so a new cap isn't covering up a bigger problem.

Signs you need it

Most homeowners don't look at the top of their chimney until something goes wrong below it. These are the signs we hear about most often that point to a missing or failing cap or chase cover.

• Water in the firebox, or a damp, rusty damper after rain or snow
• A musty or strong creosote smell, especially on humid days, when moisture mixes with deposits in the flue
• Debris or brick flakes in the firebox, such as leaves, twigs, nesting material, or bits of mortar and flue tile
• White staining on the outside brick, a sign that water is soaking into and moving through the masonry
• Animal noises in the chimney, like scratching, chirping or fluttering from birds, squirrels or raccoons
• Poor draft or smoke rolling into the room, which can mean a nest or debris is partly blocking the flue
• Rust streaks running down the siding below a chase cover, or a cover that sags and holds standing water

What's included

Every cap or chase cover job follows the same checklist, so you know what was done and what we found.

• Roof-level inspection of the crown, flue tiles, existing cap or chase cover, and flashing
• Measurement of each flue, or of the full chase top, so the new piece fits properly
• Removal and disposal of the old, failed cap or cover
• Clearing nesting material, leaves and debris from the top of the flue
• A cap sized to the flue, with screen openings that keep animals out without choking the draft
• For chases, a cover with a sloped or cross-broken top and a drip edge so water runs off instead of pooling
• Secure fastening to the flue, crown or chase framing, with the collar sealed where needed
• A draft check after installation
• Before-and-after photos and written notes on anything else we noticed, such as crown cracks or flashing gaps

How our crew works inside your home and on the roof

Even though most of this job happens on the roof, we start inside. The crew lays drop cloths from your entry to the fireplace, closes off the opening, and runs HEPA vacuums so soot and debris knocked loose from the top of the flue don't end up in your living room.

If animals have been nesting or debris has collected, we sweep the flue with rotary brushes to clear it. Where it fits, we run a camera down the flue to look for blockages, cracked tiles or water damage that you can't see from the firebox or the roof.

On the roof, we set ladders carefully and work in a way that protects shingles, slate and flat roofing. Caps are usually stainless steel, which stands up to weather better than the galvanized metal often used on older chase covers. Chase covers are measured to the chase so the edges overlap the siding and shed water away from the framing.

The standard we follow

The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. Chimney professionals use three inspection levels. Level 1 applies when nothing has changed. Level 2 applies when the system changes, for example a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is sold. Level 3 applies when a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or the building.

A cap or chase cover visit usually lines up with a Level 1 inspection of the parts we can reach. If we find signs of hidden damage, we'll explain why a Level 2 or Level 3 inspection may be needed before more work is done.

If your building is converting its boiler from oil to gas, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of that work. A new liner is often needed, because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. The cap has to suit the new liner and appliance, so we plan them together. Because New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, it helps to schedule cap and cover work before the heating system is running every day.

What affects the price

We give you a written estimate after we've seen the chimney. These are the factors that change the scope of the job:

• Chimney height and roof access, including steep pitches, slate or tile roofs, and multi-story homes
• Fuel type, since wood, gas and oil appliances call for different cap styles
• Flue size and condition, the number of flues, and whether a standard size fits or a custom piece is needed
• Chase dimensions, since most chase covers are made to measure
• How much nesting material, debris or buildup has to be removed
• Whether a camera inspection or repairs to the crown, flue tile or flashing are needed

How a visit works

You book a time, and we confirm the window before we arrive. The technician protects the room, inspects the fireplace and flue from below, then goes up to inspect and measure the top of the chimney.

We walk you through what we found, with photos, and give you a written estimate before starting. Standard caps can often be installed during the same visit. Custom chase covers are usually fabricated to measure and installed on a return trip. We finish with a draft check, clean up the work area, and leave you written notes on the condition of your chimney.