2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Chimney Cap Installation’

Got Critters in Your Chimney? Consider a Chimney Cap!

Monday, July 22nd, 2019

Sure, you might find birds, squirrels, and chipmunks to be quite cute, especially when they’re OUTSIDE! But of course, sometimes these little critters can make their way into your chimney and fireplace, which is certainly not something that you want! Of course, when this happens, you can call on us for animal removal services, but how do you stop the problem from occurring in the first place?

Well, for one, you can consider installing a chimney cap! Installing a chimney cap is a great way to keep those little pests outside, so you can enjoy peace of mind inside. In fact, there are quite a number of benefits of having a chimney cap installed in your chimney, and below, we have listed a few of them for you. All you’ve got to do is keep reading to find out more!

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3 Reasons to Get a Chimney Cap

Monday, April 2nd, 2018

bird-nest-on-chimneyWhen you think of the services that your chimney may eventually need, you might think of problems related to crumbling fireboxes, flue issues, or water damage. Another very common problem that we can help to solve has to do with animal infiltration. True to our word about being your one stop shop for all of your chimney service needs, we offer animal removal in Minneapolis, MN.

What’s better than having a professional come and remove pests from your chimney for you? How about preventing those pests from getting into your chimney to begin with! That is one of the main benefits that you will enjoy when you have a chimney cap professionally installed on top of your chimney. Consider the following benefits of keeping a chimney cap in place, and be sure to let us know if you have any questions or you wish to schedule an installation. 

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4 Reasons for a Chimney Leak

Monday, April 17th, 2017

water-leak-drippingIf water leaks through the chimney, you should be worried. Repairing that type of water damage can be difficult and costly. More importantly, though, is that it may create a health risk. There are several reasons you may notice water leaking into the home from the chimney, either towards the top, through the fireplace, or in the walls.

If you suspect a chimney leak, there may be a few different reasons for it. In order to hone in on the problem, call a professional chimney sweep for a diagnosis. The solution may be to make major renovations to the chimney or to repair a small part, but in any case, it’s worth your health and safety.

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Prepare Your Chimney for Snow and Winter Ice

Monday, November 14th, 2016

In the wintertime, you may assume you can light the fireplace without any repercussions. But when you live in an area where snow and ice play a prominent role in the winter’s climate, you need to take some extra precautions.

Here are 3 ways we recommend homeowners get their chimneys ready for the winter. Enjoy a safe and happy holiday season by following our advice.

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Summer Is the Perfect Time to Install a Chimney Cap

Monday, August 8th, 2016

Summer is a great time to do work on your house, and a chimney cap is an important, relatively inexpensive installation. If you don’t already have a solid chimney cap in place, then we strongly recommend calling in professional chimney technicians this summer. Check out what this installation can do for your home!

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Keeping Animals Out of the Chimney in the Summer

Monday, August 17th, 2015

Here at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., we love animals. That’s why we think they belong out in nature, where they can roam free, and not in the confines of your home. One of the most common calls that we get in our office is homeowners frantically looking for a way to get animals out of the chimney. While we’re happy to help, we want you to protect yourself from this possibility, which is why we have a couple of tips to help keep them out.

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What Is a Chimney Cap?

Monday, May 25th, 2015

One of the most important features of your chimney is the chimney cap, also known as the chimney crown. Some older chimneys do not have a chimney cap in place, and if yours is one of these chimneys, you need to seek installation ASAP. A chimney cap is a simple installation, often a metal crown that sits atop your chimney, but still leaves enough space to vent (usually in the form of a mesh opening). Here’s what makes a chimney cap such a vital installation throughout the year.

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What Problems Can a Chimney Cap Prevent?

Tuesday, August 26th, 2014

We may still be enjoying summer, but fall is right around the corner, and with it comes a new season of heating with your fireplace. Your chimney is the outlet for your fireplace’s smoke and burning embers, so keeping it clear and safe is a priority. One of the easier ways to help keep your chimney safe is with the installation of a chimney cap to your North Oaks property. For over a decade, 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., has installed chimney caps for a multitude of customers, and we can help you with your installation.

What Is a Chimney Cap?

A chimney cap is a small cover for the opening of your chimney. Chimney caps come in a variety of styles to both protect and compliment your chimney and home.

What Are the Benefits of Installing a Chimney Cap?

There are several important benefits to installing chimney cap:

  • Block animals from nesting in your chimney – there are a variety of animals, including birds, squirrels and raccoons, that like to nest in chimneys. By covering the top of your chimney with a cap, you prevent these critters from making a home there.
  • Reduce water damage from wet weather – chimney caps significantly reduce the amount of water that enters your chimney. Rain, snow, sleet and ice can easily enter your chimney through its opening. When water gets into your chimney, it can get into the masonry, and as the water freezes due to winter temperatures, can crack the masonry. If left unattended, water damage can eventually weaken your chimney’s structure.
  • Block hot embers from the roof – burning embers from your fireplace can make their way up the chimney and onto your roof, potentially causing a fire. A chimney cap can prevent these hot embers from escaping.

Why Hire a Professional?

An improperly sized, designed, or installed chimney cap can reduce a chimney’s backdraft, which can lead to the poor burning of fuel and/or smoky rooms in your home. The best way to avoid this is to hire trained professionals, like the ones at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

Chimney caps can protect your chimney and your home from some potentially serious damage. Call Us Today! 612.922.9600 or 1-888-PIXLEYS

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Benefits of Installing a Chimney Cap

Friday, March 7th, 2014

An improvement to your chimney that you should consider having installed (if you don’t have one already) is a chimney cap. These covers on the top of your chimney won’t impede smoke exhaust, provided you have regular cleaning done, and can prevent some serious troubles that might lead to damage to your home or make it necessary to have expensive repairs done.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. performs chimney cap installation in Maple Grove, MN. We’ve seen first-hand the benefits homeowners can receive from a chimney cap. Here are the three main ones:

  1. Keep animals out of the chimney: Animals often enter chimneys and try to use them as nests or lairs. This makes sense from the point of view of an animal: chimneys are warm, sturdy, protected spaces. Birds and squirrels are among the most common intruders into chimneys, but raccoons are increasingly becoming an issue—and are the most difficult and potentially dangerous to remove. Since trying to “smoke out” animals from a chimney can backfire, the best method to deal with animals is to keep them out in the first place with a chimney cap.
  2. Protection from rain: You may not think that rain could pose much danger to something as durable as a masonry chimney. However, when moisture starts to gather inside the chimney, it can enter between the cracks in bricks and eventually cause them to crack. This is especially problematic in Minnesota, where freezing temperatures in winter cause water in the bricks to turn into ice and expand. A chimney cap will keep out most of the rain out.
  3. Prevent downdrafts: Downdrafts in a chimney can blow the smoke from the fireplace in the hearth back into your home. If you live in an area where you encounter powerful winds, these downdrafts can become intense, and a chimney will help stop them from polluting the air of your home.

There are a few drawbacks to chimney caps as well, although most of these you can avoid with regular professional chimney maintenance. For example, caps can become clogged with soot and creosote, but routine chimney sweeping will eliminate this problem.

There are very few reasons not to get a chimney cap. As long as you take good care of your fireplace and chimney, the cap will not pose any serious trouble to the fireplace’s performance and will stop major problems that could plague it.

Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney cap installation in Maple Grove, MN, as well as the maintenance, cleaning, sweeping, and repairs that will keep the cap—and your fireplace—in superb shape. Give us a call today to schedule your next chimney service in Maple Grove.

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