What You Need To Know About Chimney Caps And Dampers
Most people enjoy the roar of a lovely warm fire in a majestic fireplace in Tracy, Ca. What most don’t realize is how important the chimney is to keep the fire burning and protect the health of the people in your home. Here we will explain all you need to know about chimney caps and dampers.
Never underestimate what your chimney does. It has a number of different components and all of these are essential to ensure that there is correct venting of the toxic fumes created by lighting a fire in your fireplace.
If your chimney is not functioning properly then you and your family are at risk of serious respiratory issues. Not only that but you run the risk of covering your home with particle pollution and you can have trouble lighting a fire and keeping it going if there are chimney issues.
What does your Chimney Cap do?
The reason that your chimney has a cap is that it plays a significant role in maintaining your chimney as a working and efficient system by keeping the external world out. For example if you get water into your chimney flue then you are very likely to end up with a lot of damage that would cost a lot to repair.
Birds and other animals can also cause damage to your chimney flue liner if they are able to get into it and the chimney cap will prevent this from happening. An animal can leave a lot of flammable debris in your chimney which can cause a chimney fire.
Unfortunately animals can get stuck in your chimney flue and die if your chimney cap doesn’t prevent them from getting in. So a chimney cap will also protect birds and animals and also prevent you from getting a blockage in your chimney.
Getting a dead animal stuck in your chimney can lead to a lot of expensive repairs. With a good chimney cap you will protect yourself against this happening. A good chimney cap will also prevent gusts of wind blowing into your chimney flue.
If you experience a wind gust down your chimney then this can create a great deal of mess if you are not currently burning a fire. If you have a fire burning and experience a wind gust then the fire can become out of control or simply go out altogether.
Another very good reason to have a chimney cap is that it will stop sparks from your fire leaving the chimney flue opening. Escaping sparks can be very dangerous and easily start a fire with roof debris or the dry foliage at ground level.
What is the purpose of a Chimney Damper?
A chimney damper is another essential part of your chimney system. The purpose of the damper is to provide you with control of your fires and also to stop drafts in your fireplace when you are not using it.
Like the chimney cap, the chimney damper will also prevent animals from entering your home via the chimney. Sometimes dampers have problems and they do not create a good seal. If this happens then you will need a repair or a new damper.
A lot of people are now turning to the “lock top damper” system instead of the old cast iron dampers. The Lock Top Damper combines with a chimney cap and you can open and close the damper by pulling on a chain that drops right down into your fireplace.
If you want help with chimney caps and dampers in Tracy, Ca, then McDonald Chimney Services are experts and can answer all of your questions and provide you with the most efficient system. Please go here to find out more.