Install a Chimney Cap

One common repair that is found by home inspectors is the lack of a chimney cap. A chimney cap is basically a little roof for your chimney. Not only does it keep rain away, but the screen keeps birds and other animals from making their homes in your chimney.

As long as your clay flue extends a few inches above the chimney, you can probably find a chimney cap at a home store and put it on in a snap using set screws that hold it to the top of the flue. However, at our project this week, the flue ended flush with the chimney crown and the cap couldn't be attached in the standard way.

I talked to the gentleman who was here to install a new damper and he said that the cheapest way to handle this would be to make a small bed of mortar and then set the cap into it.

That's just what I did.

I mixed up a small batch of Mason's Mix and made a small bed of it around the edge of the flue, being careful to keep it from falling into the flue. I sloped the mortar away from the cap so the water would run away from the cap and onto the roof below.

With the mortar in place I just set the chimney cap down into it. A little more smoothing with my trowel and this job was finished.

I hope no birds were inside... :)

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com