If you have noticed that you have a bad draft in your home, you may have traced its origin back to your chimney. While researching how you can stop the draft, you may have discovered and are considering having a cap installed on your chimney.

While a chimney cap will keep excess air from entering through the opening and creating drafts in your house, it can help out in other ways as well. There are a couple of other benefits that you will discover besides stopping drafts when you have a cap installed on your home's chimney.

1. Keeps Water from Rain, Snow, and Ice from Running Down the Interior of the Chimney

One benefit of having a chimney cap installed on your home's chimney is that it will prevent water from running down its interior. When excess amounts of water are allowed to run down the chimney, the interior bricks and mortar will stay wet because of the enclosed area.

Because the surfaces stay wet, the water will start to eat away at the bricks and mortar, causing extensive damage over time that leads to cracking and crumbling of the chimney. However, when a cap is placed on top of the chimney, it helps to block most of the water to keep the chimney drier.

2. Prevents Rodents and Birds from Building Nests Inside the Chimney and Causing Damage

Another benefit installing a chimney cap provides is that it blocks the opening to prevent rodents and birds from entering. Attracted to the warmth provided by your fireplace and rising heat from other sources in your house, these pests often find the chimney an ideal location for their nests. 

When they nest inside the chimney, and oftentimes, on top of the flue, the rodents and birds can cause serious structural damage. However, since a cap blocks the entrance and leaves only a small space for smoke to filter through, the pests cannot get inside.

Besides keeping drafts from coming down the chimney and into your home, chimney caps also keep the interior dry to prevent deterioration of the brick and mortar. The caps also prevent rodents and birds from building nests inside the chimney, where they can cause damage to the chimney and flue. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, reach out to a company that offers residential chimney cap installation services to speak with a representative.

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