What Is a Chimney Cap? Benefits & Installation in San Jose, CA

Sep 24, 2025

chimney cap

What is a Chimney Cap : Why Every Homeowner Needs One

 

A chimney may seem simple — just a vent for smoke — but it needs proper protection to stay safe and efficient.
That’s where a chimney cap comes in.

In this video, we explain what a chimney cap is, why it’s essential for your fireplace and home, and how professional installation can prevent expensive damage and safety risks.

What Is a Chimney Cap?

A chimney cap is a protective cover installed on top of your chimney.
It’s usually made of stainless steel, copper, or galvanized steel and designed with a wire mesh and solid top. Its main purpose is to seal the opening of the chimney while still allowing smoke and gases to escape safely.

Why Chimney Caps Are Important

    1.     Prevents Water Damage          

    2.     Keeps Out Animals & Birds

  2.     Stops Downdrafts

  3.     Blocks Debris & Leaves

  4.     Adds Spark Protection

 

Choosing the Right Chimney Cap

  • Stainless Steel: Best for durability and longevity

  • Copper: Attractive and rust-resistant, great for high-end homes

  • Galvanized Steel: More affordable but less durable

A professional chimney sweep can help you choose the right material and size for your home.

Professional Installation Matters

Improperly installed caps can lead to poor draft and ventilation issues.
At Chimney Clean Co., we’ve been installing chimney caps in San Jose, San Mateo, and Redwood City for over 36 years.

Our expert team ensures your cap is secure, functional, and built to last.

A chimney cap is a small investment that offers big protection for your home.
Don’t wait until you face water damage or an animal invasion — get your chimney inspected and capped today.

📞 Call Chimney Clean Co. at (408) 265-1010 or schedule online for a professional chimney cap installation.

We clean your chimney before it becomes a danger to your home

Call Now!

Smoking back

There are many fireplaces that seem to smoke back into the house no matter what is done. In our experience, the most common cause is that the fireplace simply needs to be cleaned. This is especially likely if the fireplace has gotten worse over time, that is, the smoking back is worse now than it used to be.

Several other possible causes of smoking back are problems with the damper, chimney cap, grate, firewood, or structural problems with the chimney itself. At Chimney Clean Company, we do a full inspection with every cleaning, or we can also do just the inspection if the chimney doesn’t need to be cleaned. This inspection is designed to reveal any causes of smoking back.

Broken chimneys

In the Bay Area, many chimneys were broken in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Usually, these chimneys are broken at or near the roof line, although sometimes they can be broken further down, even at the ground level.

We are fully licensed masonry contractors. We rebuild broken chimneys. If they are broken at the roof line, this usually entails taking the chimney part of the way down brick by brick, installing steel reinforcing bars, getting an inspection from a city inspector, then rebuilding the chimney back up around the steel rebar.

Missing mortar or damaged bricks

Over time, many chimneys develop places that are missing mortar between bricks, or damaged bricks, either inside the firebox or on the outside of the chimney. These areas can usually be repaired, either by replacing the missing mortar or replacing the bricks themselves. Items such as these can be dangerous because they can allow flames, sparks or hot gases to enter the structure of the house.

Water entry

Sometimes the metal that seals the chimney at the roof, called “flashing”, will come loose or develop leaks. In this case, water sometimes comes into the ceiling of the room and causes water spots and stains on the sheet rock. This flashing should be repaired before the water causes more damage.