Chimney Cap & Chase Cover Installation and Replacement in New York

A chimney cap and a chase cover do the same basic job: they keep weather and animals out of the top of your chimney. A cap sits over the flue opening and has a lid to shed rain and a mesh screen to block birds, squirrels, raccoons and leaves. A chase cover is a fitted metal panel that seals the top of a framed (sided) chimney chase, the boxed-in enclosure common on prefabricated fireplaces. Masonry chimneys rely on a crown, which a cap protects. When either part is missing, rusted, loose or the wrong size, rain runs straight down the flue, nests block the exhaust path, and water works into the brick or the framing below. Nexora Chimney Services installs and replaces chimney caps and chase covers for homeowners in New York and nearby cities. Our certified technicians measure your chimney, match the cap or cover to the flue and fuel, and check the surrounding structure so a new part isn't hiding an older problem.

Signs you need a new cap or chase cover

Most cap and cover problems show up inside the house first. These are the signs homeowners tell us about most often. Any one of them is worth having the top of the chimney checked, especially before the cold months when you'll be using the fireplace or heating system.

• Water in the firebox or drips on the damper after rain or melting snow
• Animal noises in the chimney, such as scratching, chirping or nesting sounds
• Leaves, twigs, nesting material or brick flakes falling into the firebox
• White staining on the brick, a sign that water is moving through the masonry
• A musty or smoky smell from the fireplace in humid or rainy weather
• Poor draft or smoke rolling back into the room on windy days
• A rusted, sagging or stained chase cover, or rust streaks running down the siding
• No cap at all, or a cap with a broken or missing screen

What's included

Every cap and chase cover visit covers the part itself and the area around it. We don't just drop a new cap on top of a cracked crown or screw a cover onto rotted framing.

If we find something outside the scope of the job, such as a cracked crown, loose bricks or damaged flashing, we show you photos and explain your options before doing any additional work.

• Inspection of the chimney top, crown, flue tiles or liner, and existing cap or cover
• Measurement of each flue and the chase top for a correct fit
• Removal and disposal of the old cap or chase cover
• Clearing of nests, leaves and debris from the top of the flue where reachable
• Installation of a cap sized and rated for your fuel type (wood, gas or oil)
• Installation of a fitted chase cover with sloped surfaces and a drip edge to shed water
• Secure fastening and sealing where needed
• Check of the fireplace and damper from inside for water entry or blockage
• Before-and-after photos and a written summary of what we found

How our crew works, inside your home and on the roof

Inside, we lay drop cloths from the door to the fireplace and seal the fireplace opening before any work starts at the top of the chimney. Debris that falls down the flue during cap removal is collected with HEPA vacuums so dust stays out of the room. If the flue has buildup or an old nest, we use rotary brushes to clear it, and we run a camera up the flue when we need to see the condition of the liner or check for damage a flashlight can't reach.

On the roof, we set ladders and safety lines for your roof type, whether it's a pitched shingle roof, slate, or a flat roof reached through a bulkhead or hatch. We take care not to crack shingles or tiles, and we keep tools and old parts contained so nothing lands in your yard, gutters or on a neighbor's property. When we're done, we clean up inside and out and walk you through the photos.

The standard we follow

Our chimney work follows NFPA 211, which calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. Chimney professionals use three inspection levels. A Level 1 inspection covers the readily accessible parts of the chimney when nothing has changed. A Level 2 inspection is called for when the system changes, such as a new heating appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is needed only when a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.

Fuel matters for caps too. When a New York City building converts its boiler from oil to gas, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the work, and a new liner is often needed because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. If your system has changed, we'll tell you whether your cap and liner still suit it. Since the city's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, late summer and early fall are good times to have the chimney top checked.

What affects the price

We give you a clear quote after we've seen the chimney. The main factors are:

• Chimney height and roof access, including roof pitch, roofing material and whether we need extra ladders or rooftop access through the building
• Fuel type, since oil and gas flues need caps made of materials that hold up to their exhaust
• Flue size and the number of flues, which decides whether a single-flue cap or a larger multi-flue cap fits
• Condition of the crown, flue tiles, liner or chase framing
• How much nesting material, debris or creosote buildup has to be cleared
• Whether a camera inspection or repair work, such as crown sealing, is needed

How a visit works

You contact us and describe what you're seeing: water, animals, a rusted cover or a missing cap. We schedule a visit and give you an arrival window. On site, the technician looks at the fireplace from inside, then goes up to inspect and measure the chimney top. You'll get photos and an explanation of what's needed and why.

Many standard caps can be installed the same day. Custom multi-flue caps and chase covers are made to measure, so we take exact dimensions and come back to install. After the work, we review the before-and-after photos with you and note anything we recommend watching at your next yearly inspection.