Author – Marge Padgitt
A
ll chimneys need a cover to keep damaging rain and animals out and the best time to have a cover installed is before fall arrives.
Not all covers are made the same, however, and that can mean costly repairs for the homeowner if the correct cover is not used. Cheap black steel chimney covers available at hardware stores will rust and stain a masonry chimney. Rust cannot be removed.
Cheaper covers are not as durable as stainless steel caps so squirrels and raccoons, who are surprisingly strong, can open them up with ease in order to gain access to the interior chimney.
The correct type and size chimney cover is best installed by a professional chimney sweep. The wrong cover on a manufactured chimney can cause a house fire, and the wrong size cover on a masonry chimney may allow birds and animals to get into the interior.
All chimneys should be inspected annually and swept as necessary by a qualified professional chimney sweep. The best time to have this done is right after storm damage or chimney fire, or during the summer months before the fall rush begins.
~ Marge Padgitt
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