Fireplaces can be dangerous when not used correctly, but luckily there are things you can do to reduce the risks. Tools like chimney caps and fireplace inserts in Alpharetta can help keep your chimney safer and reduce the need for cleaning and other maintenance. Here are 5 of the top reasons to consider chimney caps in Alpharetta, GA.
Prevent Fires
The number one reason to install a quality chimney cap is to prevent fire from spreading outside your home. When you build a fire in your fireplace, it’s common for sparks to travel up the chimney with the smoke and land on your roof or the ground outside. Although most of these sparks go out on their own, some start dangerous fires that can spread quickly through your home. Chimney caps keep sparks inside your chimney and fireplace where they belong.
Keep Out Debris
In addition to keeping in sparks, chimney caps in Alpharetta can help keep out unwanted debris such as leaves and sticks. Not only does this give you less to clean up, it’s another way to keep your chimney safer. If debris gets clogged in your chimney and catches fire, it doesn’t take much for it to get out of control and spread around your house and property.
Deter Wildlife
Small animals such as squirrels, mice, and birds are often attracted to chimneys because they make warm, dry shelters. This is especially true during the winter, when animals are constantly on the lookout for a safe place to escape cold weather. Not only do you not want these animals getting into your house, you don’t want them building their nests inside your chimney, as some are prone to do. This only creates another flammable blockage that puts your whole house at risk.
Reduce Moisture
Since your chimney is open to the elements, it’s at risk of too much moisture from rain and snow. This moisture can eat away at the lining of your chimney–especially if you have an older chimney–and cause cracks and other damage. It can also cause rust to form along the metal parts of your chimney. And of course, if too much moisture is allowed to linger in your chimney, it can cause mold and mildew to grow, creating a serious health hazard.
A stainless steel chimney cap in Kennesaw can keep excess moisture from getting into your chimney. And because it’s made of durable, weatherproof material, it won’t be subject to rust and other moisture-related problems itself.
Control Draft
Some people have a hard time building fires in their fireplaces because there is too much of a draft–or because there is not enough of one. Fires need just the right amount of oxygen to burn steadily. If they have too much or too little, they will either go out or they will burn inefficiently, which causes more creosote to build up in your chimney.
If you’re having problems getting fires started, ask your Kennesaw, Georgia, chimney cap repair expert about switching to a different chimney cap. You can find caps to either reduce or increase the amount of draft down your chimney, depending on your home’s needs.