Standard chimney caps come in a variety of heights. Some brands of chimney caps are available in heights ranging from 8 inches to 16 inches, but most chimney
caps have 10" tall screens.
The height of a chimney cap is often called the "screen height." It refers to how tall the mesh screening of the chimney caps is. It is one of the
dimensions that describes chimney caps. A chimney cap described as a 9" x 13" chimney cap is designating the length and width of the screened in area but not the height of the
screen. A 9" x 13" chimney cap might have a screen height of 8 inches, 14 inches, or some other height.
So does the screen height of chimney caps matter? Yes and no. If you are using chimney caps that attachto the flue of the chimney, you won't have to worry about flue height. Such chimney caps are designed with a screen height that allows proper air circulation for your chimney.
All of the chimney caps below attach to the flue of the chimney, so if you are using chimney caps such as these, screen height would not be a dimension to consider
when ordering these chimney caps. The first three chimney caps below are examples of chimney caps that attach to the outside
of the flue. The fourth chimney cap has legs that are forced down inside
the flue. Whether your flue extends two inches above the crown of your chimney or two feet about the crown of your chimney, these chimney caps will have an appropriate screen height.
Note, however, that chimney caps that attach to the flue of the chimney are only appropriate for single flues. If you have two or more flues on a chimney,
individual chimney caps will work only if there is enough space between the flues to allow for the lid (or "roof") of the chimney caps. Often it is less expensive to purchase one chimney
cap that covers the two or more flues ( a multi-flue chimney cap) than to attach individual chimney caps to each chimney. Many think the multi-flue chimney cap gives a tidier appearance,
too.
If you will be using chimney caps that attach to the chimney, you will need to think about the height of the chimney cap's screen. To provide for proper air circulation, a chimney cap that attaches to the crown of a chimney must be at least five inches taller that the height of the flue. Chimney caps with screens with less than five inches of free space between the top of the flue and the lid of the chimney cap can create an unsafe condition!
Chimney caps that attach to the crown of the chimney are available for individual flues
as well as for multiple flues. The first three examples of chimney caps below are chimney caps that attach to the crown of the chimney. Chimney caps such as these have flanges at
the bottom that are affixed to the chimney's crown. The fourth chimney cap below is an outside mount chimney cap, one that attaches to the outside edge of the chimney. Because
chimneys rarely have corners that are exactly right angles, outside mount chimney caps are custom made to fit each chimney with the exception of our Band-Around Chimney Caps.
If you want to cover either a single flue or multiple flues with a chimney cap that attaches to the chimney crown, measure the height of your tallest flue and add 5 inches. That will be the minimum appropriate screen height.
If you need a chimney cap with a screen height of more that 10 inches, consider the Assemble-It-Yourself and Save Chimney Caps by Whitecaps. These
chimney caps are available in either stainless steel with heights of 8", 10", 12" or 16" or in copper with screen heights of 8", 10", 12" or 14". The Assemble-It-Yourself chimney
caps attach to the crown of the chimney. When assembling these chimney caps, you have the option of placing the bottom flanges inside the chimney cap or outside the chimney cap.
If you need a chimney cap with a screen height of more than 16 inches (or want any other custom-made chimney cap), email us or phone us at 888-8
FIREPL (888-834-7375), and we will give you a quote on having a chimney cap custom made for you with the appropriate screen height. If you email us, please include your phone
number so we can provide you the best possible service.
If you are ready to go up on the roof and measure for your chimney cap, take our Chimney Cap EASY MEASURE Guide to help you correctly measure for your cap.
