Why should you have Four Seasons Chimney & Roofing, LLC install a cap or damper on your chimney? Here are just a few of the best ones for residents of Litchfield CT, and surrounding areas:

1. A chimney cap will prevent rain, snow or any other moisture from entering your chimney. Moisture can rust dampers and fireboxes as well as deteriorate flues and mortar joints.
2. Birds and animals are attracted to the warmth of your chimney and a chimney cap will keep them out. These animals can be very difficult to remove and can also build nests that will clog your chimney.
3. Especially in windy areas, downdrafts can cause your house to fill with smoke. Installation of a chimney cap can help discourage these downdrafts.
4. The built in screen on a chimney cap can reduce the amount of sparks and large ash that can be blown into the air and onto rooftops. This can be extremely dangerous especially on dry days.

Standard Caps: Standard caps come in many different shapes and sizes and are designed to bolt directly onto the chimney flue. They are available in both stainless steel and copper.

Multi-flue Caps: These are very similar to a standard cap but designed to cover multiple flues. They get directly anchored to the cement crown and are also available in stainless steel or copper.

Factory-Built Caps: These caps are made of stainless steel and designed to fit in almost any factory-built chimney. Many factory-built caps come in galvanized steel which eventually rusts and needs to be replaced.

Specialty Caps: There are also a variety of specialty caps including copper pots, clay pots, wind blocking caps and draft enhancing caps.

Mesh: Many chimneys have bluestone caps which will protect your chimney from the elements but not from everything else. Stainless steel mesh should be installed over all flues to keep pesky animals out and act as a spark arrestor as well.

While many chimneys contain an internal metal damper, these products are often inadequate at restricting the flow of air between a home and the outdoors. These dampers, called throat dampers, have a metal-to-metal closure that can leave gaps, allowing warm air to escape and cold air to enter. Over time, the metal structure of the throat damper can also warp or rust, causing air leaks to worsen.

An easy way to cut heat loss from a home and reduce heating bills is through the installation of an energy saving top-sealing fireplace damper. An energy saving damper replaces the original damper in a fireplace and is installed at the top of the chimney. One of the most frequently installed top-sealing dampers is Lyemance. It seals the chimney with a silicone rubber gasket making it completely air tight. It is made of solid cast aluminum with stainless steel parts and carries a lifetime warranty.