Do chimney caps need to be inspected or replaced?
Yes — Arden's 1980s-90s homes in Royal Pines and Skyland tend to have tired open masonry fireplaces that pull heat out of the room, and a failing cap only adds water damage to the draft problem. Inspect it yearly and replace it when it rusts, loosens, or loses its screen.
Tired open fireplaces, and what's on top
The 1980s and 90s homes filling Royal Pines, Skyland, Glenn Bridge, and Avery Creek mostly came with open masonry fireplaces, and after a few decades a lot of them are simply tired — they pull warm room air straight up the flue instead of putting heat back into the house. A cracked crown or a failing cap on top adds insult to injury, letting rain into that masonry so the chimney is losing heat and taking on water at the same time.
That makes the yearly cap check the easy half of getting a drafty chimney back in shape. It's a quick look that catches rust, a loose mount, or a corroded screen before water works its way into the crown and the flue over a wet Buncombe winter.
When the cap conversation turns into an insert
A lot of Arden owners fix the draftiness for good by dropping a sealed gas insert into that old open firebox, running on the natural-gas mains that serve this side of the county. That changes what belongs up top: an insert needs a correctly sized liner and its own rain cap, not the oversized cap the open chimney used to carry. We size and handle the cap, the liner, and the appliance as one job so nothing's mismatched.
Stainless caps stand up to the weather here for decades, and we're only about 15 minutes south of our Emma Rd showroom. Whether you keep the open fireplace or convert it, the cap is part of the plan, not an afterthought. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Arden
We install and service fireplaces throughout Arden and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I keep birds and animals from nesting in my fireplace vent or chimney?
- Does a masonry chimney need waterproofing or crown maintenance?
- What is a chimney chase cover, and when does it need replacing?
- How long does a chimney liner last, and when should it be replaced?
- Does the flashing where the chimney meets the roof need periodic inspection?