Understanding the Difference Between Chimney Chase Covers and Caps

Your chimney is really important to understand, yet it can be a bit confusing. It's not just a hole that leads up to the sky! There are components, like a flue, in a properly working chimney you need to know about. There are also added and additional parts you may want to add on, like a chimney liner. An important component of any chimney system is the top of the chimney. It shouldn't be just a big open space. The chimney cap is installed onto the top of the chimney and is vital for preventing both water intrusion and animals from nesting inside the chimney. There is also something called a chase cover. This is often confused with the chimney cap because many people use the two terms interchangeably, adding to the confusion. What's the difference? And more importantly, which one do you need?

What is a Chase Cover?

A chase cover is used for a pre-fab or factory-built fireplace. Unlike a chimney cap that covers only the top of the flue opening, a chase cover fits over the top of the chimney. You may also hear them called “top pans” because they top chimneys that are sided with vinyl, metal, or wood. Ideally, the chase cover helps the water to run off completely instead of pooling doing the work of a chimney crown on a masonry chimney.

If installed incorrectly, a chase cover can allow water to flow directly into the chimney, lowering efficiency, raising risk of fire, and causing damage and rust to parts within the system. Yikes! That's the opposite of what you want! If the chase cover is too flat, rain water can pool on the top and allow it to rust, causing leaks in the chase cover and unsightly rust stains on the chimney. If the chase cover is not coupled with a chimney cap, water will still penetrate the system by falling into the flue opening. You need to find both chimney chase covers for sale and chimney caps.

A Chimney Cap

If you need one of these too, you need to learn about chimney caps as well. Essentially, a chimney cap is exactly how it sounds. It’s a vented, metal piece that sits inside the top of your chimney and prevents unwanted materials from coming inside your fireplace, while still letting the smoke escape. Chimney caps keep heavy rains from seeping down inside your chimney and potentially causing leaks. They also keep animals from nesting inside your fireplace during the colder months. Let's face it, your chimney seems like a wonderful, warm, and safe home to everything from birds to rats.

Anything that has to do with smoke, carbon monoxide, and fire is too important to get wrong. If you’re unsure if you should look into chimney chase covers or a chimney cap, or both, you should reach out to a chimney expert today. It's easy to submit a question online or call a 1-800 number and get all the answers you need in order to make an informed decision.

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firesidechimney Joined: February 23rd, 2021