Chimney caps are meant to last a long time, but they certainly don’t last forever. While it’s not uncommon to get 50 years or more out of a chimney cap, they’re just like any other part of your home: eventually, they’ll need to be repaired or, more likely, replaced.

But how do you know when it’s time for a new chimney cap? What should you look out for?

At HY-C, we’ve manufactured well over a million chimney caps in the past few years. We’ve seen it all. From storm damage and wear and tear to defacements caused by raccoons, bats, or squirrels, we know what it looks like when an old cap finally reaches the end of its days.

In this guide, we’re going to cover the five signs to look for to know when it’s time to replace your chimney cap. By the time you’re done, you’ll know how to inspect your chimney cap for damage and how to determine when it’s time to pull the trigger on a new one.

We’ll even provide some resources to help you find a new cap if your old one isn’t up to par anymore.

1. You Don’t Have a Chimney Cap

In the IT world, the most basic question is, “Is your computer turned on?” In the world of chimney caps, the most basic question is, “Does your flue currently even have a cap?”

It may seem rudimentary, but next time you’re out in your neighborhood, take a peek at some of the chimneys on your neighbors’ roofs. You may be surprised by just how many chimneys out there don’t have any kind of cap or cover over their flue tile.

Not having a chimney cap can lead to quite a few problems:

• Rain, sleet, snow, hail, and other precipitation will get in your fireplace
• Raccoons, squirrels, bats, and other critters will get in your chimney
• Sparks from your fireplace could float out and cause a fire

If you have a fireplace and chimney and you don’t have a chimney cap, we’d strongly encourage you to install one soon to mitigate these issues. A good chimney cap doesn’t cost much, and it can save you from a lot of future frustration and repairs.

2. Your Chimney Cap Is Missing Key Features

Like any other industry, chimney caps have evolved over time. Research and development have led to improvements that offer homeowners better protection and more long term peace of mind.

If you have an older cap, check to see if it has wire mesh on the sides. Some older caps don’t. These meshless caps still include a cover (or hood) to keep precipitation out, but animals can still access the flue(s) and get into your chimney.

If your cap doesn’t have mesh sides, it’s very wise to get a new cap that does.

Some newer caps also have a removable hood on them. This makes it easier to clean your chimney. If your current cap’s hood is not removable, upgrading to a new cap with a removable hood will make cleaning your flue a breeze.

3. Your Chimney Cap Is Rusty

Nowadays, chimney caps are made of robust materials like stainless steel, galvanized steel, or copper. These strong metals resist rust and corrosion, helping to maintain the structural integrity of the cap.

Old chimney caps or caps made from subpar materials may be susceptible to rust. Rusted chimney caps are brittle. They can be damaged much more easily. Nuisance wildlife looking for a safe spot can take advantage of these vulnerable caps, too, breaking through them and setting up camp.

If your chimney cap is rusty, you should replace it as quickly as possible. A new, rust-free cap is a relatively small investment that will pay off well over time.

4. Your Chimney Cap Is Damaged

A chimney cap may become damaged for several reasons:

• Animals may chew through it or bend it
• Strong winds may deform it (or blow it off entirely)
• Broken tree limbs may land on it and compress it
• General weathering/wear and tear may cause it to deteriorate

If a chimney cap is bent, smashed, or contorted in any way, it should be replaced as soon as possible. The hood of a chimney cap needs to be high enough above the flue tile to allow for a good draft. If it isn’t (because the cap is damaged), fireplace gasses (like smoke or carbon monoxide) could blow back into your home.

If a chimney cap’s mesh is broken or bent, that cap will need to be replaced, too. Wildlife constantly looks for ways to exploit openings in homes. Even the slightest deformity in a chimney cap’s mesh could give a bat or squirrel that little bit of extra room they need to get in.

5. Your Cap Doesn’t Match Your Home’s Aesthetics

Chimney caps are available in a few different colors, most commonly stainless steel, black, and copper. Each of these three colors can either compliment or clash with the aesthetic of the rest of your home. If your current cap’s color isn’t to your liking, that’s as good a reason as any to replace it.

Maybe you recently had your roof redone and have different-colored shingles now. Maybe you just had your brick or siding painted. Whatever the case, if you make any major changes to the exterior style of your home, it’s a good idea to get a chimney cap that matches that style, too.

What if You Need a New Chimney Cap?

As you can tell by now, there are plenty of reasons why you may need a new chimney cap. From simply not having a cap in the first place to incurring damage to your existing cap, it’s important to make sure your chimney and flue are properly protected.

So, you know the diagnoses now. But what if your chimney cap does need replacing?

The best place to start is finding the right size chimney cap for your flue. Whether you have a square flue, a rectangular flue, or a round flue, most shapes have a wide range of sizes to choose from. You may even want to get a custom chimney cap made just for your house.

After you’ve found the right cap, the next step is to install it. After that’s done — and barring any major weather events or ornery critters in your area — your new cap should keep you well protected for years to come.

Finding the right sized chimney cap can be challenging. There are so many questions to consider: how do you measure your chimney flue? Are single-flue and multi-flue chimney caps sized differently? What are the standard sizes, and what if your chimney doesn’t fit them?

Trust us, we know it’s confusing. We manufacture chimney caps at HY-C, and we have to make multiple styles in dozens of sizes in order to help cover as many chimneys as we can. It’s a lot to keep straight — and in this guide, we’re going to simplify the process for you.

By the time you’re done, you’ll be able to narrow your choices down to figure out exactly what type of chimney cap you need. You’ll also know what sizes of chimney caps are available in that type, and how to measure your chimney or flue to ensure the perfect fit.

Types of Chimney Caps

There are several styles of chimney caps made from a variety of different materials. From a sizing perspective, though, it’s helpful to group chimney caps into three simple categories:

• Single-flue
• Multi-flue
• Band-around-brick

Single-flue chimney caps can either be rectangular, square, or round. These caps attach directly to a chimney’s flue tile via four bolts. If your chimney only has one flue, one of these caps is your best bet.

Multi-flue chimney caps are either square or rectangular. Instead of attaching to the chimney’s flue tile, a multi-flue cap is bolted directly onto the chimney’s crown. If your chimney has two or more flues, you can either attach a single-flue cap to each flue, or you can cover all your flues at once with a multi-flue cap.

Band-around-brick chimney caps get their name because they clamp onto a chimney’s top row of brick by way of a metal band. These square or rectangular caps are adjustable by tightening or loosening the four bolts in each corner (for a total of 16 bolts per cap). Band-around-brick caps are usually used to cover a single chimney flue; they’re typically not big enough to cover two or more flues (unless you order a custom-sized band-around-brick cap).

Consider these three categories and determine which one is best suited to your chimney flue and/or crown configuration. Once you decide on a style, it’s time to find the right size.

Single-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

Square, rectangular, and round single-flue chimney caps are available in quite a few sizes, and each of those sizes fit a range of flue dimensions. The first step in determining what size chimney cap you need is to find out if your flue pipe is square, rectangular, or round.

Square Single-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

If you have a square chimney flue, there are 6 single-flue size options available to you. Chose the cap size you need based on the dimensions of your square chimney flue tile:

How to Measure Your Square Flue Tile

To find out which square single-flue chimney cap you need, measure the length of your flue tile from outer edge to outer edge.

This particular flue tile measures 8.5” x 8.5” from edge to edge. Using the table above, this flue’s measurement falls into the 7.5” x 7.5” to 9.5” x 9.5” range, meaning the flue will require a 9” x 9” chimney cap.

Rectangular Single-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

If you have a rectangular chimney flue, there are 5 single-flue size options available to you. Chose the cap size you need based on the dimensions of your rectangular chimney flue tile:

How to Measure Your Rectangular Flue Tile

To find out which rectangular single-flue chimney cap you need, measure the length and width of your rectangular flue tile from outer edge to outer edge.

This particular flue tile measures about 8.5” x 13” from edge to edge. Using the table above, this measurement falls into the 7.5” x 11.5” to 9.5” x 13.5” range, meaning this flue will require a 9” x 13” chimney cap.

Round Single-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

If you have a round chimney flue, there are 6 single-flue size options available to you. Chose the cap size you need based on the diameter of your round chimney flue tile:

How to Measure Your Round Flue Tile

To find out which round single-flue chimney cap you need, measure the diameter of your round flue tile from outer edge to outer edge.

This particular flue tile measures about 11.75” in diameter from edge to edge. Using the table above, this measurement falls into the 11.5” to 12.5” range, meaning this flue will require a cap with a 12-inch diameter.

Multi-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

Chimneys that have multiple flues vary in size much more than chimneys with just one flue. As a result, multi-flue chimney caps are available in a wide range of sizes. There are 3 different sizes of square, multi-flue chimney caps:

While square multi-flue caps are pretty straightforward, the majority of multi-flue chimney caps are rectangular. There are 14 rectangular multi-flue chimney cap sizes:

You should note that there are a few different ways to measure a multi-flue chimney cap:

• You can measure from screen to screen
• You can measure the size of the cover (or “hood”)
• You can measure from flange to flange

The “screens” are simply the mesh screens that act as the “walls” of the cap, and the “cover” is the top portion of the cap that actually covers the flue.

The “flanges” are the pre-drilled metal edges that stick out of the cap perpendicular to the screens. The screws that hold the cap on the chimney crown go through the pre-drilled holes on the flanges and into the crown.

When measuring a multi-flue chimney cap for installation, it’s most helpful to consider the flange-to-flange measurement of the cap because the flanges rest directly on top of the crown (and need to fit precisely).

How to Measure Your Chimney Crown for a Multi-Flue Chimney Cap

To find out which multi-flue cap size you need, measure the length and width of your chimney crown from its flattest point on one edge to its flattest point on the opposite edge. Do this both for the length and width of your crown.

The crown of the chimney above is square — 18” x 18”. The table above indicates that a crown measuring at least 17.25” x 17.25” needs a square, multi-flue chimney cap with flanges measuring 15.25” x 15.25”.

It’s also important to ensure that the flanges rest at least one inch from the flat edge of the chimney crown. Inserting screws too close to the edge of your crown could cause it to crack, resulting in damage to the crown over time.

Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap Sizes

Band-around-brick chimney caps are essentially single-flue chimney caps that offer more coverage. Instead of bolting directly onto the flue tile, these caps clamp onto the top row of the chimney’s brick, providing more robust protection for the concrete crown of the chimney.

These chimney caps come in 4 different sizes — 3 for square chimneys, and 1 for rectangular chimneys:

How to Measure for a Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap

In order to find out which size band-around-brick chimney cap will best fit your chimney, start by determining whether you have a square or rectangular chimney. From there, measure the length and width of the top row of your chimney’s brick.

This particular chimney is square, and it measures about 17.5” x 17.5”. Using the table above, this measurement falls into the 16.5″ x 16.5″ to 18.5″ x 18.5″ range, meaning this flue will require a square size 2 chimney cap.

What if Your Chimney Doesn’t Fit the Standard Sizes?

Before now, you probably had little to no idea of how to measure a chimney cap for installation. And it’s no wonder it’s so confusing — the tables above indicate that there are 38 possible sizes of chimney caps, and that’s just what we were able to cover here!

Once you start to narrow the list down based on the shape of your flue or how many flues you need to cover, finding the correct size becomes a much simpler process.

There’s a lingering question though: what if your chimney cap doesn’t fit any of the sizes mentioned in this guide?

If that’s the case for you, don’t worry — that just means you need a custom-made chimney cap. We make plenty of custom caps at HY-C; in fact, since 2020, we’ve manufactured over 9,000 of them.

If you believe you need a custom-made chimney cap, our custom chimney cap guide covers all the styles, sizes, and materials we offer. Give it a look, and you’ll be one step closer to finding the perfect cap to cover your chimney.

The vast majority of chimney caps on houses throughout the United States are made of steel — either stainless or black galvanized. Still other caps are made from aluminum, a material that’s low in cost yet durable enough to last on a rooftop for years.

But for those who are interested in adding a luxurious touch to the top of their chimney flue, there’s copper: a time-tested, eye-catching material used in everything from plumbing to pennies to the Statue of Liberty itself.

But just how much will one of these expensive copper chimney caps cost you?

And are there any limitations to the sizes, shapes, and styles of chimney flues a copper cap can fit?

As a company who makes our chimney caps right here in the USA, we want to help you uncover the answers to these questions — and more. We’ll explain just how much a copper chimney cap costs relative to its steel counterparts, and we’ll outline the shapes and dimensions required of a chimney flue to accommodate a copper cap.

By the time you’re finished here, you’ll know if you have the right flue size and the right budget to get a copper chimney cap for your home.

How Much Does a Copper Chimney Cap Cost?

The best way to contextualize the cost of a copper chimney cap is to consider its price relative to a stainless steel cap of the same size.

Chimney cap prices are determined largely by their dimensions. For example, a square cap measuring 8” x 8” costs less than the same style of cap measuring 13” x 13”. The larger cap requires more material and costs more as a result.

Let’s compare the prices of three styles of square, single-flue HY-C chimney caps by size in both stainless steel and copper:

It’s clear that square copper caps are quite a bit more expensive than square stainless steel caps. The same holds true for rectangular single-flue chimney caps:

Depending on the dimensions of your chimney flue, a copper chimney cap can cost anywhere from $170 to $250 more than a stainless steel cap.

That’s true for a simple reason: copper is scarce, while steel is relatively more widely available. If your primary concern for your chimney cap is simply functionality, then a common, dependable stainless steel cap works perfectly well.

But if you prefer the aesthetic appeal of a copper cap and you’re willing to pay double or even triple the price you’d pay for a stainless steel chimney cap, there are options available for you — but they may be more limited than you might expect.

What Sizes do Copper Chimney Caps Come In?

If money isn’t an object in your chimney cap purchase and you’re leaning towards a copper cap, the next factor to consider is size. Black galvanized and stainless steel chimney caps are incredibly versatile size-wise, and we make them in dozens of shapes and sizes to fit virtually any chimney and flue combination.

Copper caps come in a variety of sizes, too, but not nearly as many as stainless steel caps or black galvanized caps. To start with, if you have a circular or oval chimney flue, you’re out of luck — we don’t make any round copper chimney caps.

From there, that leaves square and rectangular single-flue and multi-flue copper caps. In these categories, there’s a bit more to choose from.

Multi-Flue Copper Chimney Caps

If your chimney has two or more flue pipes, you’re in luck: we make our black galvanized, stainless steel, and copper chimney caps in the same 17 lengths and widths:

Be careful, though — multi-flue copper chimney caps are available in different heights than black galvanized and stainless steel caps:

• Multi-flue black galvanized and stainless steel chimney caps can be either 8”, 10”, or 14” in height
• Multi-flue copper chimney caps, though, can be either 9”, 12”, or 14” in height

Why does the height of a chimney cap matter? It has to do with the clearance between the top of the flue tile and the cover of the chimney cap itself.

Smoke and hot gasses move up the flue as a fire burns in your fireplace, and those gasses need to escape out of the top of the flue. If the chimney cap’s cover doesn’t provide enough clearance for these gasses to escape, they’ll get backed up inside the chimney, and you may end up with smoke inside your house.

To prevent this, there should be at least 6” of space between the top of the flue tile and the chimney cap’s cover. That means if your flue tile protrudes 3” from your chimney’s crown, you’ll need a cap that’s 9” in height (to allow for that 6” of space).

All three of our metal caps (black galvanized, stainless, and copper) are available in 14” heights. But copper caps come in two additional heights: 9” and 12” (as opposed to the stainless and black galvanized caps’ 8” and 10” heights).

If a multi-flue copper cap doesn’t allow 6” of clearance (or more) over your chimney flue in any of their three available height options, you run the risk of filling your house with smoke. So keep the height of your flue tile in mind before you buy.

Custom Copper Chimney Caps

We make one style of custom copper chimney cap: the custom skirt-type. Aside from the visual appeal of the copper material itself, copper skirt-type caps have a huge functional advantage: the skirt covers the entirety of the concrete chimney crown, protecting it from damage from both weather and wildlife.

These caps can fit single-flue and multi-flue chimneys, and they’re made to order based on the size of your chimney and the height of your flue. There are some size restrictions, though:

• Custom skirt-type chimney caps are limited to 38” x 88”
• Custom skirt-type chimney caps must be 9”, 12”, or 14” high

If you want or need a custom chimney cap, copper skirt-types are a great way to go. Just remember that they’ll cost much more than custom stainless steel caps.

Single-Flue Copper Chimney Caps

Single-flue chimney caps are a bit more straightforward than custom or multi-flue caps. They don’t attach to the chimney’s crown; rather, they are attached to the flue tile itself. This means that unlike a multi-flue chimney cap, there’s no need to worry about the height of a single-flue cap, because the clearance from the flue tile to the cap’s cover will be the same on every chimney.

From there, the only thing left to worry about (aside from price, of course) is the length and width of the cap. Again, stainless steel caps are available in more sizes than copper caps. Here’s a look at our square single-flue chimney cap dimensions in both stainless steel and copper:

As you can see, copper caps skip a size range; this is akin to a style of tennis shoes only coming in full sizes with no half sizes available.

Why is that?

It’s essentially because historically, customers seldom ordered these sizes, so we’ve found that it doesn’t make sense to make copper chimney caps that no one is asking for.

Rectangular copper caps, on the other hand, are more readily available in the same sizes as their stainless counterparts:

Aside from the 3.5” x 7.5” to 5.5” x 9.5” range, rectangular copper chimney caps and stainless steel copper caps come in the same sizes, leaving you with more buying options.

Is a Copper Chimney Cap Right for You?

Before now, you may not have known much about copper chimney caps. Perhaps you knew that they were shiny and expensive, but exactly how much they cost and whether or not they’d fit your chimney flue were probably unclear.

By now, you should have a much better understanding of just how much a copper chimney cap will cost and the sizes and styles of chimneys and flues they’ll fit. If you’re interested in getting one yourself, just find the size you need and pull the trigger on your purchase.

But what happens when you actually get your copper cap? Installing a chimney cap is its own rabbit hole. Caps come in several different styles, but, as you know by now, copper caps come in single-flue, multi-flue, or custom designs. Our guide on how to install a chimney cap covers these styles and more. Give it a read; it will prepare you to install your brand-new copper cap when it arrives!

You’ve gone through the process of finding the perfect chimney cap. You found your flue dimensions, you picked the metal you wanted, and you finally pulled the trigger on your purchase. But as you unboxed your new cap, you suddenly realized you had a question: “How do I install this thing, anyway?”

We live and breathe chimney caps at HY-C. We’ve sold thousands of them over the years, and we design our caps with ease of installation in mind. Our customer service team has answered countless questions from contractors, roofing professionals, and chimney sweeps about how to install our caps, and we want to share what we know with you.

In this guide, we’ll cover the installation process for seven of the most common types of chimney cap styles:

1. Bolt-on
2. Multi-flue
3. Band-around-brick
4. Multi-fit
5. Adjustable
6. Slip-in
7. Universal

By the time you’re finished with this guide, you’ll be able to identify what type of installation process your chimney cap requires, and you’ll have all the tools necessary to facilitate the installation of your own cap to keep your home protected.

Before You Install Your Chimney Cap…

Before installing your chimney cap, note that HY-C does not recommend climbing your own roof. Working on a roof is dangerous, and falling off your roof could result in serious bodily harm. Chimney cap installations are better left to roofing and chimney professionals; the content in this guide is strictly informational.

Note too that HY-C chimney caps come with all the hardware required for installation. Be sure your installer examines this hardware before installation to ensure they have the correct screwdrivers or drill bits for the job before ascending your roof.

How to Install a Bolt-on Chimney Cap

Bolt-on, single-flue chimney caps are some of the most common stock chimney caps we sell. These caps can be square, rectangular, or round, and they come in many different sizes to accommodate a wide range of flue styles and dimensions.

The installation process for these caps is pretty straightforward. To start, make sure your cap has the right dimensions to match your flue tile. The five most common flue dimensions for square or rectangular flues include:

• 9” x 9”
• 9” x 13”
• 13” x 13”
• 13” x 18”
• 18” x 18”

Most square or rectangular flues fall within these dimensions. Whether your flue fits within these sizes or it’s larger or smaller, be sure that the cap you buy is tailored to fit your flue (manufacturers offer information on which caps fit which flue sizes in their product catalog or on product description pages online).

Once you’ve ensured you have the correctly sized cap, just slide the cap over your flue and tighten the four bolts on the cap’s corners.

The bolts should not penetrate the chimney flue tile. To protect the flue, some bolt-on chimney caps include a metal ridge that rests between the bolt and the flue to protect the integrity of the flue tile while allowing the cap to connect securely.

If you have a round flue instead of a square or rectangular flue, there are bolt-on-style caps made for your chimney, too. The most common diameters for a round chimney flue include:

• 8”
• 10”
• 12”
• 14”
• 16”

The installation process is identical for round chimney caps — just ensure your cap’s size is correct, slide the cap onto the flue, and tighten down the four bolts until the cap is secure.

How to Install a Multi-Flue Chimney Cap

If your chimney has two or more flues on it, you have a couple of options: you can get a single-flue cap for each individual flue, or you could get one big cap that covers all the flues at once. These are called multi-flue chimney caps, and they’re installed quite a bit differently than bolt-on, single-flue caps.

For starters, multi-flue chimney caps don’t attach directly to the flues. Instead, they attach to the crown of a chimney — the concrete portion that seals the flue and the top layer of brick together.

In order to attach to the crown, multi-flue caps come with four 2” flanges that are attached perpendicularly to each of the cap’s four mesh screens. These flanges have holes in them to accommodate screws that go directly into the chimney’s crown.

To start the installation process, set the cap on top of the crown, ensuring that the edge of each flange is at least one inch from the edge of the crown. If the flanges are too close to the end of the crown, the crown could crack when holes are drilled and screws are put in.

Once the cap is set in the right position, trace a line around the edges of the flange, and mark the hole positions for each masonry screw. The location of the screws can vary from crown to crown. Some crowns may require one screw in each flange, while others may work better with two screws on opposite flanges. Screw placement depends on how level (or unlevel) your cap is as it rests on the crown. Use your best judgment based upon how the cap is seated on the crown.

Once a line is traced around the flanges and the screw holes are marked, take the cap off, set it aside, and use a 3/16” drill bit to drill 1.5” holes into each mark. Brush away any loose material, and run a bead of adhesive (provided with the cap) about ½” inside the trace line you drew around the flanges.

From there, simply put the crown back in precisely the same spot along the traced line, applying pressure to seat the crown to the adhesive. Screw the masonry screws into the 1.5” holes to secure the cap in place, and the installation will be complete.

How to Install a Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap

It’s easy to see how a band-around brick chimney cap gets its name: the band of metal on the bottom of the cap goes around the top layer of chimney brick, secured in place with nuts and bolts. Band-around-brick caps are versatile. They come in four sizes, each featuring 2” of adjustability, and they’re designed to fit chimneys with top layers of brick measuring:

• 15.5” x 15.5” to 17.5” x 17.5” (square)
• 16.5” x 16.5” to 18.5” x 18.5” (square)
• 16.5” x 20.5” to 18.5” x 22.5” (rectangular)
• 20.5” x 20.5” to 22.5” x 22.5” (square)

The installation process is pretty straightforward: once you have the correctly sized cap for your chimney’s dimensions, slide the cap’s band over the top layer of chimney brick. The magic of a band-around cap lies in its adjustable corner pieces, each secured by four nuts and four bolts.

Simply tighten the nuts and bolts on each of the four corners until the cap fits securely in place around the top layer of chimney brick. The cap is held in place solely by tension and pressure, requiring no drilling into the crown or brick.

How to Install a Multi-Fit Chimney Cap

Multi-fit chimney caps provide a great deal of flexibility. These caps, designed to fit on a single chimney flue, are made for square, rectangular, and round flues. They come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The three sizes can fit chimneys with the following ranges of dimensions:

When you’ve found the appropriate size for your flue, the installation process begins with attaching the four braces to the top cover of the chimney cap. Be sure not to completely tighten the bolts yet.

From there, the other ends of the braces clamp down onto the chimney flue tile by tightening the bolts. After the cap is securely attached to the flue tile, you may finally tighten the bolts protruding from the top cover of the chimney cap to complete the installation.

How to Install an Adjustable Bolt-on Chimney Cap

Like multi-fit chimney caps, adjustable bolt-on chimney caps are also flexible. But the flue dimensions onto which they can fit are a bit more limited. These caps come only in sizes small and large, and they’re designed to fit flues with the following ranges of dimensions:

Adjustable bolt-on chimney caps are held together by four L-shaped braces, and the portion of each brace attached perpendicularly to the cap’s mesh has a slot in it. Those four slots each accommodate a U-shaped bracket that slides into the slot and twists to prevent it from falling out. The brackets can slide along the slots to fit multiple flue sizes.

After sliding the U-shaped brackets to fit your specific flue size, just slip the brackets onto the flue tile and tighten the bolts. After the cap is secure, the installation is complete.

How to Install a Slip-in Chimney Cap

A slip-in chimney cap is likely the easiest kind of chimney cap to install. Perhaps the most difficult part of the process is making sure you have the correct cap to fit your flue’s dimensions. Slip-in caps come with about an inch of wiggle-room; they’re designed for round flues and made to fit within the following diameter ranges:

• 9.5” to 10.5”
• 11.5” to 12.5”
• 13.5” to 14.5”
• 15.5” to 16.5”
• 17.5” to 18.5”

There’s not much to the installation process. These caps require no hardware or tools. All you have to do is slip it into the flue tile, and the angle of the legs, combined with tension from their tendency to bend, hold the cap firmly in place.

How to Install a Universal Chimney Cap

Universal chimney caps come in two different sizes:

• 13” x 13” (screen-to-screen) (square)
• 13” x 20” (screen-to-screen) (square)

They’re designed to fit chimney flues with those specific dimensions, and they feature a unique inside anchoring system for their installation process. The mesh screen of these caps tucks in at a 90° towards the chimney flue. To start the installation process for a universal chimney cap, simply unscrew the wing nuts at the top of the cap and remove the top cover.

Next, set the cap on the flue so its mesh hangs over the edge of the flue. From there, slide the V-shaped anchoring bar down into the chimney, ensuring that both ends of the anchor touch the walls of the flue. Next, set the cap’s straight metal bar on the mesh perpendicular to the V-shaped anchor.

Slide the top of the anchor bar through one of the three holes in the straight metal bar (whichever hole it lines up with best), and thread the wing nut onto the anchor bar. Tightening the wing nut will create tension between the V-shaped anchor, the metal bar, and the chimney cap’s mesh. Once the apparatus is secure, reattach the cap’s cover, and the installation will be complete.

What if Your Flue or Chimney Can’t Accommodate These Chimney Caps?

At the beginning of this article, you likely had no idea how to install your chimney cap (or even which installation style your cap was made with). By now, you should know the ins and outs of which kind of cap you have and how to install it onto your flue.

Some homeowners may find, though, that their flue (or the entire chimney, depending on what kind of cap you have) doesn’t fit within the dimensions of any of the seven caps described above. If that’s the case for you, it’s possible that you need a custom chimney cap.

If you find that you need a chimney cap that doesn’t fit common chimney dimensions, you’re in luck — HY-C manufactures three different varieties of custom chimney caps. And whether a standard installation works for you or you need something with a more specialized touch, we’re happy to work with you to make sure your chimney is covered and your home is secure.

Around 90% to 95% of chimneys out there use a standard-sized chimney cap. For the select few whose chimney or flue don’t fall within the standard size ranges, though, finding a cap can be daunting. You may not know which options are available to you, or even which manufacturers offer custom covers.

Having made thousands of custom caps over the years, we’re no stranger to dealing with non-standard chimney dimensions at HY-C. We work with customers all the time to handcraft a precise cap to match the specific dimensions of their chimney.

So whether you’re looking for a single-flue cap, a multi-flue cap, a stainless steel style, or an elegant copper cover, in this guide, we’ll outline the types of custom chimney caps we offer. You’ll understand the styles we have available, the materials they come in, and how to measure for your own custom cap. When you’re done, you’ll be well-equipped to make an educated buying decision and to find the right custom-made chimney cap for your home.

HY-C’s Custom Chimney Cap Styles

We manufacture two different kinds of custom chimney caps at HY-C: custom brand-around caps, and custom skirt-type caps. The custom band-around cap is available in stainless steel only, and the skirt-type caps are available in copper or stainless steel. The style of a custom-skirt cap will differ depending on which metal you choose.

Custom Band-Around Stainless Steel

Our band-around (or band-around-brick) gets its name from the metal band on the bottom of the cap. This band wraps around the top row of chimney brick and clamps down via the bolts on the corners of the cap. This installation method means you don’t have to drill any holes directly into your masonry; the clamping force of the band holds the cap in place.

These custom-made band-around-brick chimney caps are made completely from 304 stainless steel. The maximum base size for these caps is 48” x 96” (or four feet by eight feet). Their large range of available sizes should fit just about any chimney size with no problem.

How to Measure for a Custom Band-Around Chimney Cap

When measuring for a custom band-around-brick chimney cap, there are two measurements you need to take: the dimensions of the top row of chimney brick, and the height of your chimney flue.

The measurement of the top row of chimney brick will determine the lengths of the base, mesh, and hood of your custom band-around cap. In the example above, the dimensions of the top row of chimney bricks are 36.5” x 24.5” x 36” x 23”.

The second measurement, the height of your chimney flue, determines the height of the mesh and braces of your cap (braces are the lengths of metal inside the cap that hold the entire apparatus together). From the example above:

• A flue of 3.5” in height or less will use 9” braces and mesh
• A flue between 3.5” and 6” in height will use 12” braces and mesh
• A flue between 6” and 9” in height will use 15” braces and mesh
• A flue between 9” and 12” in height will use 18” braces and mesh

Providing these measurements will allow us to know precisely how to build your custom cap to fit the exact dimensions of your chimney.

Custom Skirt-Type (Stainless Steel)

A custom skirt-type chimney cap differs from a band-around-brick cap in that it bolts directly into the chimney’s top row of brick. The addition of the metal skirt provides the best possible protection against rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind, and other elemental forces that degrade a chimney over time.

Like the band-around-brick cap, this skirt-type chimney cap is also made of 100% 304 stainless steel, and its maximum base dimensions (like the band-around-brick style) are 48” x 96”.

How to Measure for a Custom Skirt-Type Stainless Steel Chimney Cap

Like the band-around-brick custom chimney cap, you’ll need two sets of dimensions when measuring for a custom skirt-type stainless steel chimney cap: the dimensions of the top row of chimney brick, and the height of your chimney flue.

The lengths and widths of the top row of chimney brick will determine the length and width of your custom band-around cap. In the example above, these dimensions are 36.5” x 24.5” x 36” x 23”.

The measurement of the height of your chimney flue will determine the height of the braces and the mesh on your custom skirt-type cap. As you can see in the example above:

• A flue of 5” in height or less will use 8” braces and mesh
• A flue between 5” and 8” in height will use 12” braces and mesh
• A flue between 8” and 11” in height will use 15” braces and mesh
• A flue between 11” and 14” in height will use 18” braces and mesh

There should be at least 6” of space between the top of your flue and the hood of the chimney cap to allow smoke to vent out properly. Knowing the flue height will help us know what the height of the cap should be to allow for this ventilation.

Custom Skirt-Type (Copper)

Copper is the pinnacle of luxury and style in the world of chimney caps. The elegant, eye-catching metal is a bit softer than stainless steel, but it still provides adequate weather and animal protection.

Copper also acquires a natural patina over time as it’s exposed to the elements — a much sought-after aesthetic feature of a copper chimney cover. Bear in mind that copper chimney caps carry a much higher price than stainless or galvanized steel.

Like its stainless steel counterpart, a custom skirt-type copper cap is bolted directly into your chimney brick for maximum security. Unlike its stainless steel counterpart, though, a copper custom skirt-type cap does not come with braces; it’s held together solely by its mesh.

You’re a little more limited in the size department with this style of chimney cap, too — the maximum possible base size for our copper custom skirts is 38” x 88” (as opposed to the stainless steel styles’ 48” x 96”).

How to Measure for a Custom Skirt-Type Copper Chimney Cap

Again, you need two all-important measurements when sizing up your custom copper skirt-type cap: the dimensions of the top row of chimney brick, and the height of your chimney flue. In the above example, these dimensions clock in at 36.5” x 24.5” x 36” x 23”.

These copper caps are a bit more limited with regards to flue height, as well. From the example, you can see that:

• A flue of 5” in height or less will use 9” mesh
• A flue between 5” and 8” in height will use 12” mesh
• A flue between 8” and 10” in height will use 14” mesh

The same stainless steel custom-skirt chimney caps can accommodate a maximum flue height of 14”, but the copper cap can only fit flues up to 10” high. This is because the biggest standard size for copper mesh is 14” (as opposed to stainless steel’s maximum height of 18”).

Which Custom Chimney Cap Should You Get?

The world of custom chimney caps is overwhelming. You may have come to this article wondering if you even need a custom chimney cap, what your options are, which size to choose, or which material is right for you.

Now, you know the two types of custom chimney caps we make, which materials we make them in, how those materials may affect the possible size of the cap, and what kind of measurements you need for your custom cap.

If you’re ready to pull the trigger on a custom chimney cap, our customer service team is ready to help. All you’ll have to do is mention which type you want, your preferred material (if you’re after a skirt-type cap), and the dimensions of your chimney brick and flue. From there, the rest is in our hands, and your custom-made HY-C cap will be ready for your roof in no time.

A chimney cap serves a humble role. It sits securely atop your chimney, keeping out rain, hail, snow, and even critters. It does its job passively but unceasingly, its sturdy metal frame bolted tightly onto your chimney, braving the elements season after season.

Most people don’t think or know much about their chimney cap. After all, they can last well over 50 years, and homeowners generally only have to consider them in a select few circumstances:

1. When building a new home
2. After a problem is discovered with their existing cap
3. When replacing a cap purely for aesthetic reasons

Because they’re the type of thing you don’t buy often, people tend to have a lot of questions about chimney caps when they actually do have to think about them. One of the most important ones to consider while shopping around is, “Can I buy a standard chimney cap, or do I need a custom-made chimney cap?”

Well, we’ve been making chimney caps at HY-C for over 75 years. In fact, our factory floor is no more than a few yards from where this very article is being written. We make a few dependable lines of standard caps, and we also take custom chimney cap orders all the time. We know how to make them, who needs them, and everything in between. And we want to teach you all about it.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about chimney cap sizes. Whether you’re looking for a 5” x 9” rectangular single-flue cap or a multi-flue custom-skirt copper cap, by the time you’re done, you’ll know how chimney cap sizing works, and you’ll understand whether or not you need a custom chimney cap on your home.

Which Standard Sizes Do Chimney Caps Come In?

Think about chimney cap sizes like shoe sizes: when you shop for shoes, do you expect to have to special order them? Probably not — shoes are made in specific, incremental sizes, and unless you have especially small or big feet, the standard sizes will probably work for you.

Chimney caps basically work the same way. Manufacturers make chimney caps in very particular sizes, and we do that because those standard sizes fit most chimney flues around the country. In fact, one of our company owners estimates that 90% to 95% of the chimney caps we sell are standard-sized caps.

Put simply, the only situation in which you’ll need a custom-made chimney cap (outside of aesthetic reasons) is when your chimney flue or crown doesn’t fit within the standard flue or crown size ranges. So in order to understand whether you need a custom cap or not, learning about the standard sizes is a great place to start.

Chimney caps fall into one of four categories:

1. Single-flue square/rectangular bolt-on
2. Single-flue round bolt-on
3. Single-flue round slip-in
4. Multi-flue

Each type of chimney cap has its own size range, and it’s very likely that your chimney flue (or crown, in the case of a multi-flue cap) falls within the standard size ranges.

Single-Flue Square or Rectangular Bolt-On Chimney Cap Sizes

The bulk of the chimney caps on the market connect directly to your flue tile (the brown pipe that protrudes from the concrete chimney crown). They make this connection one of two ways: they bolt onto the tile or they slip into the tile.

Square or rectangular chimney caps designed to bolt onto a single, square- or rectangular-shaped flue come in a range of sizes. The following table contains standard chimney cap dimensions and the flue sizes on which they fit.

If you have a square or rectangular flue whose dimensions are within the following range, you don’t need a custom chimney cap:

Single-Flue Round Bolt-On Chimney Cap Sizes

If your chimney flue is round instead of square or rectangular, don’t worry — there are standard chimney caps for you as well. Instead of length and width measurements, though, the cap you need will depend on the diameter of your chimney flue.

The table below will help you to find the chimney cap diameter you need based on the diameter of your round chimney flue. If your flue is within this range, you don’t need a custom chimney cap:

Single-Flue Round Slip-In Chimney Cap Sizes

Not all customers want or need a bolt-on chimney cap. For this reason, manufacturers design round caps that slip into the chimney flue instead of being bolted on. The installation process is much easier; you just slide the legs of the cap into the flue, and they’re held in place by tension.

Despite the installation method varying, round slip-in caps essentially fit the same flue sizes as round bolt-on caps (with one additional smaller size available). If your flue has a diameter within this range, you don’t need a custom chimney cap:

Multi-Flue Chimney Cap Sizes

Multi-flue chimney caps are quite a bit different than single-flue caps. Installers screw these caps directly into the chimney’s crown — the concrete slab poured on top of the masonry and around the flue tiles.

These caps are measured in screen-to-screen dimensions, but it’s important to note that they come with flanges on all four sides of them — metal edges that are perpendicular to the chimney cap’s mesh screen.

The flanges on our multi-flue chimney caps come with pre-drilled holes to make them easier to install. The flanges themselves measure 1.25 inches, meaning they add a total of 2.5 inches to the screen-to-screen length and screen-to-screen width of the cap (since there are two on each side).

The following table lays out both the screen-to-screen and flange-to-flange dimensions of our multi-flue chimney caps. If the dimensions of your multi-flue chimney’s crown fall within any of the ranges on the table, you don’t need a custom chimney cap:

What if Your Chimney Falls Outside the Standard Size Ranges?

Before now, you probably knew very little about chimney caps, let alone how to measure one. As you can tell, though, it’s pretty easy: just figure out which one of the four categories your chimney falls into, and check to see whether or not its dimensions can accommodate a standard chimney cap. If you’re like 90% to 95% of people out there, a standard cap will work for you.

If your flue or crown falls outside of the standard dimensions, though, you’ll probably need to purchase a custom chimney cap. If that’s the case, you’re in luck: we make custom-sized chimney caps all the time.

Wondering how to get started? Our customer service team can help you figure out what style, color, and dimensions you’ll need for your custom chimney cap based on your current chimney flue or crown. Reach out today to find the perfect chimney cap for your home.

Has a squirrel, a raccoon, or a family of birds made a home in your chimney? Has water been pooling in your fireplace every time it rains? If so, either you need to install a chimney cap on your chimney, or your existing cap is damaged and needs to be replaced. The question naturally follows: how much is this going to cost me?

That’s a tough question to answer, but the good news is that we’re no stranger to chimney caps and covers at HY-C. In fact, we’ve been designing, manufacturing, and selling them since 1947. During those 75+ years, we’ve pinpointed three factors that determine the price of a chimney cap: metal type, flue size, and labor.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand how these three factors affect the price of a chimney cap. You’ll also be armed with the information you need to go into an installation consultation with clear options and a focused budget in mind.

How Metal Type Determines Chimney Cap Cost

Most of the chimney caps on the market today are made of metal. And, while the type of metal may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, the three used most often in chimney cap construction are galvanized steel, stainless steel, and copper. Each type is weather-resistant, rust-resistant, and designed to keep animals out of your chimney. The differences between them come down simply to aesthetic and price.

Galvanized steel is the most budget-friendly chimney cap metal. Aside from its relatively low price, galvanized steel is typically treated with a black powder paint finish for a sleek, low-profile appearance.

Stainless steel tends to be more expensive than galvanized steel, but its classic, shiny metal finish proves attractive to customers who are willing to spend a little more.

Finally, copper is far and away the most expensive chimney cap metal. Its brilliant, new-penny color develops a natural patina over time, though, so if you’re looking for an eye-catching chimney cap with a premium price tag, copper is hard to beat.

How Flue Size Determines Chimney Cap Cost

After you’ve decided on the metal of your chimney cap, the next variable in determining its price is the size of your chimney’s flue. The flue is the duct that runs directly from the fireplace, up through the chimney, and out the top of the chimney crown. Flues are generally made of clay, concrete, or steel, and a chimney cap is designed to cover the portion of the flue that sticks out of the chimney itself.

Some homeowners may find that their chimney has two flues; if that’s the case, there are multi-flue chimney cap options available. But, as they are the most popular, we’ll assume you have a single-flue chimney.

How does flue size determine chimney cap cost? It’s pretty simple: the bigger the flue, the bigger — and more costly — the chimney cap. Flue sizes fall into two categories: round and rectangular (or square). Round flues have a diameter between 8” and 18”. Rectangular flues tend to measure between 9” x 5” and 20” x 20”. After you’ve measured your flue and chosen a metal, consult this table to get a general sense of how much your chimney cap will cost at retail:

How Labor Determines Chimney Cap Cost

With the chimney cap metal and size in mind, there’s one last thing to figure out: how much will it cost to pay someone to install (or replace) the chimney cap? Do-it-yourself homeowners won’t need to worry about this cost factor, as they’ll be able to install the cap themselves. However, even though it may be tempting to attempt a self-installation to save some money, we do not recommend installing chimney caps yourself. It’s better to hire a trained professional with knowledge of fireplace and chimney mechanics and proven experience in roof safety.

That having been said, a few variables will affect how much you’ll pay for an installation. A simple, single-flue chimney cap installation on a single-story house may run you anywhere from $100 to $200. A more complicated installation could cost between $500 and $1,500. Why the discrepancy? Multi-story houses, high-angle roofs, or roofs with slate tile instead of shingles present more danger to the installer and, therefore, a higher bill. Depending on your home and your roof, the installer may also need to utilize specialized equipment like scissor lifts or ladders that are taller than the standard seven to ten feet.

Whatever your circumstances, be sure to get multiple quotes from a few licensed, insured chimney service professionals. Comparing these quotes will ensure you end up with competitive pricing options and will allow you to choose an installer who will complete the job safely and correctly.

Which Chimney Cap Is Best for Me?

Raccoons, squirrels, birds, and precipitation are the last things you want inside your chimney. These nuisances are annoying at best and dangerous at worst, and the most frustrating thing is knowing a simple chimney cap could have kept them out from the start.

Now that you know how metal type, flue size, and labor costs determine the price of a chimney cap, you’re ready to find one that fits the size and style of your home. After you make your purchase and hire a professional chimney cap installer, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your home safe and protected.