Chimney Doctors' Homeowner's Guide

Failing Concrete Caps

Weather conditions playa major factor in failing caps i.e.
Rain, snow, freezing, thawing and heat
Durability of masonry is the main reasons caps have lasted for many years

Causes for failure

Most exposed and only horizontal surface
Area most likely to absorb water
Assuming flashing is properly installed
Same mortar used as when brick were laid
Normally application is put on too thin
Directly bonded too flue tile
Concrete shrinks as it cures
During curing process cracks form
Mortor around chimney should be tapered to a feather edge
Thin edges cannot hold up in severe weather
Deterioration occurs and starts to collect water
Cap is rarely isolated from flue liner
In winter months; flue tiles expand in upward direction
Cap is bonded to frozen exterior bricks
Connected caps during flue expansion can crack

These four conditions ultimately allow water to get in thru cap. Every year that deterioration occurs, more damage is done to the top of the chimney and to the cap. Eventually, water can make it's way into the house and cause severe damage at large.

Wisconsin Administrative Codes States...

(8) CHIMNEY CAPS. Chimneys shall be provided with precast. or cast-in-place concrete chimney caps. Chimney caps shall have a minimum thickness of2 inches, shall slope outwards away from the flue, and shall provide a one-inch overhang and drip edge on all sides. A slip joint shall be installed between the flue and the cap. The slip joint shall be filled with 1/4-inch felt or similar mate- rial and shall be caulked with high-temperature caulk or similar material to prevent water infiltration.

(Issued May - 2005)

Chimney Doctors services the following southeastern Wisconsin & Madison communities:
Oconomowoc, Brookfield, Stoughton, Milwaukee, Delafield, Menomonee Falls, Middleton, Waukesha, Germantown, Verona, New Berlin, Mequon, McFarland, Cross Plains, Mt. Horeb, Oregon, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee, Hartford, Watertown, Campbellsport, Lake Mills, Burlington, Twin Lakes, Wilmont, Cedarburg, Grafton, Thiensville, Port Washington, Milton, Franklin, Greendale, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Delavan, Darien, East Troy, Elkhorn, Lauderdale, Lake Geneva, Genoa City, Walworth, Fontana, Williams Bay, Kewaskum, Slinger, Allenton, West Bend, Jackson, Hartland, Muskego, Pewaukee, Lannon and Madison. Chimney Doctors specializes in all aspects of Reparing Chimneys, Fireplace Inserts, Chimney Building, Duct Cleaning, Chimney Cleaning Check Service Area by Zip Code

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