The replacement of your existing chimney cap and shroud, by RAM Builders, can not only provide protection to your home but can be a source of architectural enhancement. We can provide and install chimney caps that come in a variety of colors, or in copper. We have replaced hundreds of chimney caps that were improperly installed and let water behind the stucco system. Caps can fail for a couple reasons and let water behind your stucco system.
The most common problem in Utah is that most caps were fastened through the top of the cap rather than the sides, a layer of black caulking is then applied over the fasteners, and is relied on to keep water from coming through the hole that was created by the fastener. The caulking fails within a few years as it dries out and cracks due to thermal movement. Water then comes through the holes created by the fasteners and is trapped behind the stucco, which rots out the 2x framing. This problem is usually compounded by the dent that’s created in the cap as the hammer drives the fastener through the cap and into the 2x framing, which encourages the water to pond around the fastener.
Most caps just have a hole cut out of the cap where the flu passes through the cap, then black caulking is applied around the flu and onto the cap. This caulking then dries and cracks out allowing water to get into the cap and down the fireplace chase. RAM Builders fabricates and solders a collar onto the cap, which allows the flu to pass through a close fitting element that is designed to shed water.
The gray metal above is the chimney cap. The metal above the cap is the shroud. They are placed on top of the chimney chase to keep water out. The ones shown above, due to incorrect installation are not doing their job.
