Chimney Cap Replacement in Westlake Village, CA

What chimney cap replacement actually involves

The job starts on the roof, not the ground. We measure the flue first. On a masonry stack with clay tile liners, the measurement is the outside of the tile, plus the crown condition around it. On a prefab metal chimney inside a stucco chase, the measurement is the chase opening and the pipe termination. Those are two different parts. They are not interchangeable. We check flashing and crown while we are up there, since the cap is rarely the only problem.

Old cap comes off. Fasteners are often rusted into the tile or the chase cover. Nesting material gets cleared before anything new goes on. Birds and rodents use unscreened flues here constantly. The new cap sets over the tile and is secured with masonry screws, or clamps to the metal pipe on prefab systems.

Stainless is the choice on most Westlake Village roofs. Galvanized caps streak rust down stucco and tile within a few seasons. Salt-carrying air off the coast reaches this far inland.

A warning. If the chase cover itself is dished and holding water, a new cap fixes nothing. The water is entering around it. Ask for photos of the chase cover before you approve a cap alone.