What a Burlingame re-roof means for your chimney top
The City of Burlingame Building Division's re-roofing permit handout requires a spark arrestor on fireplaces before a final inspection can be requested (source: City of Burlingame Building Division, Re-Roofing Permit Process, Dec 2025).
This applies to homeowners who are replacing a roof under a permit and have a fireplace. It doesn't tell you which cap to buy, but it does set a deadline: the spark arrestor has to be in place before your roofer can ask for the final inspection. If the chimney has no cap, or has an open cap with no screen, deal with it while the roof work is still underway.
Many chimney caps have mesh sides built to stop embers from leaving the flue, so one installation can cover rain protection, animal exclusion and spark control. If you're not sure what the inspector will accept on your chimney, ask the Building Division before the cap goes on. We can then fit a cap that matches what they tell you.
Fitting a cap into a re-roof
A practical order of work
Check the chimney top early
Before the roofers finish, find out whether you have a cap, whether it has mesh, and whether that mesh is intact or rusted through.
Get the flue measured
A cap has to match the flue tile or the chimney top it sits on. We measure it and look at the crown during the free estimate.
Install before the final inspection
With the spark arrestor in place, your roofer can request the final inspection without waiting on the chimney.
Keep your paperwork together
Keep a note of what was installed with your permit papers in case the inspector asks about the chimney.
Chimney cap installation in brief
The job starts on the roof. We measure the flue and look at the crown and the top of the chimney, then choose a cap that fits securely. Most caps have a solid top that sheds rain and mesh sides that keep out birds, squirrels and sparks. We fasten the cap so wind can't lift it and check that it doesn't restrict the draft. Materials, styles and the full process are covered on our chimney cap installation service page.
When a new cap is the right job, and when something else fits better
- A new cap fits when the chimney has none, when a re-roof needs a spark arrestor, or when rain and debris keep getting into the flue.
- If a cap is already there but is bent, rusted or missing its mesh, chimney cap replacement may be the better job, or a separate spark arrestor screen on an otherwise sound cap.
- If animals are already living in the chimney, they need to come out before the top is closed off. Chimney animal and nest removal comes first, then the cap.
- If the crown is cracked or crumbling, a cap won't seal properly on it. Chimney crown repair may be needed first.
- Prefab chimneys with a metal chase usually call for a chase cover replacement instead of a masonry-style cap.
If you're still deciding whether your chimney needs one, read do you need a chimney cap before you book.
Free estimates
Request an estimate and we'll measure the flue, check the chimney top and tell you which cap fits. Same-day visits are available when the schedule allows.
More chimney help for your home
For the step-by-step details, read how chimney cap installation works. Inspections, cleaning, repairs and dryer vent work are all listed with everything we do in Burlingame.
Sources (1)
The sources of the Burlingame facts on this page.
- 1City of Burlingame Building Division - Re-Roofing Permit Process (Dec 2025)
