Chimney Cap Installation for Hillsborough Homes

Chimney cap installation in brief

A cap sits on top of the flue. Its hood keeps rain off, and its mesh sides keep out birds, squirrels, leaves and other debris. Many caps also have spark-screen mesh that stops embers from leaving the chimney. The job starts with measuring the flue and checking the top of the chimney. We then choose a cap that fits and fasten it securely so it can still be removed for cleaning. For sizing, materials and how the visit runs, read about how chimney cap installation works.

What affects chimney cap installation in Hillsborough

• Hillsborough Municipal Code 15.03.170 requires spark arrestors on masonry chimneys to be accessible for cleaning, with the screen or chimney cap removable so the flue can be cleaned. Under Hillsborough Municipal Code 15.03.171, any construction requiring a Town building permit cannot receive final sign-off until each chimney on the property has a working spark arrestor. Hillsborough Municipal Code 15.03.171 requires chimneys to be retroactively fitted with a spark arrestor before title can transfer when a property is sold. Source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15, Section 15.03.170 Spark arrestors; Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15, Section 15.03.171 Retroactive spark arrestor compliance.
• Hillsborough Municipal Code 15.03.170 requires every chimney serving a solid-fuel appliance or fireplace to have an approved spark arrestor, and an internally mounted arrestor needs plans approved by the Town building division before installation. Source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15 Buildings and Construction, Section 15.03.170 Spark arrestors.

What the town's chimney rules mean for a new cap

Two sections of Title 15 of the town's municipal code apply directly to the top of a chimney. Section 15.03.170 covers spark arrestors, and Section 15.03.171 covers retroactive spark arrestor compliance. Each rule is summarized below, along with what it changes about putting a cap on your chimney.

Chimneys serving a fireplace or solid-fuel appliance

Section 15.03.170 requires every chimney serving a solid-fuel appliance or fireplace to have an approved spark arrestor (source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15 Buildings and Construction, Section 15.03.170 Spark arrestors). If your chimney serves a wood-burning fireplace or stove, a plain rain cap with no spark mesh doesn't meet that requirement. We plan the cap around the spark protection the code calls for.

The cap has to come off for cleaning

The same section requires spark arrestors on masonry chimneys to be accessible for cleaning, with the screen or chimney cap removable so the flue can be cleaned (source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15, Section 15.03.170 Spark arrestors). On a masonry chimney, that rules out caps that are mortared or sealed permanently in place. We fasten the cap so it stays put in wind and can still be lifted off when the flue needs sweeping.

Mounting inside the flue takes town approval first

Section 15.03.170 also says an internally mounted arrestor needs plans approved by the Town building division before installation (source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15 Buildings and Construction, Section 15.03.170 Spark arrestors). A cap fitted on top of the flue is the simpler route for most homes. If an internal mount suits your chimney better, the plan approval has to come before the work.

Permitted projects and final sign-off

Under Section 15.03.171, any construction requiring a Town building permit cannot receive final sign-off until each chimney on the property has a working spark arrestor (source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15, Section 15.03.171 Retroactive spark arrestor compliance). This covers every chimney on the property, including ones that have nothing to do with the project. If you're planning a remodel, a re-roof or an addition, sort out the chimney tops early so they don't hold up the final sign-off.

Selling a home

Section 15.03.171 also requires chimneys to be retroactively fitted with a spark arrestor before title can transfer when a property is sold (source: Town of Hillsborough - Municipal Code Title 15, Section 15.03.171 Retroactive spark arrestor compliance). Sellers can avoid a last-minute problem at closing by having each chimney fitted well before escrow ends.

When a cap is the right job, and when to start elsewhere

A cap installation fits when the chimney top is sound and the flue is simply open, or when the old cap is gone or never had spark mesh. If you aren't sure, the background reading on do you need a chimney cap covers the general reasons homeowners add one.

• If you don't know the condition of the flue, crown or masonry, start with chimney inspection in Hillsborough. A cap shouldn't go on top of damage that needs fixing first.
• If the crown is cracked or the masonry at the top is crumbling, repair work comes before the cap so it has a solid surface to sit on.
• If birds or animals are already nesting in the flue, they need to be removed and the flue cleaned first, then the cap keeps them out.

Booking cap installation in Hillsborough

Tell us how many chimneys are on the property, what each one serves, and whether a permit or a sale is coming up, so we can plan every chimney top together. For the full service details, read about our chimney cap installation service. For everything else we do in town, visit our Hillsborough area page.