The resale inspection's spark arrestor requirement in Ross
According to the Ross Valley Fire Department (Residential Property Resale Inspections), a single-family home in Ross that is listed for sale needs a resale inspection. That inspection requires a spark arrestor of heavy wire mesh, with openings between 3/8 and 1/2 inch, on all chimneys. It also requires tree limbs cleared 10 feet from the chimney outlet.
Who it applies to
The requirement applies to single-family homes listed for sale. If you plan to sell, check the chimney top well before the inspection is scheduled, so there is time to add or change a cap if needed.
What it changes about choosing and installing a cap
A plain rain cap with no screen does not meet the spark arrestor part of the requirement. A cap with an integrated screen can meet it, as long as the screen is heavy wire mesh with openings in the 3/8 to 1/2 inch range. For a Ross home headed to market, we size and fit the cap with that mesh specification in mind.
Points to check on a cap for a home being sold
- The cap has a mesh screen around the full opening, not just a top hood.
- The mesh is heavy wire with openings between 3/8 and 1/2 inch, per the Ross Valley Fire Department requirement.
- Every chimney on the house has one, since the requirement covers all chimneys.
- The cap is secured firmly enough that wind won't shift it or open gaps in the screen.
- The mesh is intact, with no rusted-through spots, tears or bent sections.
Tree clearance is a separate item
The same resale inspection requires tree limbs cleared 10 feet from the chimney outlet. A new cap doesn't satisfy that part, so arrange the trimming separately before the inspection.
What affects chimney cap installation in Ross
- In Ross, a single-family home listed for sale needs a Ross Valley Fire Department resale inspection, which requires a spark arrestor of heavy wire mesh (openings between 3/8 and 1/2 inch) on all chimneys and tree limbs cleared 10 feet from the chimney outlet. Source: Ross Valley Fire Department - Residential Property Resale Inspections.
Chimney cap installation in brief
Installing a cap starts with measuring the flue and the top of the chimney. We then choose a cap sized to fit and secure it so wind can't lift it off. A cap with a mesh screen keeps out rain, leaves, birds and other animals, and it stops sparks before they leave the flue. During the visit we also look at the crown and flue top the cap attaches to, because a cap is only as secure as what it sits on. The details are on our chimney cap installation service page.
When a new cap is the right job, and when something else fits better
- No cap at all, or a cap with no screen: chimney cap installation with spark arrestor mesh in the 3/8 to 1/2 inch range.
- A cap that's rusted, bent or loose: Chimney Cap Replacement swaps it for a sound one.
- A solid cap whose screen is missing or the wrong size: Chimney Spark Arrestor Installation may be enough, without replacing the whole cap.
- Birds or animals already inside the flue: Chimney Animal & Nest Removal comes first, then the cap goes on to keep them out.
- A cracked or crumbling crown under the cap: Chimney Crown Repair gives the cap something solid to attach to.
- Selling and wanting the whole chimney checked: a Real Estate Chimney Inspection looks beyond the cap.
If you're still weighing whether a cap is worth adding to a chimney that has never had one, our guide do you need a chimney cap covers what one does and doesn't protect against.
Booking a cap installation
Request an estimate and tell us how many chimneys the house has and whether it's going on the market. That helps us bring the right cap and mesh. You can read more about how chimney cap installation works or browse other chimney, fireplace and dryer vent work we do in Ross.
Free estimates.
Get in touch to schedule a chimney cap installation for your Ross home.
Sources (1)
The sources of the Ross facts on this page.
- 1Ross Valley Fire Department - Residential Property Resale Inspections
