Professional Chimney Installations You Can Trust in San Diego
In addition to inspecting, sweeping, and repairing chimneys, Weststar Chimney Sweeps can install all chimney system components.
We aim to be the one place you turn to for all your chimney needs, from annual maintenance to fireplace repairs and installation. Whenever you need installation assistance for your chimney cap, damper, heat reflector, or something else, count on us.
What Chimney Parts & Products Do We Regularly Install in San Diego & More?
- Chimney Caps: Chimney caps protect your chimney flue system right from the very top. They keep out rain and water, they block animals from entering, and they ensure no flying leaves or debris get in. Having a quality-built cap installed correctly is a must for any chimney and fireplace owner.
- Cap Dampers & Damper Locks: A cap damper (or top-sealing damper) and damper lock work together to keep your system functioning as efficiently and as safely as possible. These devices effectively seal your chimney when it’s not in use, then pop open (and with the help of the lock, stay open) to ensure the safe exit of smoke and fumes when you have a fire lit.
- Heat Reflectors: Heat reflectors prevent the back wall of your firebox from absorbing the full brunt of the heat produced by fires, and they work to radiate more of that heat back into the room – right where you want it. Having quality heat reflectors will help your fireplace last longer and heat your home better.
What’s the Difference Between a Cap Damper & a Chimney Cap?
A cap damper and a chimney cap are both made of metal, installed at the top of a chimney, and work to keep things properly blocked off – but they do serve different purposes!
Top-Sealing Damper
A cap damper (top-sealing damper) is designed primarily to help control and regulate airflow (when the chimney is in use) and prevent temperature fluctuations in the home (when the chimney is not in use). It can be opened or closed, depending on your needs – when you need smoke and fireplace fumes to exit, open it wide…when you need your home tightly sealed to ensure your heating or A/C unit can work efficiently, close it up.
Now, top-sealing dampers are known for forming a tight seal when the close, which is why they’re often a recommended replacement when a homeowner’s traditional throat damper breaks down. And since they seal at the top, they can work with your cap to prevent drafts, rain, and pests from entering the chimney (although that’s not their primary purpose).
Chimney Cap
A chimney cap is a protective covering placed over the chimney opening, designed to prevent rain, animals, and debris from entering the flue. It includes a mesh screen that allows smoke to exit while keeping everything else out. This helps prevent moisture damage, blockages, and animal infestations – but won’t regulate airflow or completely seal things off like a damper would.
Chimney caps are vital for not only protecting your chimney, but the rest of your home too. Trust us – once water enters your flue, it can spread to other parts of your living space (like attic spaces, adjacent wood work, flooring, etc.) quite quickly.
So, yes – they seem similar and are fitted in the same area, but both are needed to keep your system in tip-top shape.
Call Us Out for Your Chimney Component Installation Needs
Weststar Chimney Sweeps can handle a large host of fireplace and chimney installation needs throughout San Diego and beyond. To schedule your appointment, give us a call at 619-338-8116, or click here!
We believe that knowing more about us is the best way to gain confidence in the work we do here at Weststar Chimney Sweeps.