Chimney Inspection
Cap, crown, brick, flashing and the flue inside, checked and written up.
Chimney caps, rain caps and chase covers
Chimney Cap Installation in Ottawa, ON
Ottawa Precision Chimney Sweep handles chimney cap installation in Ottawa, ON, from a simple screened cap on a brick chimney to a custom metal cover on a chimney built out of framing and siding. A cap keeps rain, snow, birds and squirrels out of the flue, and a good one is the cheapest repair on this list. We measure, order or bend the metal and fit it in one visit.
Last updated
A Cap Is a Roof for Your Chimney
A chimney is a hole in your roof. Anything that can go out can come in, and rain, snow, leaves and animals all do. A cap is a small cover with mesh sides that sits over the flue. On a chimney built out of framing and siding, the flat metal lid across the top is called a chase cover.
Ottawa Precision Chimney Sweep also provides cap replacement and animal screens to Ottawa and nearby towns, including Kanata, Orleans, Barrhaven, Stittsville and Manotick. Installing the cap during a sweep saves a second roof trip, so most customers do both in one visit.
Contact UsTypes of Chimney Caps and Covers We Install
The right cap depends on what is under it: a brick flue, a metal pipe or a framed chase. Tell us which and send a photo if you can.
Stainless Steel Chimney Caps
Our default for brick chimneys. Stainless doesn't rust, and a mesh screen blocks sparks and animals. We size the cap to the flue tile and fasten it so a winter wind can't lift it.
Rain Caps for Metal Flue Pipes
A small hat on top of a factory-built metal chimney, with mesh sides. It keeps the rain out of the pipe and the birds out of the flue. Standard sizes cost less, and we carry the common ones.
Custom Chase Covers
The flat metal lid over a siding-covered chase. We bend it to the exact size of your chimney, with a drip edge so water runs off instead of into the siding. Choose stainless, galvanized steel, aluminum or copper.
Lock-Top Dampers
A damper at the top of the flue with a chain you pull from inside the fireplace. It seals better than the old damper in the firebox and keeps the cold air out between fires.
What Chimney Caps Cost in Ottawa
- Standard stainless cap with screen: $150 to $450
- Rain cap for a metal flue pipe: $120 to $350
- Custom chase cover, stainless or galvanized: $450 to $1,400
- Copper chase cover: $1,200 to $2,800
- Lock-top damper: $300 to $650
Cap and cover prices include the visit. HST is added to the invoice.
What Every Cap Job Includes
- Measuring the flue and the chase
- Metal cut and bent to size where needed
- Drip edge on chase covers
- Spark screen on every cap
- Roof and flashing checked while we are up there
- Old cap hauled away
How Much Does a Chimney Cap Cost in Ottawa?
A standard chimney cap in Ottawa costs $150 to $450 installed in 2026, and a custom chase cover runs $450 to $1,400. Stainless is the usual choice. Copper looks great and costs a lot more. The price rises with the size of the flue and how steep the roof is.
| Cap or cover | Typical price | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless cap with screen | $150 to $450 | A single brick flue |
| Rain cap | $120 to $350 | A metal flue pipe |
| Custom chase cover, stainless | $450 to $1,400 | A siding-covered chimney |
| Custom chase cover, copper | $1,200 to $2,800 | A chimney where looks matter |
If you are paying us to be on the roof anyway for a sweep, ask us to add the cap. We charge the cap and the visit once, which is how a $250 job ends up cheaper than two separate trips.
Do I Need a Chimney Cap?
Yes, unless the chimney is capped by its design. A cap keeps rain out of the flue, which stops rust in the damper and damp in the firebox. It also keeps squirrels, raccoons and birds out, and a screened one stops embers from landing on the roof. Nobody ever called us to say they regretted a cap. Honestly, we'd rather put on a cap than fix the damage a missing one does.
What Happens to a Chimney Without a Cap?
Rain runs down the flue and rusts the damper, stains the firebox and soaks the bricks from the inside. In Ottawa, that water also freezes and thaws all winter, which pushes the brick faces off. Animals move in too, and cleaning out a nest is a bigger job than putting on a cap.
What Is the Difference Between a Chimney Cap, a Rain Cap and a Chase Cover?
A cap covers one flue on a masonry chimney, a rain cap is the same idea for a metal flue pipe, and a chase cover is a flat metal lid that covers the whole top of a framed chimney box. Many newer Ottawa houses have a chase, so the cover is the part that rusts first.
How Do I Know My Chase Cover Is Failing?
Rust stains running down the siding, a lid that wobbles when you push it and puddles standing on top are the usual signs. From the ground you can often see the rust at the corners. Left alone, the water gets behind the siding and into the wall, and that is when the cap job turns into a leak repair. Since 2015 we have replaced covers on houses that were not ten years old.
What Metal Is Best for a Chimney Cap?
Stainless steel is best for most homes: it doesn't rust, it lasts decades and it costs less than copper. Galvanized steel is cheaper but rusts at cut edges within a few years. Aluminum is light and fine for rain caps. Copper turns green and costs the most, so we only recommend it where looks are the point. We put on about 60 caps and covers last year, and about 45 were stainless.
Does the Cap Need a Screen?
Yes, on any chimney that burns wood. The screen catches embers before they land on the roof and keeps animals out. We use mesh with openings small enough to stop a starling and large enough to let the smoke through. A clogged screen needs sweeping with the chimney, so we check it every visit.
A Written Price First
We climb up, look, and send you the price in writing. If a chimney needs nothing but a sweep, that is all you pay for.
Contact UsWETT Reports, Arranged for You
Insurers and buyers sometimes ask for one on a wood stove or insert. We arrange it with a partner inspector.
Contact UsQuestions we hear
Chimney Cap FAQs
How long does a chimney cap last?
A stainless cap lasts 15 to 20 years or more in Ottawa weather, and a galvanized one lasts about 5 to 10 before the cut edges rust. Rain caps on metal flue pipes last about as long as the pipe. The mesh screen is the part to watch, because creosote can clog it.
Can you install a chimney cap in winter?
Yes. A cap doesn't need mortar, so cold weather isn't a problem. Ice and snow on the roof are, and we reschedule when the roof isn't safe. Many Ottawa homeowners wait for a leak in January and find that April is a better time to do it.
Do I need a chase cover or just a cap?
If the top of your chimney is a flat metal lid over a siding-covered box, you have a chase, and it needs a chase cover. A brick chimney gets a cap on the flue and a crown under it. Send us a photo and we will tell you which you have.
Will a cap stop my chimney from leaking?
If water is coming down the flue, yes. If water is coming in around the base, the flashing is the culprit and the cap won't help. A cap is the first thing we check, because it is the cheapest to fix and the most common cause of a wet firebox.
Our Other Chimney Services
Chimney Liner Installation
A new pipe inside the old flue for stoves, inserts and furnaces.
Chimney Crown Repair
The concrete lid on top of the brick, sealed or rebuilt.
Chimney Repointing
Crumbling mortar chiselled out and replaced before the brick fails.
Chimney Rebuild
Partial and full rebuilds, and chimney removal when it's time.
Chimney Leak Repair
Flashing, crown and cap fixed where the water is really getting in.
Free estimate
Tell Us About Your Chimney
Leave your name, number and a line about the chimney. We call back to set up a look, and the written price follows.
- Written price before any work
- Free estimates around Ottawa
- Drop sheets and a tidy finish every visit