Chimney Cap Installation
Camden SC

On a visible brick chimney, the shape, height and color of the cap all show from the street. A cap can do its job and still sit quietly.

For an older masonry chimney, owners often prefer a cap with a low hip or flat lid, a dark or copper finish, and no more height than the open-area rule requires. A tall bright cap is easy to spot against old brick. Neither choice changes how well the cap keeps out rain and animals, as long as it is sized right.

The 2021 International Residential Code model text in 2021 IRC Chapter 10, Chimneys and Fireplaces sets the working limits. A spark arrestor screen should have an open area at least four times the flue outlet, mesh openings between three-eighths and one-half inch, and a screen or cap that comes off for cleaning. A low-profile cap still has to meet that open area, so on a large flue it cannot be as short as you might like.

Camden has a Historic Landmarks Commission that reviews changes to locally designated historic properties. Check your property's status before choosing a visible cap.

The City's City of Camden Historic Landmarks Commission page says the Commission reviews requests for modifications to locally designated historic properties so projects are consistent with the Camden Design Guidelines, and it links a Certificate of Appropriateness form. Whether a chimney cap counts as a modification is a question for the City, so if your home is locally designated, ask before authorizing work and bring the cap's product sheet to that conversation.

The State's SCDAH, City of Camden Historic District entry for the City of Camden Historic District describes Camden's role in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and notes that wide streets were laid off in 1774. A National Register listing is a different thing from local designation, and not every Camden address is designated, so check the address rather than the neighborhood. For permit questions on any Camden home, check with the office for your address before authorizing work.

Only if the open flue is the source. The code text also calls the masonry crown a cap: the sloped top with a drip edge that sheds water off the chimney. An older crown with wide cracks lets water into the brick no matter what metal cap sits on the tile. We check the crown and the flashing during the visit and show you before any decision.