Chimney Cap Installation
Spartanburg SC

The word cap gets used for two different parts. Building code language describes the masonry top of a chimney as its cap: the 2021 International Residential Code says masonry chimneys shall have a concrete, metal or stone cap with a drip edge and a caulked bond break around any flue liners (2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 10 (R1003.9.1 caps, R1003.9.2 spark arrestors)). Most homeowners call that slab the crown.

The metal hood with a screen that sits above the flue is the part most people mean by chimney cap. It keeps out rain, animals and, as a spark arrestor, embers. On a brick chimney both pieces work together, and a new metal cap fastened to a crumbling crown will not last.

So when a Spartanburg homeowner asks for a cap, our first question is which one. If the crown is cracked, we will tell you before the metal cap goes on. Our South Carolina chimney services hub covers crown and masonry repair separately.

Inside city limits, the City of Spartanburg's Building Inspections office sits under Development Services at 440 S. Church Street, and its Building Permits page lists the building official and permit specialists by name and phone (City of Spartanburg Building Permits (Building Inspections)). Properties outside the city fall under Spartanburg County instead.

Before work starts, a short call to Building Inspections or the county answers any approval question for your specific property. Crown rebuilds and chase reconstruction are larger jobs, and those are the projects to raise first. Keep the parcel number handy when you call either office.

If you know your home is designated, tell us and check with the city before choosing a visible cap style.

The code sets a floor for durability. Spark arrestor screens must resist heat and corrosion at least as well as 19-gauge galvanized steel or 24-gauge stainless steel. Above that floor, the metal is a choice between cost, lifespan and looks.

Galvanized steel is the budget option and the first to rust once its coating wears. Stainless steel is the common middle choice for fireplace flues. Copper costs more, darkens as it weathers, and is picked mostly for appearance on brick. Black powder-coated stainless suits owners who want the cap to disappear against a dark roof.

Whatever the metal, the fasteners should match it. Mixing copper with steel screws invites corrosion where they touch. We will explain the metal and fastening on the specific cap we propose.