Chimney Cap Installation in St. Louis, MO
A chimney cap is a metal cover with mesh sides that sits on top of the flue. It keeps out rain, animals and debris, and stops burning embers from landing on your roof. It is the cheapest part of a chimney and it prevents the most expensive problems.
An open flue is a hole pointed straight up at the sky. Everything that falls out of a St. Louis sky — rain, sleet, leaves — goes directly down it, along with every raccoon, squirrel and chimney swift looking for somewhere dry to nest.
How this gets priced
Starts with the $69 inspection
Depends on flue size and count, whether you need a single-flue cap or a full-crown cover, and the material — stainless steel or copper. The $69 inspection gets it measured and priced, and the $69 comes off the work.
How do I know I need cap install?
If any of these describe your situation, it is worth having someone look. Most are cheap to fix early and expensive to fix late.
- You can see straight down an open flue from the roof
- There is no cap, or the cap is rusted, bent or missing its mesh
- Rain is getting into the firebox
- You hear animals or birds in the chimney
- Nesting material, leaves or acorns are falling into the firebox
- The damper is rusting
- Downdrafts push smoke back into the room on windy days
Why it matters
A cap prevents water damage that routinely runs into the thousands, and it prevents the animal-in-the-chimney call that every St. Louis homeowner eventually makes. It is the best return on money anywhere on a chimney.
Call (314) 887-7250What’s included
Exactly what happens when we come out, step by step.
- 1
Measure the flue properly
Caps are not one size. We measure the actual flue opening and crown dimensions so the cap seats correctly rather than sitting loose and blowing off in the first storm.
- 2
Recommend the right type
Single-flue for a standard chimney, multi-flue or a full-crown cover where there is more than one flue or where the crown itself needs protecting, and a draft-correcting cap where downdraft is the problem.
- 3
Stainless steel, not galvanized
Galvanized caps are cheap and they rust out in a few Missouri winters, then stain the brick on the way down. Stainless lasts and generally carries a lifetime warranty.
- 4
Secure installation
Mechanically fastened so it does not lift in storm-season winds. We also check the crown while we are up there, since a cap on a cracked crown only solves half the problem.
Chimney Cap Installation: our work
Real jobs we have done in the St. Louis metro.
Chimney Cap Installation: common questions
How much does a chimney cap cost installed in St. Louis?
It depends on how many flues you have, the size of the opening, and whether you want a standard single-flue cap or a full-crown cover that protects the whole top of the chimney. We measure and quote it — and relative to everything else on a chimney, it is the least expensive work we do.
Do I really need a chimney cap?
Yes. Without one, rain goes straight down the flue and rusts the damper, saturates the smoke shelf and masonry, and accelerates deterioration of the liner. It is also the only thing keeping animals out. There is no good argument for an uncapped chimney.
How long does a chimney cap last?
Stainless steel caps typically last 15 to 20 years or more and often carry a lifetime warranty. Galvanized steel caps rust out in about 3 to 5 years in Missouri weather, which is why we do not install them.
Will a chimney cap stop my fireplace from smoking?
Sometimes. If smoke is being pushed back down the flue by wind, a draft-correcting cap often fixes it entirely. If the smoking is caused by an undersized flue, a blockage, or negative pressure inside a tightly sealed house, a cap will not help — that needs a proper diagnosis first.
Can you get an animal out of my chimney?
Yes, and then we cap it so it does not happen again. One note: chimney swifts are federally protected migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If swifts have nested, we legally have to wait until the young have fledged before removing anything, then cap it before the next season.
Chimney Cap Installation across the St. Louis metro
We cover the full metro from University City. Chimney problems differ by neighborhood because the housing stock differs — here is what we see where.
Cap Install in St. Louis
Predominantly 1890–1930 brick
Cap Install in University City
Largely 1920s–1940s brick, Tudor and Colonial
Cap Install in Clayton
1920s–1940s masonry, plus newer infill
Cap Install in Kirkwood
Victorian through 1950s, wide mix
Cap Install in Webster Groves
Victorian, Craftsman and 1920s bungalows
Cap Install in Chesterfield
Mostly 1980s–2000s construction
Also serving Ladue, Ballwin, Creve Coeur, Maplewood, Brentwood, Florissant, St. Charles, Des Peres.
Related services
Chimney Repair
Chimney repair covers everything from a cracked crown or leaking flashing to a damaged flue liner. We start with a $69 inspection so you get photographs and one fixed price for exactly what your chimney needs — and the $69 comes off that price.
Chimney Sweep
A professional chimney sweep removes creosote, soot and blockages from your flue so the chimney drafts properly and will not catch fire. We quote your chimney before we start, and you approve the price first.
Chimney Inspection
A full chimney inspection with Total Chimney Services costs $69 anywhere in the St. Louis metro, and the entire $69 is credited back to you if you book a repair with us.
Need chimney cap installation in St. Louis?
Start with a $69 inspection and a photo report. Credited back in full when you book the work. Call (314) 887-7250.
Open 24/7 · Emergency service, day or night.