Refused to recommend a chimney cap for an old lady, even though it's standard. Still wrestling with it.

4 comments

4 Comments

Reading "standard but refused" got me. I always figured caps were a must-do. Then I saw one trap moisture and rot out an old flue. Changed my whole view. Sometimes the standard fix does more harm. Now I wrestle with that call too.

nora6911mo ago

Yeah, I used to think caps were always needed too. But knight.dylan mentioning moisture trapping really hit home. I mean, I saw an old terra cotta flue get ruined because a cap kept it too wet inside. Now I get why sometimes skipping it is smarter. It's not just about following rules, it's about what actually helps the house. So idk, maybe it's just me but that call is way harder than it looks.

blair_taylor3220d ago

Actually terra cotta flues are the one case where a cap is almost always a good idea lol. The problem is when people use the wrong type of cap that blocks all airflow. A good open mesh one lets rain out but keeps critters out.

hollyl251mo ago

Remember when everyone was putting those foam insulation sheets in old crawl spaces? My uncle did that to his century home, and it trapped so much humidity the floor joists started to mold. He had to tear it all out and just use a vapor barrier with gravel. Makes you wonder how many standard fixes cause more trouble than they solve, right?