Chimney Caps, Shrouds and Chase Covers
Custom Chimney Caps and Chase Covers for Dallas Homes
Permanent Metal Roofing Systems fabricates custom chimney caps, shrouds and chase covers in painted steel, stainless steel and copper, sized to your chimney instead of the closest stock size. We measure, build and install them across Dallas-Fort Worth.
- 20+ years of experience
- Lifetime limited warranty
- Free written estimates
What Does a Custom Chimney Cap Do?
A chimney cap is a metal cover over the top of a chimney. It keeps out rain, animals and debris while letting smoke and exhaust escape. A custom cap is built to your crown and flue dimensions, so it fits tightly and looks deliberate.
- Rain. Water falling straight down a flue rusts dampers, stains fireboxes and breaks down mortar joints.
- Animals. Birds, squirrels and raccoons treat an open flue as a nest box. Mesh sides keep them out.
- Embers. A spark arrestor screen catches burning debris before it lands on the roof or dry grass.
- Wind. A lid over the flue can reduce downdrafts that push smoke back into the room.
Caps, Shrouds and Chase Covers: What Is the Difference?
A cap covers one or more flues. A shroud is a decorative housing around the top of a flue. A chase cover is the sheet metal top of a framed chimney box. Many DFW homes need two of the three.
Single-flue and multi-flue caps sit over masonry flue tiles. A single cap clamps to one tile. A multi-flue cap covers the whole crown and fastens to it, which suits chimneys with two or three flues side by side.
Shrouds dress up the top of a chimney, often over a factory-built metal flue. If your fireplace is factory-built, the shroud must be one the fireplace maker allows, because the termination affects how the appliance drafts. We check the listing before we build.
Chase covers are common in North Texas, where many homes have a wood-framed chimney chase wrapped in siding. Flat galvanized covers often rust and hold water, and that water ends up inside the chase. Our replacement covers are bent with cross-breaks or a raised center so water runs off, with a drip edge all around.
Which Chimney Cap Styles Can PMRS Build?
We build caps in the standard PMRS styles, numbered 1A through 6B, and we draw custom designs when a home calls for one. The styles vary the side profile, body proportions and trim, from plain and functional to architectural.
Style 1A
Straight vertical sides and a crisp top edge. A clean choice for most brick chimneys and modern homes.
Style 3A
Side panels that angle outward toward the base, giving a tapered, more traditional silhouette.
Style 6A
A wider, shallower body with a formed lip. Useful where the cap should read as low and broad.
Ask to see the full set of style renderings at your estimate. Every style can be built in painted steel, stainless steel or copper.
How Do We Size a Chimney Cap?
We size a cap from measurements taken on the roof, then build it so the open area and screen meet the building code and the appliance maker’s rules.
- The outside length and width of the crown or chase top.
- The size and height of every flue tile above the crown.
- How far the tallest flue rises, which sets the cap’s minimum height.
- The fuel each flue serves: wood, gas or a sealed appliance.
Wood-burning flues need a spark arrestor screen and enough clearance under the lid. Gas appliance vents may need a listed termination instead of a site-built cap. We measure at the estimate visit, and contractors can send dimensions for a quote.
Which Metal Is Right for a Chimney Cap?
Stainless steel is the safest choice over an active wood-burning flue. Copper is the showpiece. Painted Galvalume steel matches a metal roof at the lowest cost.
| Metal | Look | Strengths | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painted Galvalume steel | Any color from our chart, matched to the roof | Lowest cost; matches PMRS roof trim | Chase covers and decorative caps on painted metal roofs |
| Stainless steel | Bright metal that dulls slightly with age | Resists corrosion from flue gases and condensation | Active wood-burning and gas flues |
| Copper, 16 or 20 oz | Bright penny color that weathers to brown, then green | Long life; can be soldered watertight | Historic, high-end and copper-roofed homes |
Do not mix copper with steel or aluminum on the same roof. Runoff from copper corrodes those metals, so a copper cap belongs with copper flashing or careful separation. Painted finishes come from our metal roof color chart.
Why Do DFW Chimneys Need Sturdier Caps?
North Texas weather is hard on thin stock caps. Hail, high wind and summer sun each find the weak point.
- Hail. Dallas averages roughly 10 to 20 hail events a year. Thin caps dent and their screens tear.
- Wind. Spring storms push rain sideways and can lift loosely clamped caps off the flue.
- Heat and UV. Cheap painted covers fade and chalk, while PVDF finishes hold color far longer.
- Wildlife. Raccoons, squirrels and birds are common across the metro, and an uncapped flue is an invitation.
We typically build caps from heavier metal than off-the-shelf versions, fasten them securely to the crown or chase, and finish them to match the roof.
Should You Replace the Chimney Cap With a New Roof?
Yes, when the cap is rusted, loose or the wrong size. A new roof is the easiest time to fix the whole chimney: flashing, cricket, counter-flashing and cap.
On a PMRS roof, we re-flash the chimney with sidewall flashing, counter-flashing set into a reglet, and a cricket on the uphill side when the chimney is wide. Details are on our custom metal flashing page. The cap is quoted after measuring, either with your roof or as its own project.
Want a sense of total roof cost first? Start with the metal roof cost guide, or see how our standing seam roofs are built.
Custom Chimney Cap or Off-the-Shelf Cap?
A stock cap is fine for a single flue tile of standard size. Choose custom when the crown is irregular, there are several flues, the chimney is a framed chase, or the cap must match a metal roof.
Custom caps cost more up front, but they fit tightly, carry the roof’s finish and are built to ride out storms. For the rest of the roof’s sheet metal, see hip and ridge caps and metal roofing accessories, including the sealants we use around chimneys.
Chimney Cap FAQ
How do I measure my chimney for a cap?
Measure the outside length and width of the crown, the size of each flue tile, and how far the tallest tile sticks up. Note what each flue serves. We confirm every dimension on site before we build.
Do I need a spark arrestor on my chimney cap?
If you burn wood, yes. A spark arrestor screen keeps embers from landing on the roof or dry grass. Building codes and fireplace makers set the screen opening size, and we build to those rules.
Will a chimney cap stop my chimney from leaking?
Only if the water is coming down the flue. Leaks where the chimney meets the roof come from failed flashing or a missing cricket. We check both and fix the actual source.
Can you build one cap for a chimney with several flues?
Yes. A multi-flue cap covers the whole crown and fastens to it. We size the lid height to clear the tallest flue and keep the openings large enough for every appliance.
Is copper worth it for a chimney cap?
Copper lasts a very long time and weathers to a natural patina, so it suits high-end and historic homes. It costs more than steel. Avoid it on a roof with painted steel or aluminum trim unless the metals are kept apart.
What if birds are nesting in my chimney?
We do not cap over an active nest. We schedule the cap after the nest is empty and suggest having a chimney sweep clean and inspect the flue before it goes on.
Get Your Free Metal Roof Estimate
Tell us about your roof and a Permanent Metal Roofing Systems specialist will follow up to schedule your free estimate. No pressure, no obligation.
Prefer to talk now? Call (469) 466-2421.
Cap It Once, Cap It Right
Get a free estimate for a custom chimney cap, chase cover or a complete PMRS roof with the chimney flashed and capped.