This chimney exterior demonstrates nearly every possible construction technique for encouraging water penetration of a masonry structure. Those techniques include two dummy flues, a mortar wash, stepped in brick in two locations, and deeply raked mortar joints.
FlexoMastic crown sealant had been applied to the mortar wash 12 years ago. It was still in fairly good condition, though wearing thin in places. Pictured is about one third of the chimney top, showing one of the dummy flue tiles. Theoretically, adding nonfunctional flue tiles balances the appearance of the chimney. In reality, they just provide another entry point for water to invade the masonry structure.
Deeply raked mortar joints make shelves on every brick to collect water. Raking the joint loosens the mortar, making it more porous and susceptible to water intrusion. Note the heavy moss and mold growths in the mortar joints.
The Whitecaps Big Dripper Cap attaches to the widest part of the chimney and steps out two inches with a drip edge. This sheds all the water that falls on top of the cap to the roof, without sheeting it down the sides of the chimney.
Supports keep the lid in a convex shape to shed water effectively. The top of the chimney is completely shielded from water and should remain mostly dry even in the driving rainstorms we get in South Carolina.
The Whitecaps Big Dripper Cap serves the functions of a proper concrete crown and full coverage chimney cap. It costs significantly less than pouring a crown and installing a cap.
The chimney was pressure washed to remove vegetation growth and treated with ChimneySaver water repellent. The Whitecaps Big Dripper Cap completes the chimney.
The Whitecaps Big Dripper Cap is the best cap for solving many of the water penetration problems common to masonry chimneys. They are available in nearly any size, so call us today to get one for your chimney.
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The Big Dripper Cap from Whitecaps is a revolutionary new chimney cap that takes the place of a proper concrete crown and a full coverage chimney cap.
Very few chimneys in Upstate South Carolina are built with a proper concrete crown. A proper crown will extend past the edges of the chimney top by at least two inches and incorporate a drip edge so that water drips to the roof, rather than running down the sides of the chimney structure.
The Big Dripper cap is custom built to cover the entire top of the chimney. It attaches at the widest point of the chimney, so it covers any corbeled brick at the top. It extends two inches from the widest point of the chimney and incorporates a drip edge.
Keeping water from the top and sides of the chimney is the first step in protecting the chimney from water damage. The Big Dripper Cap from Whitecaps gives us a lower cost option for protecting the chimney top.
