Famco Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

Famco Chimney Cap Installation: The Norwood Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco chimney caps throughout Norwood, with most installations running between $240 and $410 depending on cap size, flue type, and roof access. We keep the common Famco sizes on the truck, so a single visit usually gets the job done the same week you call. Most Norwood homeowners discover their Famco cap has failed when they spot rust streaks on the chimney crown, hear rain drumming down the flue during a storm, or find a squirrel that has decided the flue is now his front door. If your Famco cap is there but the mesh is shredded or the lid is warped, the cap has stopped doing its job even though it is still sitting on the flue.

Call (508) 687-5884

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco makes caps for almost every flue you will find on a Norwood chimney, and the model number tells you what you are dealing with. The round multi-flue caps, square and rectangular single-flue caps, and the stainless steel vacuum-formed tops that fit over clay tile liners are the ones we see most often. Famco caps are built with a stainless steel mesh band and a galvanized or stainless lid, and the mesh size matters: if you are running a wood stove, you want the larger mesh openings so creosote does not clog the screen between burns. A cap sized for a masonry fireplace flue will not seat right on a round metal liner pipe, and forcing it is how lids get bent and mounting screws get stripped. If you cannot find the model stamp, measure the outside dimensions of your flue tile or liner, not the inside, because the cap skirt has to slip over that outside edge and lock down with the pressure screws.

Top Hat Chimney is an independent local shop, not a Famco dealer, but we install Famco caps because they hold up in New England weather better than most big-box brands. We also stock parts from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco when a different brand is the better fit for your setup.

Signs Your Famco Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing

• Rust streaks on the crown or cap lid. The galvanized lids on older Famco caps eventually lose their zinc layer, especially with Norwood’s freeze-thaw cycles and salt-laced winter air. Once the lid starts rusting through, water gets in and the cap is done.
• Rainwater in the firebox after a storm. A cracked cap lid or a mounting screw that has worked loose will let water run straight down the flue. You will hear it or see damp ashes.
• Animal noise in the chimney. A torn or missing mesh band is an open invitation for squirrels and birds, and around Norwood we see plenty of both. Once an animal nests in the flue, you have a blockage and a fire hazard.
• Chunks of cap or mesh missing after a windstorm. The cap is secured with pressure screws, and over time they back off. High wind finishes the job, and now the cap is loose on the flue or gone.
• Creosote buildup on the mesh between sweeps. If the mesh is clogged, the flue is starving for air, and the fire burns smoky and weak. Wood stove users notice this one first.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For a standard Famco single-flue cap on a Norwood chimney, installed, you are looking at $240 to $340 including the cap and the labor. Larger caps for oversized flues or multi-flue setups run $340 to $410. The price we quote on the phone is the price on the invoice: no surprise line items after we are on the roof. The job includes removing the old cap, checking the flue tile or liner for damage around the mounting point, installing the new Famco cap with fresh hardware and high-temperature sealant where needed, and leaving you with a photo of the finished install. Every install carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise: if the cap loosens, leaks, or is not seated properly, one call brings Wendell and his crew back at no charge. And the standing offer applies: $40 off any repair over $200.

DIY or Call Us?

A Famco cap install means working on the roof, above the chimney, with tools, and usually in a spot where the footing is less than generous. That is not a job we recommend doing off a ladder. If you want to save money, the thing you can safely do is measure your flue, take a photo of the existing cap, and call us with those numbers so we arrive with the right part on the first trip. What goes wrong with DIY is the same thing every time: the cap is not seated square on the flue, the pressure screws are tightened unevenly, and the cap is loose within a season. By the time the homeowner notices, water has been working on the crown. The camera footage and a plain-English verdict come with every visit, and if the cap is actually fine, I will tell you that too. Call (508) 687-5884 and we will get you on the schedule.

FAQs