There are plenty of good questions to consider when looking for the right chimney cap. Should you get one made of galvanized steel or stainless steel? What size chimney cap do you need? How much does (and should) a chimney cap cost, anyway?
These are all important things to consider as you shop around. But as you uncover the answers, eventually, it comes time to narrow your focus. The last part of the buying process usually entails comparing and contrasting different caps to find the right one for you.
At HY-C, we manufacture thousands of chimney caps every month. And in this guide, we want to cover the ins and outs of one of our most unique caps: the Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Aluminum Chimney Cap.
We’ll take a look at what sizes the cap comes in, how much each size costs, how to install them, and the environments and situations to which this cap is best suited.
By the time you’re finished here, you’ll understand whether or not a Band-Around-Brick Chimney cap is the right choice for your chimney.
Table of contents (click a link to jump to a section):
Discover the Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap
Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap Sizes
Most chimney caps are installed by bolting them directly onto your chimney’s flue — the clay pipe that sticks out from the concrete crown. As a result, the cap size you need usually depends on the size of your flue tile.
Band-around-brick caps, on the other hand, are a bit different. As their name implies, they come with an aluminum band that wraps around the top row of chimney brick. This band uses four bolts at each corner (for a total of 16 bolts) to tighten the cap into place.
Because of this unique installation style, the band-around-brick cap size you need depends on the dimensions of your top row of chimney brick.
We make our Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick caps in four different sizes, and each size has about two inches of built-in adjustability:
|
SKU |
Minimum Brick Dimensions |
Maximum Brick Dimensions |
|
188B |
15½” x 15½” |
17½” x 17½” |
|
180B |
16½” x 16½” |
18½” x 18½” |
|
182B |
16½” x 20½” |
18½” x 22½” |
|
184B |
20½” x 20½” |
22½” x 22½” |
For a band-around cap to work on your chimney, the chimney’s top row of brick will need to measure at least 15½” x 15½” and at most 22½” x 22½”. If your chimney’s brick falls outside of this size range, you won’t be able to use a band-around-brick chimney cap.
Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap Cost
Chimney cap prices depend solely on two factors:
- Material
- Size
More expensive materials mean higher prices. Chimney caps made from galvanized steel, for example, tend to have a very economical price point (because galvanized steel is relatively inexpensive).
Caps made from stainless steel, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive (because stainless steel is a more expensive type of metal).
The larger the cap, the more expensive it will be (simply because it requires more material). A 9” x 9” stainless steel cap, for example, will obviously cost a bit less than a 20” x 20” stainless steel cap.
With these two points in mind, our Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick cap prices are pretty straightforward:
|
SKU |
MSRP |
|
188B |
$179.89 |
|
180B |
$206.89 |
|
182B |
$233.79 |
|
184B |
$260.69 |
Note that these are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP). Actual prices for these caps may vary a bit from retailer to retailer.
Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap Installation
We touched on this a bit already, but each Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap fits a range of sizes. The smallest size, for instance, fits chimneys measuring 15½” x 15½” to 17½” x 17½”.
How can one cap fit multiple chimney sizes?
The key lies in the corner brackets that attach the aluminum bands together. These brackets attach using bolts that can be loosened or tightened depending on the dimensions of your chimney brick.
The band/brackets/bolts system is also the key to installing a band-around chimney cap. Once you have the right cap size to fit your chimney brick, simply set the cap on top of your chimney. The ninety-degree brackets should naturally line up with the corner of your chimney brick.
From there, simply tighten the bolts into place. You’ll need two wrenches to get the job done: one to hold the nut in place, and the other to tighten the bolt down. After all four corners are nice and tight, your installation will be complete.
Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap Durability
So — why should (or shouldn’t) you get a Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Cap?
Well, if protecting your chimney crown and masonry is what you’re interested in, this cap is one of your best options. The main feature of the cap — the aluminum band — shields the top layer of chimney brick from weather damage. Other caps attach directly to the flue tile, leaving the chimney brick completely exposed.
The hood of the cap and the aluminum band work in tandem to keep excess moisture out of your cement crown and your masonry. Moisture (especially when it freezes) causes chimneys to crack and crumble. A band-around cap can delay and even prevent this process, prolonging the life of your chimney.
There is one drawback to consider with band-around caps, though: wildlife.
Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick caps are made of aluminum. In the world of wildlife exclusion, aluminum is known for being more of a deterrent than a preventative barrier.
Imagine how easy it is for you to crush an aluminum can with your bare hands. That should give you a sense of how pliable an aluminum cap is.
Granted, these chimney caps are made from a thicker-gauge aluminum than a can of Coke or Pepsi. But a raccoon or a squirrel can bite through an aluminum chimney cap all the same.
If you don’t have any branches hanging over your roof or you don’t believe critters can crawl up to your chimney, this may not be a problem for you at all.
If you are concerned about wildlife but you’re still interested in a band-around-style chimney cap, it may be wise to get one made from stainless steel.
Should You Get a Draft King Duro-Shield Band-Around-Brick Chimney Cap?
From sizes and prices to installation and durability, that’s about everything there is to know about the Draft King Duro-Shield line of band-around-brick chimney caps.
You may be wondering, though — should you get one of these caps for your chimney? The answer depends on a number of factors.
For one, if your chimney doesn’t have the right dimensions to install a band-around-brick cap, they’re definitely not the right choice for you.
For another, if the price range of $180 to $260 proves too much, you may want to look at a more cost-effective chimney cap (like a galvanized steel style).
From there, though, consider two things:
- Is protecting the structure of your chimney a high priority for you?
- Are you confident that critters can’t reach your chimney?
If you answer “no” to either question (particularly the second one), these caps may not be for you.
But if you have the right size, you’re willing to spend the money, and you don’t think the local wildlife will be a problem, it’s tough to find better protection than a band-around-brick chimney cap.
The next thing to consider is how you’ll go about keeping your chimney clean and soot-free. Be sure to check out a review of our SootEater, a rotary chimney cleaning kit. It helps you do the job of a chimney sweep on your own, keeping your chimney clean, safe, and soot-free.
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