Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation: The Kennesaw Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Olympia Chimney-compatible chimney caps for most residential flue sizes in Kennesaw, with typical installed pricing between $340 and $620 depending on cap style and flue configuration. Most replacements are completed in under two hours, and we carry common Olympia Chimney cap sizes on our trucks for same-day installation when the flue liner diameter and exterior dimensions check out. Homeowners usually discover the problem after a storm, when water starts dripping onto the firebox floor, or when they notice rust streaks running down the brickwork from a cap that’s been vibrating loose for two or three seasons.

Call (678) 535-2204

Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To

Olympia Chimney manufactures several cap lines, and matching the right one matters more than with some competitors because their collar and mounting systems vary by flue type. The most common we see in Kennesaw are the standard galvanized single-flue caps, stainless multi-flue models, and the wind-directional rotating caps that Olympia labels as their “Draft King” series. To identify yours, check the stamped label on the cap skirt or measure the flue tile’s outside dimension, not the chimney crown. A 13×13 flue tile takes a different cap base than a 13×13 finished masonry opening.

We source Olympia Chimney caps through Haven’s buying network, but we also install quality aftermarket equivalents from Gelco and Famco when the OEM lead time stretches past what Kennesaw’s March storm season allows. The aftermarket decision usually comes down to mesh gauge and warranty length. Olympia’s stainless caps carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects; the Gelco equivalents we stock run 20 years but match the 5/8-inch mesh spacing that Georgia code requires for spark arresting. For most Kennesaw homes built between 1995 and 2015 with standard clay flue liners, either route works. The exception is Olympia’s proprietary locking-band system on some pre-2010 insulated flue models, where only the OEM collar seats correctly without gaps.

Signs Your Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Is Failing

• Water staining on the firebox walls or hearth extension. An Olympia Chimney cap with a cracked or missing lid, or a base seal that has pulled away from the flue tile, lets rain run straight down the flue. In Kennesaw’s spring storm pattern, a single gap the width of a pencil can funnel 20 gallons against the back wall of a fireplace over a wet weekend.
• Rust-colored streaks on the exterior brick or siding below the chimney crown. Galvanized caps, including Olympia’s standard line, begin surface rusting after 8 to 12 years in Georgia’s humidity. The streaks are cosmetic early on, but once the mesh or lid corrodes through, the cap becomes a debris funnel instead of a barrier.
• Bird or squirrel noise from the flue, or nesting material visible from below. Olympia Chimney caps use 5/8-inch mesh as standard, which blocks adult squirrels and starlings. If the mesh has been bent by falling branches, which we see regularly near Kennesaw Mountain where oak limbs overhang roofs, animals treat the gap as an invitation.
• The cap is visibly tilted, or you can rock it by hand from the roof edge. Wind uplift on poorly seated Olympia caps is a real issue on homes above the ridgeline in north Kennesaw, where steady 25-mph gusts are common February through April. A tilted cap means the mounting screws or tension band has failed, and the next storm will likely deposit it in the yard.
• Downdraft smoke or odor even with the damper open and a clean flue. Olympia’s wind-directional caps rely on free-spinning bearings that seize after years of pollen and creosote buildup. Once frozen, the cap blocks proper draft instead of enhancing it, and you’ll smell every humid afternoon in the living room.

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Replacement Cost & What’s Included

The range depends on three things we check during the initial camera scan: whether the flue tile top is intact enough to seat a new cap, whether the crown surface needs leveling before mounting, and whether we need to adapt from an obsolete Olympia mounting pattern to current hardware. We write the exact price, scope, and warranty before scheduling any work, and every cap installation includes a post-work photo record showing the seated cap and sealed joints. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to all chimney cap work, and materials carry their manufacturer’s warranty against defects.

DIY or Call Us?

An owner can safely check three things from the ground with binoculars: whether the cap is present, whether it’s sitting level, and whether mesh panels are missing or bent open. What you cannot safely assess is the flue tile condition beneath the cap, which determines whether a new cap will seat properly or need an adapter.

We do not recommend homeowner roof access for chimney cap replacement. The combination of Kennesaw’s composite shingle pitches, morning dew or pollen film, and the need to work within arm’s reach of an open flue edge makes this a fall and laceration risk that outweighs the parts cost. Our technicians carry roof ladders, anchor systems, and the specific masonry bits needed for Olympia’s harder stainless mounting hardware. We write it down before we ask you to decide anything, including whether the crown beneath the cap needs attention before the new cap goes on.

If you’re seeing symptoms, call (678) 535-2204. We’ll confirm the cap model from your photos or schedule a camera inspection to measure and quote.

FAQs