Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

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

Olympia Chimney chimney cap installation in Pasadena typically runs $280-$520 for standard single-flue models, including removal of the failed cap, flue sizing verification, and proper mounting with stainless hardware rated for our Santa Ana wind cycles. We stock Olympia Chimney-compatible caps in 8″, 10″, and 13″ round flue sizes on every truck, and most replacements are completed in under 90 minutes once we’re on site. Most Pasadena homeowners discover their cap has failed during a routine sweep or after finding rust flakes in the firebox, water stains on the smoke chamber wall, or - in the worst cases - a bird’s nest that shouldn’t have been possible.

Call (213) 459-6058

Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To

Olympia Chimney caps fit their own factory flue liners and most standard clay flue tiles, but the critical match is flue diameter, not model year. Their caps are stamped with a series mark: OC-8, OC-10, or OC-13 for round flues, with OC-1317 covering the 13″x17″ common in Pasadena’s 1920s craftsman rebuilds near Bungalow Heaven. Check the metal tag on your existing cap’s skirt; if it’s missing, measure the flue tile’s outside dimension with a tape measure, not the chimney crown’s width.

We source Olympia Chimney caps direct through Haven’s buying network, but we also carry Gelco and Famco equivalents when the original spec has been discontinued. The aftermarket caps we use match 304 stainless gauge and mesh spec; the difference is usually in the lid pitch, not longevity. For homes within two miles of the Arroyo Seco, where overnight moisture sits heavy, we spec a slightly taller lid profile regardless of brand to shed water faster.

Signs Your Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing

• Rust staining down the chimney face. Olympia Chimney caps use 304 stainless mesh and lid, but the skirt and base ring are often galvanized on older stock. When the galvanized layer fails, rust runs down the masonry in vertical streaks. In Pasadena’s dry summers this can go unnoticed until the first hard rain.
• Water in the firebox or damp odors during Santa Ana shifts. A properly seated cap blocks wind-driven rain from the south and west. If you’re finding moisture after a dry-season wind event, the cap’s seal has loosened or the lid has deformed from heat cycling.
• Mesh clogged with creosote flakes or debris. Olympia Chimney’s 5/8″ mesh is NFPA-compliant for spark arresting, but it narrows faster than 3/4″ mesh in homes that burn pine or construction scrap. Restricted mesh forces smoke backward during startup.
• Visible gap between cap skirt and flue tile. Thermal expansion loosens the tension fit over seasons. A gap of even 3/8″ lets squirrels and roof rats enter; we’ve pulled nests from flues in the San Rafael Hills where the cap looked fine from the driveway.
• Lid separation or warping. The Olympia Chimney lid is spot-welded at four points. After a chimney fire or sustained over-firing, those welds crack. The lid lifts in wind, hammers back down, and eventually tears free entirely.

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Replacement Cost & What’s Included

Total installed price for most Pasadena homes: $280-$520. The range depends on flue access (steep roof pitch adds time), whether the old cap has seized bolts that need cutting, and if we find crown damage once the cap is off. We deliver a written price before work starts, with scope and warranty in the same document - Haven Standard Clause 1. The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers labor and materials; if the cap leaks or loosens, we remake the seal at no charge.

DIY or Call Us?

An owner can safely check three things from the ground: whether the lid sits level, whether mesh is visible and unobstructed, and whether the cap shifts when nudged with a pole. Do not climb the roof to confirm. Pasadena’s clay tile roofs are brittle, and the slope on most pre-war homes exceeds safe working angles without harnessing.

Installation itself is not a handyman job. The cap must be sized to the flue’s outside dimension, not guessed from the crown width. Improper tension fit creates a gap that traps moisture against the flue tile, accelerating spalling. We’ve reinstalled caps that were silicone-sealed to the flue - a shortcut that cracks the tile when thermal expansion hits. The camera doesn’t negotiate - it just shows what’s there. We run it before quoting and again after installation to confirm clear flue and proper cap seating. Call (213) 459-6058 and we’ll book a camera inspection; the written price comes after you see the footage, not before.

FAQs