Putting caps on a chimney? How to access?

SwordofLight

Hi everyone

I've birds and wet coming in from the chimney which isn't used. It's an old house and there are 4 chimney pots. There's a load of grass and stuff growing up there as well.

Not sure if this is a DIY job as I hate heights! I've capped chimneys before off a flat roof but never an apex.

Ladders? Scaffold? Cherry picker? Any ideas how i could get up there? I might need to re-point around the stack where I pull off the grass. Wondering how much a roofer might charge or if I could get away with a cherry picker and harness or ladders etc. Any ideas?

Stigura

Ye welcome to borrow my ladder with a roof hoop But, in my personal experience? If ye not happy about going up there? Don't.

Just for conversation; I used to be fine. But, as I've grown deaf, so I've lost my balance completely. I'd absolutely fall off. So, now I simply don't go up any more.

Local builder won't be dead cheap. But, better than dead you.

loyatemu

seriously, get a roofer. Think of Rod Hull!

LenWoods

I recently capped our chimney using a C-cap purchased from chimney products.ie highly recommended
http://www.chimneycowlproducts.ie/?utm_source=FordOwnersClub&utm_medium=ForumLinks&utm_campaign=referrals

Arranged for a local chimney cleaner to clean the chimney then fit the cap,
Although if yours needs some repair then you may be best consulting a roofer
Heres mine before and after Santa burst the fire place off the wall; he wont be doing that again now;
https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/80864-living-room-project/?do=findComment&comment=579030

Darando

Got quoted 75€ each fitted and supplied by a company. Ended up buying online myself (25€ each www.topcap.ie. they may fit/or have a contact if you buzz them). I needed a few bits on roof fixed so the roofer fitted them as part of the job, so couldn't say how much he mark up the job to include fittign the caps while up there.

SwordofLight

Thanks a lot for the replies, gosh that's some impressive DIY Len! Did you brick up the fireplace in the end or dryline it? I'm thinking about damp.
The chimney sweep is a brilliant idea but I fear there might be more to do for them than putting some caps on, some of the chimney pots look lopsided and sunken so may need to be reset or slabbed over.
Stigura and Loyatemu I didn't know that about Rod Hull, what a terrible end to a great life, sad stuff.
Darando you're making me think this mightn'e be as expensive as first presumed! Going to make a few calls tomorrow

Vita nova

SwordofLight wrote: »

Hi everyone

I've birds and wet coming in from the chimney which isn't used. It's an old house and there are 4 chimney pots. There's a load of grass and stuff growing up there as well.

Not sure if this is a DIY job as I hate heights! I've capped chimneys before off a flat roof but never an apex.

Ladders? Scaffold? Cherry picker? Any ideas how i could get up there? I might need to re-point around the stack where I pull off the grass. Wondering how much a roofer might charge or if I could get away with a cherry picker and harness or ladders etc. Any ideas?

I know I'm probably stating the obvious here but if you're going to cap your chimneys make sure that there isn't an active nest in the chimney when you do it.

In the UK, not sure about Ireland, it's an offence to destroy a nest during the nesting season. If you do have an active nest then you'll have to wait until the chicks have fledged, which should be before the end of August.

LenWoods

Vita nova wrote: »

I know I'm probably stating the obvious here but if you're going to cap your chimneys make sure that there isn't an active nest in the chimney when you do it.

In the UK, not sure about Ireland, it's an offence to destroy a nest during the nesting season. If you do have an active nest then you'll have to wait until the chicks have fledged, which should be before the end of August.

It's the same law over here, chimney cleaner would tell you whether there's anything in there though.

SwordofLight wrote: »

Thanks a lot for the replies, gosh that's some impressive DIY Len! Did you brick up the fireplace in the end or dryline it? I'm thinking about damp.
The chimney sweep is a brilliant idea but I fear there might be more to do for them than putting some caps on, some of the chimney pots look lopsided and sunken so may need to be reset or slabbed over.
Stigura and Loyatemu I didn't know that about Rod Hull, what a terrible end to a great life, sad stuff.
Darando you're making me think this mightn'e be as expensive as first presumed! Going to make a few calls tomorrow

The C-cap has fins on the underside of the cap which space it slightly above the surface of the chimney top to allow for ventilation; the cap itself then flanges over the chimney top,
They later added the black grill to prevent insects from accessing,

I've had the fireplace bricked up and imported a 120cm wide electric fire from the UK, cant get them that wide here,
Before it was bricked; I drilled two holes in to the main fire area; through from the side of the chimney breast to allow ventilation and prevent damp or mould as the chimney needs to breathe even when not used,
I've documented the entire process on my four page thread here whichi hope to continue soon:
https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/80864-living-room-project/#comments

And heres some pictures from the thread to summarise in the event you don't have time to go through the thread as theres slot of detail in it but all relevant story.
Thanks

listermint

Vita nova wrote: »

I know I'm probably stating the obvious here but if you're going to cap your chimneys make sure that there isn't an active nest in the chimney when you do it.

In the UK, not sure about Ireland, it's an offence to destroy a nest during the nesting season. If you do have an active nest then you'll have to wait until the chicks have fledged, which should be before the end of August.

If there's a nest in it you'll know full well....!