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rain cap re-install

daveytree | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 22, 2009 07:20am

I am a carpenter ”and” anything that needs fixing for my retired neighbors ,so when my next door 85 year old neighbor hands me a rain/ spark cap for his masonary chimney [ clay innerds] that blew off I said no prob [ ranch house ] looked at it it seemed like a friction fit ,pushed it in 2 days later high winds and you guessed it on the ground again, . should I be looking at maybe 2 straps and a small hole threw clay tile or somekind of eboxy ?

Thanks: ”Need help lookin like a no-it-all”

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  1. User avater
    AaronRosenthal | Mar 22, 2009 09:46pm | #1

    Don't those things usually get buttered with mortar?

    Quality repairs for your home.

    AaronR Construction
    Vancouver, Canada

     

    1. daveytree | Mar 22, 2009 11:17pm | #2

      Aaron its looks like there were 4 tabs 1 on each side of the steel cap that put pressure on the inside of the flue , had a point that dug into the inside of the clay flue , it with-stood a bunch of years unless there was some other thing that got lost when it flew offthanks

  2. calvin | Mar 23, 2009 02:53am | #3

    No place for "set" screws in the corners?  That's kept mine on 20 yrs.

    A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

    Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

    http://www.quittintime.com/

     

    1. daveytree | Mar 24, 2009 02:06am | #4

      Thanks I will look for that when I get back up there this week-end

  3. Hazlett | Mar 24, 2009 03:57pm | #5

    get a new one that has set screw that come in from the corners-- very rigid,very secure.
    don't get the kind that has set screws that come in from the sides--much more wobbly and much less secure

    Ironically they are roughly the same price.
    stephen

    1. seeyou | Mar 24, 2009 04:09pm | #6

      get a new one that has set screw that come in from the corners--

      That's likely what he has. The friction legs screw on with those screws for use when the tile doesn't protrude enough to screw to.http://www.quittintime.com/      View Image        

      1. Hazlett | Mar 25, 2009 02:35pm | #7

        Grant-- I interpret what he wrote as describing the old kind that had the springy legs that went INSIDE the flue and pushed outward against the inside of the flue----- noticing he said friction fit. If he doesn't have enough flue above the mortar cap to clamp to--- i would remove the top section of flue, cut a piece-install new flue so that i was comfortably above the new mortar cap---and clamp on the new metal cap I am also aware he is doing a freebie favor for an elderly neighbor and he might not want to do all that but since i charge everybody----that wouldn't be a concern for me, LOL
        Best wishes,
        stephen

        1. seeyou | Mar 25, 2009 02:49pm | #8

          The friction fit caps I'm familiar with are the set screw type adapted. I've not seen any that were designed as friction fit with tabs. I have seen some that had an adjustable flange around the entire perimeter that fit inside the flue. They were total POS.http://www.quittintime.com/      View Image        

          1. Hazlett | Mar 25, 2009 02:58pm | #9

            1) 20 years ago I could get a type with 4 friction fit legs that slid inside and pressed outward at the corners2) after awhile-- they stopped making those---but you could buy an adapter kit that let you accomplish the same thing3) THEN those adapter kits where no longer available either--- which is when I started cutting flue and adding extra sections! when the OP mentioned elderly neighbor I figured the cap had been up there 20 plus years-- and my mind went immediately to item #1)
            and yes- the ones with the 4 interior flat flanges ARE POS
            Stephen

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