Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterGelco Chimney Cap Installation: The Newark Owner’s Guide
We stock and install Gelco chimney caps throughout Newark, and most installations run between $285 and $520 depending on the flue size and whether we’re swapping a rusted cap or fitting a new one over a missing crown. If you call before noon, we can usually have a sweep on your roof within two days. Most Newark owners don’t discover a failed cap until they see water staining on the ceiling near the hearth, or a rust streak running down the brick. Sometimes a neighbor spots it first. Either way, the cap is the cheapest insurance your flue has, and a bad one turns into a liner replacement faster than most people expect.
Key takeaways:
- Gelco caps are sized by flue diameter, not by brand name alone; we measure before we quote.
- A rusted cap can quietly let water into your flue for a full season before you see the damage.
- We keep common Gelco sizes on the truck, so most Newark installs are one trip.
Which Gelco Models This Applies To
Gelco makes caps in several series, but the ones we see most in Newark are the single-flue stainless and the multi-flue models with the expanded mesh sides. The critical thing with Gelco products is that the cap is sized to the flue tile or liner diameter, not the brick opening. A cap that fits the outer brick but leaves a gap around the flue tile does nothing. We measure the inside diameter of your flue and match it to Gelco’s spec sheet: 8×8, 8×13, 13×13, and round liners from 6 to 12 inches. If you still have the box or the old cap, look for a stamped number on the base or the mounting collar. That number tells us exactly which Gelco model you need without guessing.
For Gelco specifically, we stock OEM replacements when the original hardware is worth keeping, and we also carry quality aftermarket stainless equivalents that match Gelco’s mounting footprint. The difference usually comes down to the mesh gauge and the stainless alloy. Gelco uses a heavier gauge on their premium line, and in Newark’s freeze-thaw winters, heavier mesh holds its shape longer. If your old cap is a Gelco and the lid is still straight but the mesh is peeling away, we can sometimes save you money by replacing the mesh section instead of the whole assembly. Top Hat Chimney is an independent service provider, not affiliated with Gelco, so we stock what lasts here and we’ll tell you plainly when an aftermarket cap does the job just as well. We also stock and install parts from DuraFlex and HeatShield when the job reaches deeper into the flue.
Signs Your Gelco Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing
- Water streaks down the brick or a damp smell near the firebox. This usually means the cap’s lid has rusted through or the mounting collar has shifted, letting rain run straight down the inside of the flue instead of onto the crown. In Newark’s wet winters, this is the first thing we check.
- Rust flakes or small metal pieces in the firebox or on the smoke shelf. That’s the mesh or the lid deteriorating above the flue. Once stainless starts flaking, it’s already thin, and the next Nor’easter will finish it.
- You hear a rattling or scraping sound from the top of the chimney during wind. The mounting hardware is loose. Left alone, the cap can partially lift and bang against the crown, chipping the mortar around it.
- You can see daylight through the mesh from the ground, or the mesh is bowing inward. This is a Newark-specific problem we see often because of heavy snow sitting on the cap for weeks. The weight bends the mesh, and once bent, it won’t shed water properly.
- Birds or squirrels are getting into the flue, and you can hear them. The mesh has a hole or has pulled away from the base. A cap with a breach is worse than no cap at all because the animal gets in but can’t always get out.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
For a standard Gelco-compatible single-flue cap installed in Newark, expect $285 to $410 all-in. Multi-flue caps, odd sizes, or jobs requiring a custom mounting bracket run $420 to $520 when scaffold-free roof access is possible. If your crown needs patching first, we’ll show you the camera footage and quote the crown work separately so you can decide without pressure. The price we give you on the phone is the price on the invoice. No trip charge if you’re inside our service county, and every install includes the mounting hardware, a seal check on the flue tile, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the cap shifts, leaks, or fails within 90 days, Wendell brings the crew back at no charge. You’re also getting the $40-off-any-repair-over-$200 offer if the cap failed because of crown or liner damage we need to address.
DIY or Call Us?
A chimney cap swap is one of the few chimney jobs a handy owner can sometimes do from a ladder, but only on a single-story roof with a low pitch and a flue you can reach without leaning. The dangerous parts are not the cap itself; they’re the ladder footing, the roof surface, and the very real chance of dropping a stainless cap onto a slate walkway or a car. On a two-story Newark rowhouse or any roof with a real pitch, this is not a ladder job. Wendell and his crew carry proper roof harnesses and a second man on the ground, which is why we’re fast and why we don’t ask you to be the one leaning out over the gutter. If you want to know whether your cap can wait, call us and describe what you see. We’ll give you a straight answer over the phone and we won’t sell you a job that isn’t there. If it needs doing, we’ll do it. If it doesn’t, I’ll tell you that instead.
FAQs
A Gelco stainless cap should give you 10 to 15 years in Newark’s climate, though cheaper galvanized models often fail in 6 to 8 years because of salt air coming off the Passaic and the constant freeze-thaw cycling. The lid usually outlasts the mesh, so we sometimes replace just the mesh to stretch the life of the assembly. If you’ve gotten a decade out of your cap, you’ve gotten your money’s worth, and we’ll tell you that before we ever suggest a replacement. Call (848) 331-2638 and we can put eyes on it.
Yes, if the lid is still integral and the damage is limited to the mesh or the mounting collar. We stock mesh panels and replacement collars for common Gelco sizes, and a repair runs about half the cost of a full replacement. But if the lid is rusted through or the base is warped, a repair will just buy you one season, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Call (848) 331-2638 and we’ll give you a straight verdict before any tool comes off the truck.
Most Gelco cap installations in Newark take 45 minutes to an hour once we’re on the roof. If the crown needs patching or the flue tile has spalled, add time for that, and we’ll tell you before we start. We give you a real arrival window and call if it slips. Call (848) 331-2638 to get on the schedule, and we’ll have it done before the next rain if the weather allows.
We keep the most common Gelco single-flue and multi-flue sizes on the truck: 8×8, 13×13, and round liners from 6 to 10 inches. Odd sizes get ordered and usually arrive within two to three business days, and we’ll let you know if your flue is an odd size before you commit. Either way, we handle the measuring so you don’t have to guess. Call (848) 331-2638 for a free estimate, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s on the truck today.
Contact Top Hat Chimney
If you have a Gelco cap that’s failing, or you’re not sure whether it is, call Wendell and his crew at Top Hat Chimney at (848) 331-2638. We’ve been working Newark chimneys since 1999, from the Ironbound to Forest Hill, and we’ll give you an honest price before a single tool comes off the truck. Free estimate, no trip charge inside the county, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise on every job we complete. Call (848) 331-2638 today and let’s get your flue protected before the next storm.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney at Top Hat Chimney, serving Newark and nearby areas.