Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

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

An Olympia Chimney chimney cap installation in Bethlehem typically runs $340-$680 for most single-flue setups, including the cap, fitting, and weather sealing. We stock Olympia Chimney-compatible caps on our trucks and can measure, match, and install same-day in most cases. Homeowners usually notice the problem after a storm, when water spots appear on the firebox ceiling, or when they spot rust streaks running down the brick from a cap that’s lifted or corroded through.

Call (610) 595-5754

Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To

Olympia Chimney produces several cap series, and matching the right one matters more than most homeowners expect. The Olympia Gelco-style galvanized caps and stainless steel models are the two lines we see most often on Bethlehem homes, particularly on systems installed from the late 1990s through the mid-2010s. The critical identifier is the flue tile outer dimension, not the chimney crown size. A 13×13 flue tile takes a different base flange than a 12×12, and mixing them leaves a gap that funnels water straight into the stack.

We carry both OEM Olympia Chimney caps and professional-grade equivalents from Gelco and Copperfield that meet or exceed the original specs. The OEM route guarantees exact mesh spacing and base geometry; the aftermarket equivalents we stock use heavier-gauge stainless in the lid and a more aggressive drip edge that performs better in Pennsylvania’s freeze-thaw cycles. Hearthstone Chimney Co. is an independent service provider, not affiliated with Olympia Chimney, so we have no incentive to push one over the other. We’ll show you both, explain the price difference, and let you decide.

Signs Your Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing

• Rust stains on the brickwork below the crown. Olympia Chimney’s galvanized caps begin losing their zinc coating after 12-15 years in Bethlehem’s climate, especially where acid rain and road salt spray accelerate corrosion. Once rust blooms, the metal thins and pinholes form.
• Water in the firebox after heavy rain. A lifted, bent, or missing cap lets water run directly down the flue. In older Bethlehem homes around the historic district, this often soaks into the smoke shelf and breeds odor.
• Bird or squirrel noise in the flue. Olympia Chimney caps use ¾-inch mesh screening that keeps animals out. When the mesh corrodes away or the cap shifts, you’ve got an open invitation.
• The cap is visibly tilted or missing after wind. Bethlehem sits in a valley corridor that funnels wind. Caps secured with only friction-fit brackets or deteriorating masonry anchors lift off in 40-mph gusts.
• Downdraft smoke spillage on windy days. A cap with a damaged or missing lid disrupts the pressure differential that helps draw smoke upward. You’ll notice it first on northwest wind days, which are common here.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

What moves the needle: flue tile size (larger caps cost more), whether the existing anchor points in the crown are sound or need re-drilling, and whether we find hidden crown damage once the old cap is off. We photograph everything and give you the verdict before touching a tool. No surprises on the bill. Every cap installation carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, and the cap itself is warrantied against manufacturing defect.

DIY or Call Us?

There’s no high-tension spring or electrical hazard on a chimney cap, but there is a long fall. Most Bethlehem roofs are 18-24 feet at the eave, steeper than they look from the ground, and the valley’s morning dew or frost lingers on north-facing slopes into April. We’ve responded to more than one call where a homeowner made it up safely, measured wrong, and now owns a cap that doesn’t fit.

What you can do from the ground: note any rust, tilting, or missing pieces, and measure your flue tile’s outer dimensions with a tape measure through the cleanout door if accessible. What goes wrong with DIY: wrong base size, improper sealant that traps moisture, or anchors drilled into a cracked crown that worsens the problem. If it needs doing, we’ll tell you. If it doesn’t, we’ll tell you that too. Call (610) 595-5754 and we’ll walk through what you’re seeing.

FAQs