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
AfterFamco Chimney Cap & Crown in Charlottesville: What to Know First
We install, replace, and repair Famco chimney caps and crowns in Charlottesville as an independent Famco service provider. Most Famco cap replacements take us one visit, and crown work is usually done the same day after a camera inspection confirms what we’re dealing with. Pricing is straightforward: you’ll get an exact number before we touch anything, not after.
If you own a Famco cap or crown and something looks off from the ground, call Top Hat Chimney at (540) 503-3890. Wendell Pike and his crew have been running chimneys across Charlottesville since 1999, and we’ve seen just about every way a Famco product can wear out in Virginia weather.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Famco makes a solid product. But every cap and crown has a lifespan, especially in Charlottesville where freeze-thaw cycles do the real damage. Here’s what we actually find when we get on the roof.
- Famco cap lids pitting on older galvanized models. On Famco’s standard galvanized caps, the lid is usually the first piece to go. Acidic rain and the damp air we get in the Piedmont eats through the coating in six to nine years. We replace the lid where the base is still sound, or swap in a stainless Famco cap if you’d rather not think about it again for two decades.
- Mesh clogging on Famco caps with 3/4-inch screen. The screen on a Famco cap is doing its job until creosote and nesting material plug it. A plugged screen turns your cap into a damper you didn’t ask for. We see this most often on wood-burning flues in older Charlottesville neighborhoods like Fry’s Spring and Belmont. The fix is a removal, a proper brushing of the cap screen, and sometimes a switch to a larger mesh gauge if it keeps happening.
- Famco single-flue cap bases loosening in wind. Charlottesville gets real wind off the Blue Ridge in March. A cap that was snug five years ago can work itself loose as the flue tile shifts. Loose bases let rain run down the outside of the tile, which is how you get spalling brick and a cracked crown. We re-seat the base with the right mechanical fasteners, not just caulk.
- Crown cracking under Famco multi-flue caps. A multi-flue Famco cap spreads across more surface area, and the crown underneath takes the brunt of every thermal cycle. Hairline cracks open up, then widen when water gets in and freezes. We repair or recoat the crown with a flexible sealant that moves with the masonry. Patching a crown correctly means addressing the drip edge, not just smearing compound over the cracks.
- Staining and discoloration under the cap. If you see rust-colored drips on your chimney chase or siding below a Famco cap, the cap or its fasteners are corroding. It’s not just ugly, it means the metal is shedding material that ends up in your gutter or on your roof. We’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a clean-and-treat job or a replacement.
Our Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Process
Here’s how a typical Famco job goes with us, from first call to cleanup.
- 1
You call (540) 503-3890. A live person answers. You describe what you’re seeing, and we book a time that works. No voicemail maze, no call center.
- 2
We inspect from the roof. Wendell or one of his crew gets eyes on the cap and crown, takes photos, and runs a camera down the flue if the problem might go deeper than the cap. You see the footage, every time.
- 3
We give you a number. Before any work starts, you get a written price. The number we quote on the roof is the number on the invoice. If it doesn’t need doing, we’ll say so. Wendell puts it plainly: “If it does not need doing, I will tell you.”
- 4
Parts decision. We prefer genuine Famco components when we’re matching an existing cap or doing warranty-safe work. Where an aftermarket part is actually better for your situation, like a heavier-gauge stainless lid, we tell you why and let you choose.
- 5
The work itself. Cap installation or replacement is straightforward on site. Crown repair or coating takes longer because the surface has to be clean, dry, and primed properly. We don’t rush that step, especially in cooler weather.
- 6
Cleanup and a written guarantee. We leave the area as we found it, and every job carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise. If something’s not right, one call brings us back at no additional cost.
What Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Charlottesville
Here are real numbers for the Famco jobs we do most often in Charlottesville. These are ranges, not promises. The exact price depends on roof access, cap size, and how far gone the crown is.
- Famco cap replacement (single flue, standard stainless): $180-$420 installed
- Famco multi-flue cap replacement: $340-$780 installed, depending on width and mounting surface
- Custom stainless cap for a non-standard flue: $500-$1,200, measured and built to your flue dimensions
- Crown repair (small cracks, patching): $150-$400
- Full crown coating with flexible sealant: $400-$850
- Crown rebuild (if the masonry is too far gone to patch): $1,200-$2,800
What moves the price most is access. A steep roof in a neighborhood like Greenbrier or a three-story chimney off the Downtown Mall takes more setup than a single-story ranch in Albemarle County. We also honor standing discounts: $40 off any repair over $200, 10% off for seniors and veterans, and no trip charge inside our service county. Call (540) 503-3890 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
Why Charlottesville Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for Famco Work
We’re not a franchise that rotated into Charlottesville last spring. Wendell Pike founded Top Hat Chimney in 1999 and has been up and down ladders in this county for over 29 years. His name and license number are published. He runs into you again at the grocery store on Saturday, so he has a reason to do the job right the first time.
Every Famco job we finish comes with our 90-Day Done Right Promise stamped in writing. If the cap leaks or the crown cracks again within 90 days, we come back. That’s it. You don’t chase an 800 number or argue with a call center.
We also work with the other brands you might find on your chimney route, including DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. So if the Famco cap is fine but the liner needs attention, we’re not going to sell you something you don’t need just to fit a script.
FAQs
No. Replacing a worn Famco cap with another Famco cap or a properly fitted aftermarket cap does not void any remaining warranty on the chimney system, because the cap itself is a replaceable component. As an independent Famco service provider, we install genuine Famco caps when you want an exact match. We don’t claim any manufacturer authorization, and we don’t need it to do the job correctly.
Look for three things: visible rust or pitting on the lid, a screen that looks dark and clogged from the ground, or staining running down the chimney. If the cap base is solid and the lid is intact, a professional cleaning usually restores it. We’ll tell you which one you need after we get on the roof, and we’ll show you the camera footage either way so you’re not guessing. Call (540) 503-3890 to book an inspection.
Yes, in most cases. Small cracks and surface wear respond well to patching with a flexible crown sealant that moves with the masonry instead of cracking again the first winter. If the crown has crumbled to the point where the aggregate is loose or water has damaged the flue tile underneath, a rebuild is the honest answer. We’ll show you exactly what we’re looking at before we recommend either.
Most single-flue Famco cap replacements are finished the same day we arrive, as long as we have the right size cap on the truck. Custom caps and odd-sized multi-flue jobs run a week or two because they’re measured and built to your flue. We keep the most common Famco sizes stocked because we do enough of this work in Charlottesville to know what’s on the local rooflines.
Yes. Bring us any written estimate for chimney cap or crown work from another company, and we’ll give you a straight second opinion at no charge. We won’t bad-mouth the other quote. We’ll just tell you what we’d do and what we’d charge, and then you decide. Call (540) 503-3890 and ask for Wendell.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney at Top Hat Chimney, serving Charlottesville and nearby areas.