Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Famco Chimney Cap Installation: The Henderson Owner’s Guide
A quality Famco chimney cap installation in Henderson typically costs between $85 and $125 when the cap itself is in hand, and $195 to $375 when we supply the cap and handle the full install. Those are realistic numbers for this market, not teaser prices. Most Henderson homeowners discover their Famco cap has failed the hard way: rain streaks on the fireplace wall, a rust ring forming at the flue crown, or the unmistakable metallic rattle of a loose cap on a windy afternoon. Desert winds and monsoon-season downpours work a chimney cap harder in Henderson than almost any other climate in the country.
Hank Delano has installed and inspected enough Famco products in Henderson to know exactly what fails, why it fails, and what makes sense to replace versus repair. The company stocks Famco, DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco parts on the truck, so a failed cap rarely means waiting on a special order.
Which Famco Models This Applies To
Famco builds more than one chimney cap line, and the part that fits one may not fit another, even if it looks close. The common installations we handle in Henderson are the Famco galvanized steel caps, the Famco stainless steel caps for higher heat and salt air resistance, and Famco’s multi-flue masonry caps used on older freestanding chimneys. The critical measurement is the flue tile’s outside diameter or the inner diameter of a round or oval liner. Famco caps are designed to fit over standard 8×8, 8×13, and 13×13 flue tiles, but the actual sheet metal’s band dimension, not the nominal tile size, is what determines fit.
You’ll find a stamped model number on the underside of the cap’s skirt or on the hood. If the cap has been up for years, that number may be corroded away. In that case, we measure the flue opening and the liner diameter before ordering or pulling a replacement from the truck. As an independent Henderson chimney service company, we are not affiliated with Famco, but we install and stock their products because they hold up well. OEM Famco caps are the safest bet for fit and finish, but there are legitimate aftermarket equivalents when an original is discontinued. We will only install an aftermarket cap if the gauge of metal and the band dimensions match the original spec.
Styles & brands we work with





Signs Your Famco Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing
- Rust streaking down the flue or crown. Galvanized Famco caps are built to resist rust, but Henderson’s monsoon humidity followed by 110-degree heat accelerates oxidation. Streaking means the zinc coating has been breached and the steel underneath is degrading.
- Loose cap movement in wind. The cap sits on the flue tile or liner at the top of the chimney. When the band clamp or screws that hold it in place loosen, the cap shifts. You’ll hear it rattle. That movement will eventually score the flue tile or deform the cap’s skirt.
- Animal noise or nesting debris. A compromised Famco cap with a bent or missing screen section is an open invitation. Birds and squirrels enter Henderson chimneys through damaged cap screens every season, and the cleanup is more expensive than the cap fix.
- Water stains on the fireplace wall or chimney chase. The cap’s primary job is keeping water out of a flue. A cracked hood, a failed caulk joint where the cap meets the crown, or a wrong-sized cap letting rain run down the tile will show up as indoor staining after a heavy Henderson downpour.
- Visible gaps between cap and flue. If you can see sunlight between the cap band and the flue tile from the ground with binoculars, it is not sealed correctly. Even a half-inch gap lets wind-driven rain and embers in.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
Here is what Henderson homeowners should expect to pay for a Famco cap swap.
- Labor only, cap already purchased: $85 to $125. We show up, remove the failed cap, inspect the flue top and crown, install your Famco cap, and secure it correctly.
- Standard Famco galvanized cap, supplied and installed: $195 to $285. The cap itself, the install, and a written guarantee.
- Stainless Famco cap, supplied and installed: $285 to $375. Worth it for Henderson homes within a few miles of the foothills where wind and debris accumulation are worse, or for anyone who wants one-and-done.
Every quote is in writing before work starts. The cost includes haul-off of the old cap, unless you want to keep it, and a check of the flue crown and mortar joints while we’re up there. If we spot a crack we can seal with crown sealant, we’ll tell you what that adds, in writing, before touching it. No surprise line items.
DIY or Call Us?
Swapping a chimney cap means working on the roof, at height, near the flue opening. That is a fall hazard, and a dropped cap or tool turns a simple job into a dented gutter, broken tile, or a hole in a pool cage. We never recommend a homeowner climb a two-story Henderson roof to save $100. What we do recommend is a ground-level visual check: rust streaks, missing screws, lifted banding, or screen damage visible from the yard. If the cap is loose enough to move by hand from the roof edge, it should have been replaced a season ago.
What goes wrong with DIY installs, more than the height, is sizing. A cap that is slightly too large lets rain in. A cap that is slightly too small sits unstable and cracks the flue tile over time. If you’re not sure about the measurement, call (775) 375-4267 and we’ll send a technician to measure, quote, and install in one visit.
FAQs
A galvanized Famco cap usually lasts 7 to 12 years in the Henderson climate; stainless versions go 15 to 20. Desert UV, monsoon rain, and the occasional dust storm strip the galvanized coating faster here than in wetter, cooler climates. If your cap is rust-streaked after eight years, plan for replacement, not patching.
Call (775) 375-4267 and we’ll give you a straight answer on whether yours has years left or months.
A bent band, a torn screen, or a cracked single seam can sometimes be repaired, but a cap with structural rust through the metal cannot. We won’t patch rust and charge you for it. If we can make it sound for another five years, we’ll say so. If the steel is compromised, we’ll show you the rust, tell you the replacement cost, and let you decide. We don’t recommend work the chimney doesn’t need.
Most installations take 45 minutes to an hour from ladder up to clean-up, including the flue top check and haul-off of the old cap. If the old cap is rusted or seized, removal can add time. We quote the job before starting, and the time estimate is part of that written quote.
Yes, we carry common Famco-compatible galvanized and stainless caps for standard 8-inch, 13-inch, and larger flue sizes, along with materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. If your opening is a custom or oversized flue, we measure on site and order the correct Famco cap, then return to install when it arrives. No guessing, no padding.
Tell me what the flue looks like, and I’ll tell you what it costs – no guessing, no padding. If your Famco cap is failing or you’re not sure, call (775) 375-4267 and we’ll schedule a free estimate. A live person answers around the clock, and you’ll get your written quote before any work starts.
Written by Hank Delano, Owner, Flint Chimney Co Henderson at Flint Chimney Co Henderson, serving Henderson and nearby areas.