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.
Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation: The Los Angeles Owner’s Guide
Olympia Chimney chimney cap installation in Los Angeles typically runs between $225 and $480 including the cap and labor, and we stock Olympia-compatible caps on the truck for same-visit replacement in most cases. You usually find out you need one when you hear rain dripping down the flue during a December storm, or when you spot a squirrel casing your chimney from the roof. A failed cap isn’t a cosmetic problem – it’s the first line of defense between your fireplace and the weather, the wildlife, and the embers that want out of your flue.
At Ashby Chimney Los Angeles, we’ve been installing and replacing Olympia Chimney caps across LA since 2002. What makes this page worth reading: we’re going to tell you exactly which Olympia models match, what fails first, what it costs, and what’s worth checking before you pay anyone a dime. Nathan Corliss, our owner, has seen caps rusted through in beach neighborhoods, bent by Santa Ana winds in the foothills, and picked apart by crows in Eagle Rock. Here’s the straight version.
Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To
Olympia Chimney makes caps for two main product families: their Ventis stainless chimney system and their older air-cooled galvanized chimney pipe. The Ventis line uses round stainless caps that slip over the pipe’s flue outlet, usually in 6″, 7″, and 8″ diameters. The older air-cooled system takes a cap with a taller skirt that locks over the outer pipe, and those come in 8″, 10″, and 12″ sizes depending on the original installation. The gotcha: you cannot mix them. A Ventis cap will not seat on older air-cooled pipe, and forcing it will leave you with a wobbly cap that leaks at the first rain.
How to identify what you have: look for the Olympia label stamped into the metal on the cap base or the top section of pipe. Ventis components are marked “Ventis” with a series number. Older pipe typically has a paper label inside the attic chase or just below the roof line. If the label is gone, measure the outside diameter of the pipe the cap sits on. We’ll confirm the match before ordering anything.
We install genuine Olympia Caps and quality equivalents that match the Ventis dimensions. On an older air-cooled system, a well-made aftermarket cap from Copperfield or Famco often fits better than an original part that’s been discontinued for a decade. We’ll tell you which is which and show you the parts before they go on. One note: Ashby Chimney Los Angeles is an independent service provider, not an Olympia Chimney dealer or affiliated company. We stock parts for their systems because LA has a lot of them installed, especially in homes built during the 1980s and 1990s remodel cycle.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing
- Rain or dripping inside the firebox after a storm. The cap’s storm band or spark screen has failed, and water is running straight down the flue. In LA this often shows up as a damp smell in the living room before you ever see a puddle, because our rains come hard and then vanish.
- You hear birds or animals in the chimney. The side screen has been breached, or the cap never had one to begin with. Once a bird gets in, it’s a mess to clean out, and a raccoon will do real damage to a stainless liner trying to climb out.
- Rust streaks running down the cap or the pipe below it. This means the cap’s galvalume or stainless finish is compromised and the metal is oxidizing. In coastal neighborhoods like Playa del Rey or San Pedro, salt air accelerates this. Cap corrosion is always worse within three miles of the ocean.
- Embers or sparks landing on the roof. The spark screen has blown out or the cap has shifted enough to let embers escape. This is the one that matters most in fire season. A functioning cap keeps embers inside the flue.
- Visible denting, tilting, or cap sitting off-center on the pipe. Santa Ana winds in the San Fernando Valley and foothill neighborhoods regularly shift caps that were never secured properly. A tilted cap leaks. A dented cap is on borrowed time.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
Here are real Los Angeles numbers for Olympia Chimney cap installation, parts and labor:
- Standard round stainless cap (6″ – 8″, Ventis-compatible): $225 – $310 installed
- Larger or air-cooled 10″ – 12″ cap: $340 – $440 installed
- Custom fit for non-standard pipe or chase-top mount: $400 – $480 installed
The range depends on the cap size, roof access (single-story versus a steep Spanish tile roof in Studio City), and whether the old cap is rusted onto the pipe and needs cutting off. Every job includes the cap, the mounting hardware matched to your pipe, and the labor for installation. We write the full price before anything starts. Our guarantee covers the cap installation for one year; if it fails, we’re back at no charge under the 365-Day Done Right Promise. Say the price first: that’s how this works.
See the difference
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After
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After
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AfterDIY or Call Us?
You can safely check a few things from the ground or with a ladder you’re comfortable on: visible rust, tilt, missing screens, or light coming through where the cap meets the pipe. What you shouldn’t do is walk a wet tile roof or lean over a chase to reach a cap. This is not garage-door-spring dangerous, but it is Heights-and-Falling dangerous. A broken tile on a Los Angeles roof is a $20 repair if you catch it, and a serious injury risk if you slip.
Where DIY really goes wrong on this part is sizing. We see owners buy a universal cap online, force it onto a Ventis pipe, and then call us after the first rain because the fit leaks. Matching a cap to a 20-year-old Olympia installation is a measuring job, not a guessing job. Call us at (213) 652-7061 and we’ll give you an honest answer over the phone before we even schedule the visit.
FAQs
A stainless steel cap on a Ventis system typically lasts 10 to 15 years in LA’s climate, less if you live within a few miles of the coast where salt air cuts that to 7 to 10 years. Galvanized caps on older systems typically run 5 to 8 years before rust becomes a real problem.
Sometimes yes, if the frame is sound and only the screen is torn, we can replace the screen and re-secure the cap for about half the cost of a new cap. If the metal is rusted through or the cap is dented enough to compromise the seal, replacement is the honest call. Call (213) 652-7061 and we’ll tell you which one you’ve got.
A standard Olympia-compatible cap swap takes about 45 minutes once we’re on the roof. If the old cap is rusted onto the pipe or there’s damage to the pipe itself, plan for an hour to ninety minutes. We give you a real arrival window when you book.
We carry common 6″, 7″, and 8″ Ventis-compatible caps in stainless on every truck, plus 10″ and 12″ air-cooled caps. If your installation is non-standard, we’ll set up a follow-up visit and hold the price we quoted before we leave.
Talk to Us First
If you’ve got an Olympia Chimney cap that’s failing, or you’re not sure what’s on your chimney at all, call Ashby Chimney Los Angeles at (213) 652-7061. We’ll talk through what you’re seeing, give you a straight price range, and set a window we actually show up for. Nathan and our crew work by a simple rule: say the price first, put the promise in writing, and leave the firebox cleaner than you found it. That’s how we’ve done it since 2002.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner, Ashby Chimney Los Angeles at Ashby Chimney Los Angeles, serving Los Angeles and nearby areas.