Famco Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

Famco Chimney Cap Installation: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco-compatible chimney caps throughout Fort Lauderdale, with most installations running between $285 and $490 depending on cap size, flue type, and roof access. Same-week scheduling is standard for us, and we carry the common Famco cap sizes on the truck. Most homeowners discover the cap has failed the same way: a rust streak down the chimney chase, water staining on the ceiling near the fireplace, or the cap itself lying in the yard after a summer squall. Fort Lauderdale’s salt air and afternoon thunderstorms do not forgive a carbon-steel cap, and the Famco aluminum and stainless models we install are selected specifically because they hold up here better than galvanized alternatives.

Call (754) 354-1451

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco makes caps for three situations we see regularly in Fort Lauderdale homes: single-flue caps that clamp to round clay tile, multi-flue caps that mount across the crown, and chase-top caps that sit over a prefabricated fireplace chimney. The single-flue units are what we install most often, and the critical measurement is the flue’s outside diameter: most South Florida clay flues run 8×8, 8×12, or 13×13, and a cap sized wrong will either rock loose or not seat at all. Here’s the compatibility gotcha worth knowing: Famco’s LD series caps are sized to a range of tile dimensions, not an exact fit, so an 8×8 cap actually clamps onto tiles from roughly 7-1/2 to 8-1/2 inches. We measure the tile with a tape before we recommend the model, because guessing leads to a cap that walks off in the first storm. For replacements, we default to Famco stainless or aluminum when the setup allows, because the galvanized versions are the ones that rust out fastest in Fort Lauderdale’s coastal humidity. We’re an independent service provider, not a Famco dealer, so when a Famco cap isn’t the right call, we’ll say so and use the cap that fits the flue.

How to Identify What You Have

• Check for a label under the cap or on the mounting bracket. Famco stamps model numbers like LD-88 or MC-813 on most units. If the label has corroded away, we can identify the series by the clamp style.
• Measure the flue tile. The outside width and depth, not the inside opening, dictate the cap size. Metal tape, not a guess.
• Look at the material. Aluminum has a dull, matte finish and is light. Stainless has a subtle sheen and is noticeably heavier. Galvanized is gray with a splotchy pattern and is the one we replace most often.

We also stock parts for DuraFlex liners, HeatShield repair materials, and Gelco caps, so if the problem turns out to be more than the cap, we’re not walking back to the truck for answers.

Signs Your Famco Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing

• Rust streaks down the chimney or chase. This means the cap body is corroding and the runoff is staining masonry. Galvanized Famco caps rust from the inside out, and by the time the streaks show, the mesh is usually compromised enough to let embers through.
• Water inside the firebox after rain. A failed cap seal or a cap that has shifted off the flue lets Fort Lauderdale’s afternoon downpours drop straight down the flue. You’ll see a damp spot or a mineral ring on the firebox floor within hours of a storm.
• Birds, bats, or insects in the chimney. The mesh on the cap has torn or the cap has separated from the flue. Once an animal is in, it’s an odor problem and a nesting hazard until the cap is reseated or replaced.
• The cap is sitting at an angle or has slipped off the flue entirely. This is usually a clamp failure or a tile that cracked at the top, and it means the flue is now open to weather and debris.
• Visible spark or ember output from the top of the chimney during a fire. The mesh has burned through or pulled loose. In Fort Lauderdale’s windy winter nights, this is exactly the moment a cap earns its cost.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For a straightforward single-flue Famco-compatible cap installed on a ground-accessible roof in Fort Lauderdale, expect $285 to $390 depending on the cap material and flue size. Larger multi-flue caps and chase-top installations run $390 to $490, and a second-story roof or steep pitch adds $60 to $100 for the extra ladder work and safety rigging. Every quote includes the cap itself, the mounting hardware, disposal of the old cap, and our labor to measure, fit, and seal. The written price Nathan Corliss gives you before any work starts is the price on the invoice, and the Kingswell Guarantee covers the installation: if the cap fails or the seal leaks inside the guarantee period, we return at no charge. Nobody in Fort Lauderdale should pay a premium just because the job involves roof work, but you should pay for a cap that’s sized right and sealed correctly, because a cheap cap that slips off in June is not a savings.

DIY or Call Us?

If you can safely see the cap from ground level or an upstairs window, you can check for obvious damage: visible rust, a crooked cap, missing mesh. That’s worth doing before you call, because it helps us quote accurately. What we advise against is a homeowner laddering up onto a Fort Lauderdale roof in the heat of an afternoon to swap a cap. The reasons are practical and consistent: the tiles here are often brittle from years of sun and salt, a slip on a damp shingle near a chimney is a real risk, and if you don’t seal the cap to the flue correctly, you’ll have the same water leak you started with, except now you’ve been up on the roof in August. If you’re comfortable checking, check. If the fix is more than a visual inspection, call us at (754) 354-1451 and we’ll measure, quote, and install.

FAQs