Gelco Chimney Cap Installation Nationwide

Gelco Chimney Cap Installation: The Arlington Heights Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Gelco-compatible chimney cap replacements across Arlington Heights, with most jobs running $285-$475 installed depending on flue size and whether the crown needs resealing underneath. Gelco caps are galvanized steel with a baked-on powder coat, and in our northwest suburban climate, the weld points at the corner seams typically give out before the mesh does. You’ll usually spot trouble after a hard rain when water starts hitting the firebox floor, or when the cap itself shifts in a wind gust because the corner posts have rusted through.

Call (331) 202-2419

Which Gelco Models This Applies To

Gelco caps break down into three main series you’ll see around Arlington Heights: the original Gelco Galvanized line (black or stainless finish, stamped with a model prefix like G-8, G-10, G-13 indicating flue diameter in inches), the Gelco Ultra (heavier 24-gauge steel, wider mesh for oil flues), and the Gelco Multi-Flue caps used on newer construction with multiple flue terminals on one crown. The critical compatibility gotcha is the leg height: Gelco originals ship with 6-inch legs standard, but many Arlington Heights colonials built in the 1960s and 70s need 9-inch or 12-inch legs to clear the flue tile extension above the crown. We measure on-site with a folding rule, not a guess from the ground.

On OEM versus aftermarket: Gelco still manufactures replacement caps through Copperfield Supply, but the lead time can stretch to three weeks. We source equivalent-spec caps through Haven’s buying network from Olympia Chimney and Famco, same 24-gauge galvanized steel and same 5/8-inch spark-arrestor mesh, with the difference being we can have it on your roof in 48 hours instead of three weeks. If you’re matching an existing Gelco cap for aesthetics on a visible roofline, we can order the genuine article. The camera doesn’t guess. Neither do we.

Signs Your Gelco Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing

• Water in the firebox after rain. The corner seam welds on Gelco caps crack from freeze-thaw cycling, and once water finds that gap, it runs straight down the flue tile. In Arlington Heights, we see this most on north-facing caps that never fully dry between November and March.
• The cap sits crooked or rocks when touched. This means the leg posts have rusted at the base where they meet the crown, or the masonry anchors have pulled free. A loose cap is a flying hazard in a suburban wind corridor like ours.
• Rust streaks down the chimney face. Gelco’s powder coat holds up well, but once it’s breached at a weld or fastener hole, the galvanized layer underneath eventually succumbs. Those orange streaks are your early warning before structural failure.
• Birds or squirrels in the flue. The 5/8-inch mesh on Gelco caps is designed to stop embers, not determined wildlife. If the mesh has corroded away at the edges or the cap has shifted, you’ve got an entry point.
• Damp, musty odor from the fireplace in summer. A cap that’s lost its seal lets humid air settle in the flue, and with Arlington Heights’ July humidity regularly pushing 80%, that moisture breeds odor and accelerates liner deterioration.

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Replacement Cost & What’s Included

Every installation includes removal and haul-away of the old cap, new cap with matching leg height, stainless fasteners (we don’t reuse rusted originals), and a bead of CrownSeal where the legs meet the crown to prevent the exact water intrusion that killed your last cap. The price is written before we start, backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. Materials come through Haven’s buying network from Gelco, Olympia Chimney, or Famco, specifically to keep customer prices honest.

DIY or Call Us?

There’s exactly one thing a homeowner can safely check: whether the cap is merely loose because a fastener backed out, which you can spot from the ground with binoculars. Everything else belongs on a ladder or roof, and chimney work involves steep pitches, power lines, and the real risk of dropping a steel cap onto your siding or a neighbor’s car.

More importantly, most “cap replacements” we get called to in Arlington Heights turn out to need crown repair underneath that wasn’t visible from the yard. Corrine Halstead and her crew have found cracked crowns hiding under seemingly sound caps on Campbell Street colonials more times than we can count. The NFPA 211 Level 2 camera inspection we run with every cap job catches what a ladder look cannot. If you want to verify the scope yourself, we’re happy to show you the photos before you decide. Call (331) 202-2419 and we’ll get a written price to you.

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