This is where it all began: Top Hat opened its doors as a chimney cleaning service in 1974. While our business has expanded into many other home comfort services, we honour those roots by continuing to provide the very best in chimney cleaning service. Over more than four decades, we have cleaned and serviced thousands of chimneys and appliances.
Chimney cleaning may seem like a simple task, but it takes a great deal of technical know-how to also ensure that the chimney, and fireplace or stove, are in safe working order. Our chimney cleaning technicians are Wood Energy Technology Transfer (WETT) trained, and are experienced in cleaning all forms of wood and pellet burning appliances.
Every flue should have a rain cap, even if the chimney is not in use. The rain cap prevents most rain and snow from entering your chimney flue and potentially causing damage over time. Our rain caps are screened in, so they also prevent birds and other wildlife from entering and creating blockages in your chimney. Top Hat’s trucks are stocked with the most common sizes of chimney rain caps, and we can order in a wide variety of speciality and decorative caps at your request.
One of the most common chimney repairs we find when performing a chimney cleaning is the need to replace a chimney’s chase cap. This is the covering for the chimney that surrounds the flue at the top of the chimney and protects the interior structure of the chimney from rain. The chase caps we install require us to take measurements; the chase caps are then custom built from metal flashing, with many colours to choose from to match the aesthetic of your home.
A simple solution to a sometimes complex problem. Fireplace chimneys can be a significant source of energy loss from your home. A lock-top damper system completely seals your chimney from the top when it’s not in use. The Lyemance top sealing fireplace damper reduces heat and air conditioning loss, and eliminates down drafts when your fireplace is not in use. Closing the top of the chimney also eliminates the risk of birds or other animals making a home in your chimney. In addittion, the lock top damper keeps the interior of the chimney a little warmer, so when you go to light a fire, you will have less trouble establishing a proper draft.
Our chimney sweeps can also perform maintenance and repairs to your wood stove or fireplace. The most common items that should be checked are the gaskets that seal around the glass and doors. These are often overlooked, as it is not always easy to tell when they need replacement. A door gasket should be replaced once there are gaps that remain while the door is closed. Our chimney sweeps can identify such issues during their inspection, while cleaning the chimney. They will let you know if it’s time to have the gasket changed, and can do the replacement for you as well.
Stainless steel or aluminium chimney liners are often a good remedy where a masonry chimney has minor interior damage or deterioration, provided the exterior and structure are sound. Chimney liners are required for gas, wood or pellet inserts, while wood stoves venting through a masonry chimney don’t require a liner, as long as the interior tile lining is in good shape. Newer high efficiency wood stoves, however, will function much better if a liner is installed.
Over the past 20 years, the use of prefabricated fireplaces and chimneys has become far more popular. These chimneys can be installed in almost any situation, and can be used to vent wood, pellet, or gas appliances. We service and repair almost any brand of prefabricated chimney. Our high efficiency fireplaces and stoves are designed to operate with prefabricated metal. Whether you need a chimney inspection, install, or repair, we can help. We sell and install chimneys from several manufacturers, such as ICC and Security.