Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation: The Los Angeles Owner’s Guide
We stock and install Olympia Chimney-compatible chimney caps across Los Angeles, with most replacements running $340-$680 installed depending on flue size and whether your crown needs repair. Same-day installation is available six days a week, and we carry the common 8″, 10″, and 13″ round stainless models on every truck. Most homeowners in Los Angeles discover their cap has failed after a rainstorm sends water down the flue, or when they spot rust streaks on the chimney breast from the street.
Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To
Olympia Chimney manufactures caps for their own stainless liner systems and for standard masonry flues, and the part you need depends on which system is on your roof. Their liner-specific caps thread onto the collar of Olympia’s 316Ti stainless liners, common in Los Angeles homes built between 1985 and 2005, while their masonry caps mount with tapcon screws or adhesive to the crown itself. The liner caps carry a part number stamped on the underside collar, usually reading OL-8, OL-10, or OL-13 for the round sizes, or OL-1313 for the 13×13 square. Masonry caps are marked with a gauge stamp, 304 or 316, and a mesh size, typically 5/8″ or 3/4″.
We carry both OEM Olympia caps and equivalent-grade Gelco and Famco models on our trucks. For an Olympia liner system still under its original warranty, we recommend staying with the OEM cap to avoid any coverage dispute. For out-of-warranty systems, the Gelco equivalent matches the 316Ti spec and saves roughly $80-$120 on the parts line. We do not stock the big-box 26-gauge versions. They dent in Santa Ana winds and corrode faster in Los Angeles coastal air than the 304 or 316 stainless we specify.
Hearthstone Chimney Co. is an independent service provider. We are not affiliated with Olympia Chimney.
Signs Your Olympia Chimney Chimney Cap Installation Is Failing
- Water in the firebox after rain. The cap mesh has separated from the frame, or the lid has shifted off-center. In Los Angeles, this often follows a Santa Ana wind event that torque-twists a poorly seated cap.
- Rust-colored staining on the chimney breast or fireplace surround. The cap’s stainless has compromised at a weld or fastener point. Even 316 stainless will pit if trapped moisture sits against it, which happens when caps are installed without proper standoff clearance.
- Birds, squirrels, or debris in the flue. The mesh sides have corroded through or been torn by animals. We’ve found nests in caps where the 5/8″ mesh was chewed wider by determined raccoons in the Hollywood Hills.
- Spalling or crumbling on the chimney crown beneath the cap. The cap is too small for the flue, allowing water to run down the tile and freeze on the crown. Los Angeles doesn’t freeze often, but when it does, one cycle can crack a crown.
- The cap is visibly tilted or missing after high winds. The mounting flange has pulled free, or the cap was never secured with stainless fasteners. We’ve replaced caps in Pasadena that were held on with duct tape and hope.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
| Component | Price Range (Los Angeles) |
|---|---|
| Olympia OEM cap, 8″-10″ round | $180-$260 |
| Olympia OEM cap, 13″ round or 13×13 square | $240-$320 |
| Gelco/Famco equivalent (316 stainless) | $120-$200 |
| Labor: remove old cap, inspect flue, install new | $160-$280 |
| Crown repair (if spalled or cracked) | $180-$400 additional |
| Flashing seal or caulk renewal | $80-$140 additional |
Most single-flue replacements in Los Angeles fall between $340 and $680 total. The range depends on three things: cap size and material grade, whether we need to repair the crown before the new cap will seat properly, and how accessible your roof is. We give you the full number before we start. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. Every cap installation carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, no arguing. If it leaks, shifts, or fails, we come back.
DIY or Call Us?
A homeowner can safely check whether the cap is present, tilted, or obviously damaged from the ground with binoculars. You can also verify the part number on an existing Olympia liner cap if you’re comfortable on a stable ladder and the roof pitch is walkable. What you should not do is attempt the removal and replacement yourself. Working at roofline height on a chimney stack carries real fall risk, and a cap that is not seated and fastened correctly will leak or blow off, often damaging the crown beneath it. The stainless fasteners must be torqued to grip without deforming the flange, and the mesh must clear the flue tile by a precise margin. We complete most cap replacements in a single visit, with photos you can see and a plain-English verdict on the condition of your crown and flue. Call (844) 803-1545 for a free estimate.
FAQs
A properly installed 316 stainless cap typically lasts 15-25 years in Los Angeles, though coastal exposure in Malibu or Redondo Beach can shorten that to 10-15 years due to salt air corrosion. Call (844) 803-1545 and we’ll check what grade you have and whether it’s time.
Minor mesh tears can sometimes be patched, but separated welds, frame distortion, or significant rust mean replacement. A patched cap usually fails again within two years, and the labor to remove and reinstall is the same either way. Call (844) 803-1545 for an honest assessment, estimates are free.
Most Olympia Chimney cap installations take 45 minutes to 90 minutes, including removal of the old unit, flue inspection, and proper fastening of the new cap. If crown repair is needed, add 2-3 hours. Call (844) 803-1545 to schedule, we complete most jobs in a single visit.
We carry the 8″, 10″, and 13″ round sizes and the 13×13 square in both OEM Olympia and Gelco equivalent grades on every service vehicle. Less common sizes or custom copper caps we order with 2-3 day turnaround. Call (844) 803-1545 with your part number and we’ll confirm same-day availability.
Find what’s wrong, say it plainly, fix it right. That’s how Russell Haines taught the crew to approach every job, and it’s how we’ve worked across Los Angeles for over 42 years. If your Olympia Chimney cap is failing, we’ll tell you exactly what we found, show you the photos, and give you a price that doesn’t change. Done right, and we stand behind it.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner & Master Sweep, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Los Angeles and nearby areas.