The Top Vent is a two-piece chimney cap with a solid vented top and a screened base. Like the Copper Top Vent, it separates the weather barrier from the vent plane — but the TV is built from standard sheet material in all four metals rather than the heavier copper-specific construction of the CTV. Same two-piece concept, broader material and size range, lower entry price.
Every TV is hand-fabricated to your exact chimney dimensions in my shop in Berlin, NJ. No stock inventory, no standard sizes.
Also called a chimney topper, chimney rain cap, chimney cover, chimney shroud, or chimney surround — whatever you call it, this one is built to last.
Unlike store-bought caps that sit on the clay flue tile, this cap covers the entire chimney crown — protecting the masonry itself from water infiltration, freeze-thaw damage, and the creosote acid that eats mortar. Crown repair runs $500–$3,000. A full rebuild runs $10,000–$20,000. A cap that covers the crown correctly prevents all of it.
Top Mount Cap Measuring — Add 6" to the length and width of where you want the screen to sit on the chimney top. Top Mount vs Side Mount Guide →
Available in copper, stainless steel chimney cap, Kynar aluminum, and Galvalume. Stainless steel chimney caps and stainless chimney covers are built to the same spec and dimensions as every other material — contact me to order.
What It Does
The solid top lid keeps rain and debris out from above. The open perimeter gap between the top and base allows combustion gases and moisture to exit freely on all four sides — lower draft resistance than a conventional side-screen cap. Stainless steel mesh in the screen zone and the vent gap keeps birds and animals out while maintaining airflow. The lid removes with a screwdriver for chimney sweeping or flue access.
Two-Piece Construction
The base is a four-sided box with the mounting flange at the bottom and a mesh-covered opening at the top edge. The top is a flat lid with an overhang that sheds water away from the vent gap. The top nests on the base and removes with a screwdriver for chimney sweeping or flue access.
Corners are mitered and double-locked. The flange is brake-formed from the same sheet as the body — 8" rip, 1" exposed face. All fasteners are stainless steel. Screen is expanded stainless steel mesh for copper and stainless caps, aluminum mesh for Kynar and Galvalume.
Mount options: side mount with drip edge (standard for masonry chimneys) or top mount flange (flush-set on crown or wood chase top).
Cross-Brake Lid
The TV top lid includes a cross-brake — two diagonal brake-formed ribs running corner to corner across the underside. The cross-brake stiffens the lid against oil-canning on larger sizes and adds visual definition to an otherwise flat panel. On copper caps it becomes more prominent as the surface patinas.
Specs
- Cap style: Top Vent (TV) — two-piece, vented gap perimeter
- Screen: Dual zone — lower screen + vent gap screen
- Lid: Solid with cross-brake, removable
- Mount options: Side mount (drip edge) · Top mount flange
- Drip edge height: 2" – 5" (3" standard, side mount only)
- Flange: Premium, 8" rip, 1" face, mitered
- Size range: 24" × 24" minimum · 47" W maximum · 96" L maximum
- Materials: Copper · Kynar Aluminum · Galvalume · Stainless Steel
- Fasteners: Stainless steel throughout
- Made in: Berlin, NJ
Wood-Framed Chase
Top mount TV caps work on wood-framed chases. The flange sets on the chase top board — seal the perimeter with elastomeric caulk and back-prime any exposed wood before installation. If the chase top is deteriorating, address that before capping. A new cap on a failing deck is a short-term fix.
Questions about your chase? Call or text (609) 352-9840.
About Archaic Metal
I'm Sean. I've been working copper and sheet metal since 1994, trained under master coppersmith Stephen L. Foss at Ye Olde Tin Shop in Haddonfield, NJ. Archaic Metal has been my operation since 2011 — one person, one shop in Berlin, NJ. Every cap I sell is one I fabricated. No outsourcing, no batch runs sitting on a shelf. Your cap is built to your dimensions after you order it.
More on how I build caps: How Chimney Caps Are Made · Copper vs. Aluminum
Not sure what size or style you need?
I personally review every order before I build it — send me your measurements and I'll confirm everything before fabrication starts. You won't be left guessing.
Request a quote or call/text me directly: (609) 352-9840