Tradesman should point out to customers whose chimney caps are damaged that they should be repaired as soon as possible.
Dennis Moore Hopkins, writing in an entry on Ezine Articles, said that whenever possible, repairs to chimney cowls, caps and other areas should be carried out by an experienced professional, who will know how to tackle the job.
With broken chimney caps, the key is getting the right mixture of masonry cement, pea gravel and water.
"The crown mix has to be prepared in a wheelbarrow and one cup of bonding agent must be put into this mix and blended. This mix must be appropriately applied to the crown area," Mr Hopkins said.
If the chimney liner has become damaged then tradesmen should recommend that a flexible liner be installed.
Glen K, writing on the American River Rafting blog, suggested that this is a more preferable option to ripping the whole thing down and starting from scratch.