Not only do chimney caps save you money in the long run but they prevent fires too! They play an important role in preventing debris and precipitation (rain and snow) from entering the chimney flue.  Other benefits of a chimney cap are extending the life of the crown, protecting the flue and mortar around the crown from cracking. On average, each year in the US, there were 26,000 chimney fires caused by fireplace, chimney and chimney connectors and many of them could have been entirely preventable if a chimney cap would have been installed.