The first and most important factor in early diagnosis of a leaky chimney is annual care and maintenance of your chimney. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends regular chimney cleaning, and annual chimney inspections by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS). A Certified Chimney Sweep will provide a thorough cleaning of the chimney system and report any noticeable issues. During an inspection, further attention is paid to the safety of the chimney system, and issues effecting the efficiency.
More often than not a chimney leak will be seen and diagnosed by a Certified Chimney Sweep before it causes any extensive damage to the home or property. However, if you begin to notice signs of a leaky chimney, it has most likely caused a lot of damage to your chimney and home already.
Some signs that your chimney is leaky include:
- Water leaking from your ceiling or walls (it doesn’t have to be near your chimney, as water moves throughout the interior of the home)
- Stains on your ceiling or walls around your fireplace and chimney
- Musty or moldy odor coming from your fireplace
- A dripping sound in your fireplace
- Water in your firebox
- Stained masonry
- Crumbling masonry
If you notice any of these issues, or if you notice your fireplace is less efficient contact a professional today before your leaky chimney causes more damage to your chimney system.
Water and Your Chimney
Water doesn’t only dampen a fire out. Water wreaks havoc on a chimney system, especially masonry. Most may think masonry is just brick, but masonry chimneys are constructed of a variety of masonry and metal materials, including brick, mortar, concrete, stone, flue tile, steel, and cast iron. More than a couple of these materials can rust and break down when water is continuously applied. Likewise, when water penetrates a chimney, even more damage can occur. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America water penetration causes:
- Rusted damper assemblies
- Deteriorated metal or masonry firebox assemblies
- Rusted fireplace accessories and glass doors
- Rotting adjacent wood and ruined wall coverings
- Water stained walls and ceiling
- Clogged clean-out area
- Deteriorated central heating system
- Stained chimney exterior
- Decayed exterior mortar
- Cracked or deteriorated flue lining system
- Collapsed hearth support
- Tilted or collapsed chimney structure
- Chimney settlement
When it comes to heating your home, and keeping your family safe you don’t want to cut corners. You depend on a medical professional to diagnose the flu; let a chimney professional diagnose your flue!
At Brickliners we don’t just hand you a report and a quote. We explain the problem and recommend a solution so that you can get back to your safe and efficient home heating system. A little bit of prevention can save you time and money in the future, and like most things, early detection is key.Don’t forget your chimney sweep and inspection as you plan your spring cleaning this year. Call Brickliners today!
