Your chimney is designed to last. It’s designed to withstand abuse from heat, chemical byproducts, and weather. However, to keep it working properly it must be maintained. The worst thing that can happen to your chimney system is water intrusion. It can mean costly repairs to your chimney and your home, time without your fire, and even the need for a complete rebuild!
Water and Your Masonry
Masonry is constructed of many materials, most of which are adversely affected by moisture. This means when water penetrates your masonry, it can destroy it from the inside out. Even a small chimney leak can grow into a disastrous problems resulting in:
- 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
Your Chimney Leak and Your Home
Besides causing hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of damage, a leaky chimney can affect other parts of your home. It can cause respiratory distress and issues for family members with and without a history of respiratory illness. Once the chimney is closed out for the summer, the heat combined with moisture is a particularly good space for mold and mildew to grow. This not only puts your family’s health at risk, but mold and mildew can outgrow your masonry and affect other areas of your home. This includes walls, ceilings, and floors.
The mold and mildew in your chimney can also cause foul odors during the warm summer months due to negative pressure that allows the air inside the chimney to fall into the fireplace and home. Instead of the fresh smells of spring and summer, you may smell mold and mildew. This means you need to call a professional right away. A moldy smell not only means you have a leak, but you have had a leak long enough for bacteria to grow and thrive. A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS) will give your chimney sweep a thorough cleaning and offer a report of damages. At Brickliners, our technicians don’t just repair the damage, but find the source of the leak and fix that, too!
What We Can Do
Brickliners specializes in masonry repair, but we want to prevent damage before it starts! This keeps our customers safe and comfortable. All of our technicians are experienced in the installation, repair, and replacement of chimney caps, chase covers, chimney crowns, and flashing. These important parts of the system work together to keep water out of the chimney. We also use a waterproofing sealant, specially formulated to allow smoke and vapors out, while preventing water molecules from getting in. This is the last step to insuring your masonry and entire chimney system is ready for another year of seasonal weather.
What You Can Do
Call a professional for all of your chimney services and preventative maintenance, including your annual chimney inspections, routine chimney sweeps, chimney leak repairs, and more!
Talk to a Brickliners chimney sweep today by calling 802-872-0123.
