Chimney Leaks and What to Do About Them

If you have a masonry chimney, chances are you will have a chimney leak at some point. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) [], water is your masonry chimney’s biggest enemy. Every part of your chimney will suffer damage if water is able to penetrate into it, which is why it is so important to practice maintenance steps like waterproofing your chimney. However, if you notice stained ceilings or walls, loose bricks on the outside of your chimney, or even a musty smell coming from your fireplace, you more than likely have already suffered a chimney leak, and now you need to call a professional chimney company like Chimney Saver Solutions to locate the leak and repair it.

Finding the source of a chimney leak can be a difficult task. Being a more informed homeowner and knowing the four major causes of a leaky chimney can save you a lot of time and frustration:

1. Your chimney cap is missing or damaged. Made from stainless steel or copper, chimney caps are your best defense against water penetration, as they cover the top of your chimney. Bad weather or animals trying to get into your chimney can damage your chimney cap, leaving your chimney open to the elements and allowing rainwater to enter freely. At Chimney Saver Solutions, we carry and professionally install a wide variety of chimney caps to keep your chimney safe from damaging water penetration.

2. Your chimney crown is worn out. Sitting underneath your chimney cap, your chimney crown is a layer of concrete that seals off your chimney. However, if your crown is not made from the correct material or if it is improperly installed, damage and deterioration occurs sooner, enabling water to leak into your chimney. Our technicians at Chimney Saver Solutions will assure you that you have a well constructed and well-maintained chimney crown to replace your old, damaged one.

3. Your flashing is damaged or missing. The metal sheeting that sits in between your chimney and your roof to protect that area from water leaks, flashing is often improperly installed, as not every chimney company takes the time to customize the flashing itself to perfectly fit your roof. At Chimney Saver Solutions, our technicians carefully measure each part of your chimney and its surrounding areas to customize the flashing to fit exactly, leaving no holes or cracks, thereby allowing no room for water penetration.

4. Your mortar joints have deteriorated over time. When water penetrates into your chimney and gets into your bricks and mortar, it wears down the important mortar joints that hold everything together causing holes and cracks to form within the masonry. Many times, water within your chimney will freeze during the winter, and when it thaws out, bricks break and crumble, leading to more holes and eventual structural damage of your chimney. At Chimney Saver Solutions, we can fix the masonry work inside your chimney by tuckpointing. Once that repair work is finished, we can apply our waterproofing treatment to ensure the masonry work in your chimney is protected from any future water leaks.

If you suspect you have a leaky chimney, contact Chimney Saver Solutions today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced technicians, who will solve your leak problem for you as quickly as possible and protect your home from future water penetration damage.