You need to undertake chimney repair every now and then. This is because the chimney tends to break down just like any other part of the house. While many homeowners know this, most of them don’t know the right time when they should repair it. To help you out, here are signs that your chimney is ready for repair:
Water leaks
There is nothing that makes your home uncomfortable as moisture. If you notice water getting into the house during a heavy rainstorm, you have a leak that you should address as soon as possible.
Water leaks come about due to worn down mortar, torn flashing, or cracks in the crown. In addition to the water leak making your home uncomfortable, it can also lead to damage in the siding, ceiling, and walls. If you let the issue persist for a long time, it will lean and even collapse.
When you notice condensation in the chimney stack, salt deposits in the bricks, or spalling, you have a problem in your hands that you should fix as soon as possible. If you have the skills you can try diagnosing the problem by yourself but if you don’t have the skills, hire a professional to help you out.
Rusty chimney parts
When you notice rust on the damper, firebox, or other chimney components, it’s time to contact a chimney professional to undertake the repairs. Rust often comes about due to presence of moisture in the chimney.
In addition to the moisture leading to rusting, it also leads to cracking of the tiles, which is an issue that has been shown to lead to house fires.
In some cases, the chimney components will rust due to old age. Regardless of the reason why the parts are rusting, you need to identify a chimney professional who will inspect the chimney using a special camera and find out the extent of damage.
Sometimes repairing the damaged parts is enough, but in some cases, the professional will have to replace the units.
Crumbling bricks or mortar joints
Crumbling bricks mean that your chimney is on the blink of collapsing. Minor cracks in the bricks can go unnoticed but when the damage is extensive, you can’t ignore it. In most cases, if the exterior of the bricks is showing wear, chances are that you have the problems even on the interior of the chimney.
For example, you might be having cracks in the flue lining or excess moisture that is causing the bricks to expand and contract when the temperature changes.
The last thing you want is the chimney or even the entire house coming down on you. When you notice a problem even a minor one on the mortar joints, you should contact a chimney professional to undertake chimney inspection.
Some chimneys have plaster or drywall so the bricks aren’t open for inspection. In such a case, the professional should check the closet or attic for damage. Sometimes minor repair is enough, but if the damage is extensive, you will have to rebuild the entire chimney. This is often the case when your chimney is old.
Cracked chimney crown
The chimney crown is the top part of the chimney. When the crown is broken, water tends to enter through the cracks and over time, it worsens them. If you don’t fix the crown early enough, the chimney eventually comes down.
When you notice cracks or breaks in the cement in your chimney crown, you should hire a professional who will inspect the chimney and fix the problem. For you to ensure that the problem doesn’t come about in the future, you should waterproof the chimney.
Shaling flue tiles
Shaling is the coming off of thin flue tiles due to a damaged liner. Presence of the thin pieces of your chimney is an indication of a serious problem with the lining of the flue. Problems with the flue put your house at the risk of fire.
For you to protect your home from the risk, you should hire chimney contractors Bowie to inspect the extent of damage and fix it. For you to prevent recurring flue issue, consider installing a stainless steel flue that won’t keep on developing problems.
