Does Your Chimney Need Repair?
Signs That Your Chimney Is In Need of Repair
One of the best features of many homes is a chimney and fireplace to enjoy a fire on a cold winter night. However, if the chimney is not in excellent working condition, it could actually be a source of peril rather than enjoyment. There are a few signs that any homeowner can look out for that would indicate a problem with their chimney. It is important to take these warning signs seriously because many of them can snowball into much more serious and dangerous situations.
One problem that can quickly lead to other problems is damage to the mortar joints. This is the place where the pieces of chimney masonry come together. It may be necessary to get up on the roof to see this damage, but it is well worth checking out. During your annual inspection, a certified sweep can take a look at your mortar joints for you, so that you don’t have to get up on the roof. If there is damage to the mortar joints, then too much moisture will be able to enter the chimney. Not only does moisture lead to many other problems with the chimney but, if it is not corrected, this could lead to a total collapse of the chimney.
Water in your chimney can cause many problems, including a collapse of your chimney.
Another issue that is best found from the chimney is a cracked or otherwise damaged chimney crown. The crown is the part of the chimney that keeps material out which should not be in the chimney. This helps prevent moisture in the chimney but also keeps things such as leaves and animals out. This may not seem important but allowing these foreign materials into the chimney can lead to much more serious issues.
If there is too much moisture in the chimney, one of the most obvious signs will be the development of rust. In particular, the damper and the firebox itself will have rust in the presence of excess moisture. When there is rust in the chimney, it can cause the flue to crack, which allows too much heat to enter the home when there is a fire in the fireplace. If this happens, the home is at an increased risk for a dangerous house fire.
Taking a good look at the firebox another good way to tell if there is too much moisture in the chimney. One obvious problem will be that the bricks on the chimney will begin to pop out, peel, or flake. Eventually, if it is not fixed, huge chunks of the firebox will start to break off. This could compromise the integrity of the entire structure, causing it to crumble completely.
If there are pieces of tile gathering at the bottom of the fireplace, it is important to consider where they are coming from. In most cases, they are coming from the flue liner, which is damaged. It is important to know that the fireplace should never be used if the flue liner is not intact. This is an extremely dangerous situation and should be remedied immediately. Many people in this situation choose to replace their tile liners with stainless steel, which is less likely to fall apart over time.
There are many different issues that may arise with a chimney and many of them can lead to other problems if they are not fixed in a timely manner. One of the most important things to look out for is excess water in the chimney. This can lead to deterioration that could eventually cause the entire structure to fall apart. If there is any sign that the structure of the chimney has been compromised, it is important to have it inspected immediately.