Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Keep the Water Out

Keep A Focus On Keeping Water Out Of Your Chimney

Along with having your chimney inspected every year and making regular chimney sweeping appointments to stay ahead of creosote, taking precautions to fight off encroaching water is one of the most important things you can do to keep your chimney system trouble-free.

Call us today and lets start making sure your chimney is working at its optimal level.

A healthy amount of the time, when Santa’s Friend Chimney Service is called in with a chimney repair need, water is the culprit behind the damage. That’s partly because water can so easily take advantage of even the smallest chink in your chimney’s armor, slipping into the tiniest crack or gap and then, during cold snaps, expanding as it freezes and making a small problem into a big one. The fact that moisture is almost omnipresent in Central Mississippi doesn’t help either — moisture, over time, can just wear at masonry and metal.

But something to consider, too, is prevention. A lot of times, we don’t think about moisture’s effects on our chimney system until we’re dealing with a leak. But a few key things can help you minimize leaks and moisture damage — or even avoid them altogether.

Make Sure You Have A Properly Sized And Installed Chimney Cap

A chimney cap isn’t just adornment (though it does make a chimney look nicer and more finished). It helps to keep precipitation from coming directly into your flue opening, and slowly wearing away at the flue liner or masonry. If your cap is damaged or missing, Santa’s Friend can install a new chimney cap that’ll bring much-needed protection to your flue.

Consider Chimney Waterproofing

We highly recommend Chimney Saver’s chimney waterproofing sealant. It stops water from penetrating your masonry, but still allows that masonry to expel vapors from its interior, as it was designed to. That protection not only helps you avoid leaks, but adds to your masonry’s longevity too (and in that, minimizes your headaches). Santa’s Friend techs can tell you more about this product, and apply it to your chimney.

Remember When We Mentioned Chimney Inspections?

Keeping up with your annual inspections is key to minimizing chimney leak problems. It’s not uncommon for the parts of your system designed to fend off water — like the chimney crown at the top of your flue or the flashing installed where the chimney and the roofline meet — to develop small imperfections. Your crown may crack under the strain of sun and rain, and the caulking around your flashing can loosen or come off. When you have your chimney inspected regularly, Santa’s Friend can catch those small issues before they get worse, and make the repairs to avoid a serious leak.

If you have any worries about moisture getting into your chimney, call Santa’s Friend. We’re always here to help with information, service, repairs, installations — anything you might need for the care and maintenance of your chimney system.

Stop the Mold!

Clear The Air: Keep Mold Out Of Your Chimney

We hate having to give clients the news that their chimney is leaking. We double hate having to tell anyone that a chimney leak has created a mold issue. Water damage can be frustrating and costly, and mold growth is smelly, dirty and really tough to get rid of on top of that. Plus, if someone in your home suffers from respiratory issues like asthma, mold is more than just an annoyance; it’s a really serious hazard.

Anytime moisture gets into your chimney, there is a perfect breeding ground for mold. This can cause respiratory problems.

If you’re worried about moisture and mold problems, Santa’s Friend Chimney Service is just a phone call away — our experienced technicians can inspect your chimney. to find the source or sources of moisture problems, determine whether you have mold growth and get you on a path to being rid of both of those problems.

Do I Have Mold?

If you notice discoloration (often green, brown or black) around water-damaged areas in your home or chimney, and/or smell the tell-tale musty odor, there’s a good chance you have mold growth. And when water intrusion leads to mold, there’s reason to be concerned about it. Moisture issues can lead to toxic black mold, and — this is something you’ve probably heard a time or 20 — black mold has been shown to contribute to a variety of health and respiratory issues, including everything from coughs and flu-like symptoms to upper respiratory problems and increased asthma symptoms.

Where’s The Mold Coming From?

We say it all the time: water is your chimney’s worst enemy. And it’s a tenacious enemy, too — it’s determined to find a way into your flue and into your home, however it can. Sometimes water intrusion is the result of damage — a cracked chimney crown or torn flashing. Other times eroded masonry starts to wick so much water in through its surface that moisture pulls straight through to the inside and starts providing a welcoming home for mold. Our first step, after determining whether or not you have a mold problem, is determining where the moisture is coming from and recommending the best way to remedy it.

Removing Mold, And Keeping It Away

Safely and thoroughly remediating mold growth is important, and Santa’s Friend can help. But the key thing to really getting this problem out of your hair is preventing it from happening again. Our techs can make any necessary repairs to get your chimney back to successfully fighting off water intrusion, whether that’s applying CrownSeal sealant to your damaged crown, replacing your flashing or tuckpointing damaged mortar joints. We can also protect the chimney masonry itself by applying a specially formulated waterproofing sealant that allows your chimney to shed water but still properly vent vapors from the inside of the flue.

Santa’s Friend wants to help keep your home and chimney dry and mold-free — if you have a moisture or mold issue, give us a call!