Santa's Friend Chimney Service

Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Did the Winter Weather Damage Your Chimney?

Despite being in the South, our area has experienced some harsh winter weather this year, and we at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service have been very busy repairing a lot of damage caused by the past couple of very cold months. From water leaks to damaged dampers, liners, and chimney caps to masonry problems, the extreme temperatures of winter can be very destructive to a chimney. You may have even noticed some damage done to your chimney. The spring season is a great time to take care of these repairs, and you do not want to delay fixing winter-related chimney damage. We would like to tell you about some common post-winter chimney repairs and how our certified and experienced chimney technicians can fix these problems.

2015 Winter Weather Chimney Damage - Jackson MS

Leaky Chimneys

Causing possibly hundreds to thousands of dollars in chimney damage repair, water leaks are a chimney’s worst enemy. After a cold winter with below-freezing temperatures, we often see leaks caused by spalling. Water leaks from a chimney can be hard to locate, so call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service to schedule a professional chimney inspection to determine exactly what is causing them. You can see signs of a leaky chimney, which include:

  • loose or missing bricks and/or mortar
  • cracking and crumbling in the bricks and/or mortar
  • rusty stains
  • brick discoloration
  • water in the fireplace
  • damp odors

Damper and Chimney Cap Damage

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the efficiency of these two parts of your chimney is crucial to saving energy and money. Additionally, these two components serve to keep water from penetrating into your chimney. If your damper is stuck open, it is the same thing as leaving a window in your house open. Cold air escapes, bugs get in, the rain pours into your house, etc. If the damper is stuck closed, you cannot start a fire because your flue is closed-off and unable to filter smoke and gases. Similarly, an undamaged chimney cap fitting correctly on the top of your chimney is essential because not only does it also keep rain out of your chimney, but it prevents stray animals from setting up home there.

Masonry Fireplace Damage

These classic chimneys are a bit more elaborate and require different types of maintenance, but Santa’s Friend Chimney Service specializes in repairing masonry chimneys and is glad to check these jobs off your repair list:

  • crown repair – Your crown is the chimney cap of your masonry chimney and can become cracked during the winter during extremely cold spells.
  • repointing/tuckpointing – When the bricks and mortar of your chimney are crumbling and falling apart due to deteriorating joints from spalling and water damage, we can repair (or rebuild, if necessary) your chimney using these techniques.

If you have noticed any of these or other chimney problems from the past winter, contact Santa’s Friend Chimney Service as soon as possible. We are ready to repair any damage as well as prevent further damage from occurring.

By Jim Robinson on March 14th, 2015 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment