Our Company Blog

So You’ve Got A Leaky Chimney

There’s nothing good about a leak, no matter where that leak is. If your tire is leaking, you’re going to have to spend time fixing it before you go where you want to go. If your pipe is leaking, you’re going to have to fix it, and probably the floor or the ceiling that is affected by that leak, too. If your chimney is leaking, it’s a problem as well. Your chimney is designed to do one thing very well, and that’s directing smoke out into the open air rather than being allowed to be sucked back into your home. There are other purposes, too, of course, such as bringing in air to work as draft to keep your fire burning. If your chimney is leaking, then these things aren’t going to be happening like they should be, and that’s going to cause other problems. So if you suspect you have a leaky chimney, or if you haven’t had your annual chimney inspection yet, give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc a call and let’s get an appointment set up!

Causes of Leaks in Your Chimney

There are several reasons that your chimney might be leaking. First, there’s the freeze-thaw cycle. The mortar that holds the bricks together is a porous material, and so are the bricks. As precipitation falls, it permeates those pores and rests there. When freezing weather comes, that water freezes and expands, expanding the pores are well. This just leaves bigger spaces for the precipitation to fill next time. This process repeats itself, and soon you’ll have cracks and crevices in the structure of the chimney where water can leak right in.

Another place that is susceptible to leaks is at the top of the chimney, at the chimney cap or the chimney crown. The crown, which is the topmost built-on piece of the chimney, is designed in a way to keep the rain away from the area where the roof meets the chimney. It’s made of cement, so it could also be affected by the freeze-thaw cycle. If this happens, it does need to be repaired so that the leaks are stopped before they even start. The chimney cap, which sits on top of the chimney crown, is actually designed as a roof over the actual chimney opening, and it directs precipitation to the sloped edge of the chimney crown. If this gets rusty or damaged, it will allow precipitation to enter into the chimney as well.

Why You Need These Repaired

If your chimney is leaking, it can cause damage to the metal parts of your chimney, such as the dampers or the firebox. It can also cause the chimney lining to break down, and if the mortar has already deteriorated and cracked, that can mean that some of the gases that are released during combustion could be sneaking back into the house, where they can cause health issues for you and your family.

If you suspect that your chimney is leaking, give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service a call so we can repair it before it causes further damage!

Waterproofing 101

Rain is such an important part of the natural cycle of the environment. It brings life to plants, breaks a heat cycle, and fills the lakes and rivers. Doesn’t it feel and smell wonderful after a gentle summer rain has fallen, cleaning off the sidewalks and freshening up the air we breathe? It’s hard to imagine that something as fresh, clear, and gentle as rain can have a negative side as well, but when it comes to your chimney, precipitation can definitely have a deteriorating effect.

Precipitation and its Negative Power

When you think of precipitation, you probably think of softly falling rain or gently falling snow, and that’s oftentimes the case. However, there are, times when the rain comes down in torrents or sleet or hail hit fast and hard. It’s during the big storms that you’d assume damage to your chimney would occur, but the gently falling precipitation can also have an adverse effect on your chimney. This is due to the freeze-thaw cycle. When it rains, the moisture gets into your bricks and mortar and settles into the pores. When the cold Ohio winters hit, that moisture freezes and expands, causing the pores to get bigger. As more moisture seeps in, the process is repeated, and before you know it, you have structural damage.

Negative Effects on your Chimney

When your chimney starts to leak, the worst possible effect is structural damage. If this occurs, you may be looking at major repair jobs or even rebuilding parts of your chimney. This is one reason to give Chim Cheroo Chimney Service a call soon to have your annual inspection and cleaning. We’ll be able to see any damage and recommend solutions so bigger damage doesn’t occur. But even if it’s caught early, other damage can occur. You might experience weakened interior walls and ceiling, moldy wallboards or wall and ceiling coverings, rusty chimney parts such as the damper system or firebox assembly, or even damage to the flue liner. All of these things can be very damaging, but what’s a homeowner to do? You can’t stop the rain from falling, and you can’t build a giant bubble over your chimney. There is, however, something that you can do, and that’s waterproof your chimney.

Let us Waterproof your Chimney

When it comes to waterproofing a chimney, certain precautions need to take place. If you were to seal your chimney, the water that remained in the bricks and mortar wouldn’t be allowed to escape outside, and so would trickle down the interior of your chimney instead. You can imagine the damage this could cause! At Chim Cheroo Chimney Service, we use ChimneySaver water repellent to waterproof your chimney. This product is amazing because it brings a seal that keeps water from invading the pores of your brick and mortar while allowing the moisture that’s already there to evaporate out. For more information on the waterproofing process, give us a call at 800-284-8770.