Causes of Chimney Leaks and What To Do If Your Chimney is Leaking?

Nothing else can beat the feeling of a warm fire during the winter months. You might run into difficulties such as chimney leaks while maintaining your chimney. Chimney leaks are a common occurrence & there are multiple reasons for your chimney leakages & who you call depends on the type of leak.

It is important to find common chimney leaks early on, so it does not snowball into something worse down the road. Anytime you leak your chimney, then it is going to be stressful & frustrating. To prevent further issues & even the risk of fire, homeowners must be proactive in their chimney maintenance.

There are five main reasons for chimney leaking. If this problem is not solved by addressing the following reasons, then the leak is not probably from your chimney.

1. Coverless Top of Your Chimney

One of the biggest reasons for leaking chimneys is that your chimney‘s top is coverless. Your chimney has no protection against rain & snow from entering it. If there is no cover, then moisture, birds or other animals can enter your chimney because there will be a passageway into your home. When chimneys get blocked at the bottom, people get sick, or even they can die from CO poisoning. While it is true that sometimes an uncovered flue is the main reason for water problems, generally, this reason for a leak is only when the liner is made of metal. Plus, smoke can billow back into your home if your chimney gets backed up from moisture & other debris. Smoke & carbon monoxide can quickly spread in your home, which we all know is very dangerous.

2. Damaged Chimney Crown or Chase Cover

A damaged or cracked chimney crown or chase cover is another very common cause of chimney leaking. Your chimney crown is made of the concrete slab on the top that saves your chimney from the weather.

Over time, due to the excessive amount of moisture and temperature changes, the concrete can become brittle & crack. If a damaged chimney crown is caused by chimney leaks, then it can be repaired by filling the cracks or entirely replacing the crown.

Generally, chase covers are found on factory-built or prefabricated chimneys. If your home still has the original chase cover on it, chances are high that it is made of galvanized steel which can rust & crack over time.

In such a case, your chimney should be replaced as soon as possible with a copper, stainless steel or aluminum chase cover to confirm it never rusts again.

3. Chimneys Leaking from the Inside Out from Condensation

One of the cases of chimney leaks is condensation building up inside & it is causing it to leak through. When a chimney is transformed from wood burning to gas burning & is not fitted with the proper liner, then chimney leaks are caused by condensation.

The moisture can build up & seep through your chimney walls if the gas fireplaces give off fumes with moisture due to the lower temperatures & if the correct liner is not installed.

To stop this from happening, make sure that the appropriate liner is installed if you have a gas fireplace or recently moved into a home with a gas fireplace. If you are not sure how to check, a chimney inspection by a professional will solve all of your problems.

4. Chimney Flashing

The chimney flashing is what keeps water and other dust from going into the place where the brick structure comes through the roof. There is a fairly big gap between the bricks & the roof & water will pour through that hole if it is not sealed up. Flashing is aluminum that goes in between a couple of bricks & bends to go on top of the silts. Some sort of waterproof stuff can easily seal those spots. There are many good materials available in the market which can seal this gap effectively, but the main thing is that this work requires a professional person because they know their job and they have advanced technological tools to solve this kind of issue and other related issues.

5. Leaking Bricks

There is an available option for a waterproofing chimney. Nowadays, materials which are used in waterproofing are very powerful. The water probably dries out after a while when water is absorbed into a brick or a mortar joint in the summertime. Some walls stay wet in the house because the sun never shines on these walls, but this is exceptional but creates a big issue because bricks absorb this water. If waterproofing material is applied to these bricks, then the water is trapped inside the brick. Some bricks get soggy, though it is more likely that the water will seep into the inside of the house. In this kind of situation, the Masonry Absorption Test becomes necessary. It is a very simple test where a particular test tube is attached to the side of the chimney & time will be recorded for water to be absorbed into the wall. It will tell you if you should waterproof the chimney or not.

Conclusion:

To prevent a chimney leak, you should be aware of the things that cause a chimney leak. A Step in Time Chimney Sweeps is the best chimney sweep service provider in the market. Our services include cleaning, maintenance, and repair of any kind of chimney. Call us at+1-757-244-6639 for accurate and on-time chimney related services nearby your area.

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