The Enemy of Every Chimney is Water
Even while water is non-toxic to the naked eye, it may severely damage your chimney if it gets inside. Doubt me? When was the first time you heard of the Grand Canyon? How do you believe it originated, then? Leaving water untreated can cause severe damage to brickwork. It’s estimated that water causes over $1 billion in annual damage to brick chimneys. Remember, that’s billion with a B in case you were wondering. Chimneys are always open to the weather, thus they must be waterproofed and examined often to ensure their safety. Early detection of damage can help keep repair costs down. Unnoticed problems can lead to costly expenses for the homeowner in the form of exterior masonry repairs and liner replacement.
Water may seep in through the chimney’s many cracks and crevices over time and cause extensive damage. In the event of a storm, water might easily enter the chimney if the chimney cap is missing or broken. A lack of flashing or damage to the existing flashing might potentially compromise the building’s structural integrity. You should also check your rain gutters for leaks, since these may be a major cause of water damage. Chimneys that go below ground and have a downspout installed in the same spot are at risk of water seepage and foundation problems.
If you suspect water damage to your chimney, keep an eye out for the following:
-Is there rust on your damper?
-Is there a pool of water at the chimney’s base?
-Does the exterior of the chimney have any white powder or soot stains?
-Any signs of water damage around or within the chimney?
When any of these symptoms appear, it’s time to call in the experts for a chimney check. A trained inspector can pinpoint the origin of the problem and give advice on how to fix it. Even if you don’t see any of these indicators of water damage, it’s still a good idea to have a professional examine and clean your chimney if it hasn’t been done in the past year.
The use of a chimney cap has always been a mystery to me.
There are many moving parts in a fireplace system, both underneath and in the chimney. The chimney rises from the top of the house and projects upwards in order to release smoke and hot air from a fireplace. Water, dirt, and even animals can enter via an exposed chimney top. A chimney cover shields your home from unwanted visitors and stops sparks from igniting combustible roof materials as they fall.
You may get this hat in a wide range of colors, designs, and sizes. The most common materials used are copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and galvanized steel. Mesh screening is a common feature, as it deters animals and prevents sparks from escaping and landing on the roof. Designs with several flues shield both the masonry crown at the top of the chimney and the combustibles inside. When installing a chimney cap, screws are typically placed around the bottom of the cap and fastened to the flue.
If a flue does not extend far enough from the top of the chimney, or if the chimney is unlined, an interior mounting cap must be used. Other types of mounts can be used with the help of fasteners such mounting angles. These are lag bolted or cemented onto the chimney to offer the appropriate protection. In addition to the draft-increasing designs, regular stainless steel caps can also be used to improve draft.
Chimney caps protect the chimney’s foundation from falling debris, structural damage, and corrosion. If a chimney isn’t capped, the foundation might deteriorate over time. In this way, the necessity for a chimney service to replace or repair the base is reduced and the cap serves as an added layer of protection.
In support of knowing these essential information, it is for the best that you also have a company you can count on to help you with Chimney Cleaning Fresno and repairing like Local Chimney Sweep Cleaning.