Chimney Leakage Factors

Although they won’t be a factor in the chimney leaking problem, gaps and cracks in a chimney that don’t receive much water exposure may be a safety risk. You can focus your efforts where they are most needed by assessing the flaws and looking at how water interacts with them. Any water leak problem should start with a thorough Local Chimney Cleaning Jackson inspection. The key to fixing the leak issue is to inspect any areas that were exposed to the rain and to drain any water.

A leaky chimney is not as great as having a fireplace. If you notice water flowing through a chimney wall, there may be a leak in the chimney. If a chimney is leaking, maintenance is needed to fix it. Cracks and crevices will develop as a result of wear and strain. The caulk that was used to seal the joint between the flashing and chimney would eventually develop gaps.

There are various causes of chimney leaks. The majority are:

– An absent or broken chimney cap
– Cracks in the chimney flashing
– Deteriorated or damaged masonry mortar
– An imperfect chimney crown

When it rains, chimney leaks can be caused by weather damage, moisture on metal flashing, and leaking bricks.

Your attic most likely already has water damage by the time you discover a fireplace leak. Which side of the chimney the water enters before flowing to other sections is frequently revealed by staining on the exposed chimney in the attic.

Instead of replacing the flashing entirely, you can frequently fix it. However, severe damage can necessitate a whole replacement. Your property will sustain additional damage if a damaged chimney crown allows water to enter the chimney flue.

Check the fireplace’s interior for corrosion on the damper and stains on the lintel. Some major fireplace water leaks make the damper rusty, making it difficult to open or close. The mortar used to retain the firebrick in the fireplace is frequently water soluble. The back wall of the firebox will end up with open mortar joints as a result. Bricks may in rare circumstances become loose. It is necessary to fix the fireplace damper and firebox’s safety features, and we always aim to totally stop the chimney leak.

The space immediately below the firebox floor of the fireplace is the ash dump. Ash enters through an ash dump door, which is often constructed of metal and located in the middle of the firebox floor and rests inside a chamber that is accessible through a clean-out door in the basement. Sometimes there has been so much ash “dumped in” that it is higher than the door opening, so we cautiously open the clean exterior.

As a result, the entire pile of filthy ash spills into the cellar. Look for water stains on the inside walls and damp ashes using a flashlight and hand mirror. Even though water found in the fireplace ash dump could have come from anywhere, it is still important to look into the possibility that water is pouring in from the nearby earth.

A History of the Fireplace Jackson
Explaining the Different Components of a Chimney Jackson