You Might Have a Leaky Chimney
It’s stressful and frustrating whenever you have a leak. Chimney leaks are among the most irritating ones. The uncertainty of whether to contact a chimney company or a roofing company only serves to increase your frustration. The truth is that your chimney could be leaking for a variety of reasons, and who you call will depend on what kind of leak it is.
You’ll have a chase top over the top of your chimney to prevent rainwater from entering the chimney directly. It will have a caulk-sealed hole cut out in the center for the chimney pipe and spark arrester to pass through. The chase will contain water if it is lower in the center than the remainder of the steel panel. The chase top is corroded through as a result, allowing water to enter the chimney.
Bricks and mortar are porous enough to absorb water when it rains if you have a brick chimney. The chase top (the top of your chimney) should always direct water evenly in all directions. Regrettably, this never occurs. Usually, when it rains heavily, the water drips from one corner of the chase top and soaks the bricks to the point where it seeps into the chimney. Because of the way chimneys are constructed today, that is less often than it once was. Homeowners still complain about it every time there is a protracted rainy spell, though.
Roofers install roof flashing, a thin metal layer, to guide water away from particular parts of your roof, such as your chimney. Your chimney could be dripping for one of two causes due to flashing.
1. The flashing’s poor installation is the primary cause. When this occurs, there is nothing keeping the water from entering your chimney and entering your house. You’ll need to get a new roofer to come out and professionally reflash your chimney in order to fix this chimney leak, or you can rely on the workmanship warranty provided by your contractor.
2. The second explanation is that your chimney’s flashing deteriorates. Roof flashing is no different from other roofing materials in that it eventually reaches the end of its useful life. If the roof flashing is worn out or broken, water will enter your chimney just like if it were installed incorrectly. You will need to pay to have it replaced if this occurs in order to stop the chimney leak.
What number do you give to fix a chimney leak? I advise beginning with a nearby roofing contractor. Let them examine the bricks and flashing, which earlier in this article highlighted potential issues. Your roofing contractor should be able to fix it if it’s one of those two issues. But you must contact a Local Chimney Cleaning Service Woodland Hills company if there is an issue with the chase top and it needs to be changed. By scheduling yearly inspections, you can also find any potential flashing leaks in the chimney. Given that you should inspect your chimney at least once a year in order to spot or prevent future problems, this is the recommended technique.