Chimney Leaks - SootAway Panama City FL

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Chimney leaks
Fall is a great time to get the fireplace ready
for winter. Attending to those irritating chimney
leaks is the best place to start. As this is not
an area of the home which sees a lot of traffic
or that gets used very often, chimneys require a
thorough maintenance check once a year.
Considering that a chimney leak could have
numerous causes, it is helpful to understand the
root of these problems. Faulty Chimney
Flashing The part where the chimney and the roof
of your house meet is sealed off with flashing.
This material can be aluminium, steel copper or
PVC. Each one is suitable for different climates,
geographical areas and also for different
classes of construction. The most popular form of
flashing is aluminium, which can last more than
20 years in some cases. However, over time this
material will start to deteriorate, and gaps
will appear between the brickwork of the chimney
and the actual flashing material. A chimney
leak can be fixed by attending to damaged
flashing. It is best to clean any old leaves or
other residues from the flashing this might
include scraping off any hardened cement. Next
up, one should add a generous amount of roofing
cement one could fasten the flashing tight
against the chimney by using masonry nails.
Flashing with extensive deterioration should
rather be replaced than risking further
damage. Brick and Mortar Damage Both bricks and
mortar are porous. This is a major cause of
chimney leaks and should be attended to when
doing maintenance. Another cause of water making
its way down the chimney could be constant
freeze and thawing action taking place during the
cold winter. The first layer of the chimney
might be perfectly built with a neat layer of
bricks, while behind this layer one might find a
conglomerate of mortar, cement and stone. While
this is not a big problem, it could result in
small cracks, allowing water to penetrate. Even
in areas that are cold and damp, the bricks might
retain water for a longer time and may
eventually start leaking down the
chimney. Damaged mortar can be fixed by removing
the old, crumbling pieces from the wall and
replacing it with new mortar. Damaged Chimney
Crown The crown is situated right at the top of
the chimney and is usually put in place to
protect the rest of the chimney or simply put,
to keep the weather out. Chimney crowns are
likely the first part of the chimney to
deteriorate, especially when built with the wrong
materials. This usually starts with just a small
crack, but weather corrosion will eventually
cause the structure to break down. Cracks may
also appear due to movement in the chimney or
even due to settling from the time it was
built. Damage like this can create an entry point
for water to start dripping into the chimney and
is best treated as soon as possible. Small
cracks can be treated with a specialty coating
product available at most hardware stores. Once
cracks become large, it is best to replace the
entire crown. Either way, treating these cracks
is highly recommended to prevent significant
damage to the fireplace in your home.
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Faulty Chimney Cap If you dont close the top of
the chimney, youll get some unwanted items in
your fireplace. The chimney cap is located right
at the top of the chimney and can be purchased in
various forms and finishes. This piece of
equipment stops water, leaves, bugs and even
birds from entering the chimney. A chimney cap
is a very good investment to keep the chimney
clear and also to prevent any blockages or even
a backdraft which may occur at times. Fireplaces
are great assets to any home. If you find your
fireplace or chimney is leaking, then it is best
to do a few quick checks to see where the leak is
located and to get a professional to attend to
the issue. Visit this website to know
more. Article Source https//sootaway.net/2018/1
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