Do
you see loose or missing chimney brick? Is the stucco peeling off of your chimney? Water stains on the ceiling
near the chimney? Is there loose mortar and white bubbly powder on the on the chimney walls up in the attic? Is
there red dust from deteriorated chimney brick lying on your attic floor? These all are signs of a chimney that needs repair.
A chimney leak can be subtle and
is often a seeping leak, not a dripping leak. Water can slowly penetrate through failed or poorly installed chimney
flashing, a cracked chimney crown, or missing chimney brick pointing. Signs of a chimney leak are wall paper or paint
peeling above the chimney mantel, a white bubbly powder on the wall and ceiling near the chimney.
Most chimneys are made
of stone, brick or block with a brick or terra cotta clay flu pipe. The most common cause of damage to chimneys is moisture
from inside and outside of the house. The outside moisture is from rain, snow and ice. The inside moisture is
from the furnace and hot water heater. The moisture causes the chimney masonry to deteriorate and fail.
The top of the chimney is the chimney
crown and is the most important feature in protecting your chimney. The purpose of the chimney crown is to protect the
chimney from water penetrating the chimney stack. A chimney crown should consist of lead flashing installed
to the top of the chimney with a thick layer of concrete over the lead flashing. The layer of concrete should extend
out past the chimney walls to help prevent water from dripping down the sides of the chimney walls.
The most common cause for damaged or missing
chimney brick pointing is a failed chimney crown. On a warm winter day water penetrates through cracks in the chimney
crown and seeps through the chimney brick. At night when the temperature drops the water freezes, expands and pushes
the pointing out from between the chimney brick. Re-pointing the chimney brick without replacing the chimney crown is
only addressing the symptom and ignoring the cause.
Ask a mason and
he will say the leak source is the chimney, ask a roofer and he will say the leak source is the roof and when the leak
is not fixed they will blame each other. Kaller Roofing will properly repair the chimney and the roof and will warranty
that the work is completed right the first time.
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