Chimney leaks are one of the most common problems your chimney can have. According to chimney contractors, the leaks are brought about by many factors that include:

Lack of chimney cover

It goes without saying that when your chimney doesn’t have a chimney cover, it allows water to get in. Properly installed fireplace covers not only keep off rain, but they also keep birds, debris, and animals out.

If your chimney doesn’t have a cover, all you need to do is to install one. Unless you are an expert, you should leave the installation work to a chimney technician.

Cracks in the chimney crown

Your chimney will also leak if the chimney crown has cracked. The chimney crown is the cement part at the top of the fireplace. Its role is to prevent rain and snow from falling in and around the chimney tiles.

Cracks in the chimney come about when the chimney shifts or shrinks. As you might guess, when the chimney crown has cracks, water goes right through the cracks.

How you fix a cracked crown depends on how badly damaged the crown is. You should note that even if your crown has a small crack, you have to repair it. This is because it’s the small cracks that get worse over time, and you end up with enormous problems.

If the crown has small cracks, you only need to apply crown coating materials that will cover the masonry and prevent the cracks from getting worse.

If the cracks are large, the best way of fixing the problems is by removing and relaying the masonry. You can do the work if you have the skills, but if you have never done it before, let an expert handle it.

Deteriorated or poorly built chimney shoulder

The chimney shoulder is the sloped area on the stack where it transitions from a broad base to narrow. If you have had your chimney for a long time, the chances are that the masonry has deteriorated, leading to leakages.

Your chimney will also leak if the chimney shoulder is poorly constructed such that it can’t hold off rain and snow.

You need to work with an experienced chimney technician who will help you with inspecting the chimney and determining the extent of the damage.

Deteriorating mortar and masonry

With time, it’s common for the mortar and cement holding the chimney together to age and even crack. When this happens, water falls down inside the chimney and into the house.

In worse situations, the chimney walls in shaded areas stay wet for a long time after rain, and the bricks absorb the water and expel it into the house.

For you to determine if your chimney is having this problem, you should perform the masonry absorption test (MAT).

This test involves placing a test tube on the side of the chimney and gauge how long it takes for the water to get absorbed into the chimney wall.

Depending on the results you get, you will find out whether the chimney needs to be waterproofed.

If you have to seal the chimney, use specialty brick sealants that will prevent water from leaking in without trapping the water inside the bricks, causing damage.

Loose knots and cracks in the wood siding

If your chimney has wood siding, you can have two scenarios. The knots in the wood can get loose or come off. The wood can also get old, dry out, and split.

In both cases, the water can get behind the siding and leak into the chimney. For you to get rid of this problem, you need to work with an expert to inspect the siding and ensure that the siding and chimney are adequately sealed.

Missing flushing

The flashing prevents water from getting to the area where the brick structure comes through the roof. Often made from aluminum, the flashing goes between a few bricks and bends to get to the top of shingles.

To prevent water from getting into the chimney, you need to seal the flashing. Unless you are experienced, let an expert chimney sweep Bowie fix the flashing.

As a rule of thumb, go with a high-quality sealing product that will not only optimally seal the flashing, but also last for a long time.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com