The majority of people are going to list a chimney fire as the biggest chimney threat in the community. Nothing is more damaging to a chimney than prolonged exposure to water. Since chimneys are placed on top of your home, shielding chimneys from water, snow, and rain is almost impossible.

Anyone who has had home improvement projects is aware that when there is water exposure, there is a problem. Homes are constructed from top to bottom that have water-proofing measures. A lot of basements are waterproofed, gutter systems can channel rainfall and water runoff away from any foundation. Awnings protect windows, white walls, and floors are sealed shut to prevent water damage. You can contact chimney inspection if you see the following issues:

Cracked Masonry

Chimney cracks are very common. Most chimney risks can be often but they are normally forgotten.

The good thing is that this is not the case for cracked masonry, which is normally the most expensive repair to ever happen. You can easily notice cracks in the chimney masonry which is the first place you should be looking if you developed a leak.

The masonry project repairs vary depending on how much time it takes for it to be noticed. One small crack turns into a crumbling decay if it is not maintained properly.

Flue Lining

The flue lining is an important part of your chimney, which is responsible for any draft that pulls the toxic and dangerous combustion byproducts that are produced by fire from outside. Flue linings are made using metal or clay, both of them will deteriorate if they are exposed to water damage.

Similar to the chimney’s interior masonry, flue liner damage can become undetected without a chimney inspection done yearly. If you do not have a flue duct that works properly, you will find yourself having a hard time getting your fire going and you will notice that the smoke is not outside your house.

There are Unknown Leaks

It is not surprising to a lot of projects arise after buying a home. However, that does not mean you can do everything yourself through leaks you do not know.

Other leaks do not have to come from the chimney so it can grow towards your chimney. Water is a fussy thing with building materials and if you combine that with freezing temperatures, it will not be fun.

Any size of the project can always be fixed. If there is unknown leakage, you would just have to ride it out until you can easily identify the leaks. Again, the yearly inspections are helpful in finding and eliminating problem areas before you would have to pay for a total restoration.

Siding is Warped

If there are wooden sidings in your home and your chimney is leaking with a water problem, you will see that siding is going to become warped over time if not addressed. The prolonged neglect and exposure o water down your chimney will slowly erode your siding’s integrity, which deforms it in the process.

Replacing the wooden siding is very expensive, so you have to be sure about having your chimney inspected every year so you can keep water from damaging it.

Condensation

If you lived through summer in some hot states, you know that it can be extremely uncomfortable. This is a dramatic change in heat difference which helps spot water damage in any chimney. The brick and mortar will exhibit signs of “sweating” that impact the brickwork throughout your entire home.

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